Initiator-free multiphoton polymerization for 3D nanostructure fabrication

This paper demonstrates the fabrication of 3D nanostructures by multiphoton polymerization using a material that does not contain a photoinitiator. The material used is a novel organic-inorganic hybrid material containing Vanadium and Silicon alkoxides and methacrylate polymerizable moieties. This hybrid material employs two-photon absorption to self-generate radicals, by a redox reaction of the metal species, which initiate the polymerization. This material is used to make high resolution 3D photonic crystals and other photonic nanostructures.