Abstract
Photocurable three-dimensional (3D) printing is a stepwise layer-by-layer fabrication process widely used in the manufacture of highly specialized objects. Current 3D printing techniques are easily implemented; however, the build rate is slow and the surface quality is less than ideal. Holographic 3D display (3DHD) technology makes it possible to reform planar wavefronts into a 3D intensity distribution, which appears as a 3D image in space. This paper examined the application of holographic imaging technology to 3D printing based on photocurable polymers. The proposed system uses a 3DHD diffractive optics system based on a liquid-crystal-on-silicon spatial light modulator (LCoS-SLM), wherein a 3D layered image is created in the optical near field, based on a computer-generated hologram (CGH) optimized using the iterative angular spectrum algorithm (IASA) and a circular IASA. From a single CGH, multiple 2D sliced images are created in space to form a 3D optical image used to initiate the photopolymerization of photocurable resin to form 3D objects. In experiments, the proposed 3D printing system was used to create five polymer objects with a maximum axial length of 25 mm and minimum feature width of 149 μm. The phase-only CGH reformed the incident light into a distribution of optical intensity with high diffraction efficiency suitable for photocuring. Despite limitations pertaining to fabrication area and axial complexity in this initial study, the proposed method demonstrated high light efficiency, high resolution in the lateral direction, rapid fabrication, and good object continuity.
Highlights
Three-dimensional (3D) display technology using diffractive optical elements (DOEs) and computer-generated holograms (CGHs) is increasingly being used in AR/VR entertainment, surgical procedures, and the military [1]
In reconstructing a scene of a 3D image, depth information is encoded in the form of CGHs via numerical computation
We developed a layer-based 3DHD method to facilitate 3D printing through the photopolymerization of photocurable acrylate resin
Summary
Three-dimensional (3D) display technology using diffractive optical elements (DOEs) and computer-generated holograms (CGHs) is increasingly being used in AR/VR entertainment, surgical procedures, and the military [1]. In reconstructing a scene of a 3D image, depth information is encoded in the form of CGHs via numerical computation. The resulting numerical CGHs can be physically manufactured or displayed in a spatial light modulator (SLM) by displaying a grayscale version of the CGH phase. The physical CGH in a diffractive optical system modulates an incident optical beam to reconstruct the encoded 3D images via free-space propagation. Holographic reconstructions of 3D images in space using a CGH or a series of CGHs provide abundant depth cues of scenes and objects. High image resolution, and high spatial precision make holographic 3D display technology an ideal candidate for additive manufacturing (i.e., 3D printing)
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