Speeding up submicrometer printing: Using light to build three-dimensional structures with photopolymerization is the basis for two-photon lithography. However, there has been a trade-off between speed and resolution for fabricating structures with this method. Saha et al. optimize a new parallel printing methodology that relies on ultrafast lasers. They show the ability to dramatically increase the speed of printing while maintaining submicrometer resolution. Science , this issue p. 105
Two-photon polymerization (TPP) is the most precise 3-D printing process that has been used to create many complex structures for advanced photonic and nanoscale applications. However, to date the technology still remains a laboratory tool due to its high operation cost and limited fabrication rate, i.e., serial laser scanning process. Here we present a revolutionary laser nanofabrication process based on TPP and an ultrafast random-access digital micromirror device (DMD) scanner. By exploiting binary holography, the DMD scanner can simultaneously generate and individually control one to tens of laser foci for parallel nanofabrication at 22.7 kHz. Complex 3-D trusses and woodpile structures have been fabricated via single or multi-focus processes, showing a resolution of ~500 nm. The nanofabrication system may be used for largescale nano-prototyping or creation of complex structures, e.g., overhanging structures, that cannot be easily fabricated via conventional raster-scanning-based systems, bringing significant impact to the world of nanomanufacturing.