With the advent of relatively low-cost 3-D printers, additive manufacturing has become a popular area of activity with much enthusiasm being expressed for novel applications. One of the attractions of the additive-manufacturing approach is that it is a manufacturing process which creates little if any waste. Stereolithography enabled by controlled polymerization is a specific process which has been used for some time in 3-D manufacturing.
This book comprehensively covers a particular approach to stereo-lithography called two-photon polymerization (TPP). TPP has a vital role to play in 3-D manufacturing due to its ability to deliver feature sizes on the order of 10 nm. This, in particular, provides manufacturers the opportunity to create structures on length scales commensurate with molecular and biological processes. This book—the product of some 40 experts—carefully presents the fundamentals and applications of this technology, including some stunning images of fabricated devices.
We still have a way to go before TPP reaches its full potential, but readers of this volume will be well-equipped to help advance this exciting area of research and development.
Review by K. Alan Shore, Bangor University, Wales, U.K.
The opinions expressed in the book review section are those of the reviewer and do not necessarily reflect those of OPN or OSA.