Vat Polymerization Additive Manufacturing

• 50+ years and thousands of alignment systems for optical applications
• Long-term partner to additive manufacturing companies
• Full range of products: lasers, optics, opto-mechanics, beam profilers, sensors, positioners
  • Proven performance
  • Product availability
• Ability to scale with you
• Global corporation and presence

Lasers	Optics	Opto-Mechanics	Beam Analysis
DPSS Q-switched lasers UV lasers Nanosecond lasers	UV optics High-energy optics Precision lens assemblies	Mirror mounts Lens positioners Integrated optical, opto-mechanical and electronic subassemblies	High power laser thermal sensors High power beam profilers Laser power/energy meters

• Wavelength (primarily UV)
• Power (up to a few Watts)
• Repetition Rate (tens to hundreds of kHz)
• Beam Quality (M² as close to 1)
• Rise Time
• Long Term Stability

Explorer One is ideal for vat polymerization. It is the most compact UV nanosecond laser in its class and features output powers up to a few Watts and nanosecond pulse widths. Combined with typical rise times of about 90% maximum power within 1 to 2 pulses, very fast scans are achievable in a vat polymerization system. High resolution scans are ensured with the laser's excellent beam quality and power stability.

HighQ-2 is ideal for two-photon polymerization (2PP), a technique based on the same principle of stereolithography (SLA), which can fabricate 3D microstructures suspended inside the liquid or gel without the need for a support structure. But unlike traditional SLA, which utilizes UV ns lasers, 2PP requires ultrashort pulse lasers, typically with visible to NIR wavelengths. HighQ-2 is an ultracompact, fs laser that delivers exceptional results for 2PP. Its high peak power, highly focusable Gaussian spatial beam profile and very high stability enable micron- and sub-micron-scale precision..

	HighQ-2™
Wavelength	IR	Green
Peak Power	>80 kW	>35 kW
Average Power	>1.5 W	>0.65 W
Pulse Width	<250 fs
Repetition Rates	63 MHz
M2	<1.15, TEM00
Power Stability	<1% rms (100 hours) <0.5% rms (12 hours)
Other Features	Ultra-compact Air-cooled High uptime Low cost of ownership

For the vat polymerization lasers required, you will likely be operating around 355 nm UV. There are broadband and laser line optics available, but since you’ll know specifically which wavelength you’ll have, we recommend using laser line optics when possible because they’re optimized for a specific wavelength and will perform better than a broadband optic.

• Wavelength (primarily UV)
• Laser Damage Threshold
  • Substrate Material
  • Coating
• Reflectivity/Transmission
• Size and Shape

MKS has a very experienced team of lens designers, opto-mechanical engineers and physicists that specialize in optical design and development. We are more than just a supplier of optical components – MKS can be your partner to deliver optical solutions for your needs. We can provide high precision optical assemblies, for example, lens assemblies. We can also build complete integrated solutions of optics, opto-mechanics and electronics, such as a system to shape beams and quickly change focus and spot size.

We specialize in the design of thin film coatings for laser optics whether it be reflective, anti-reflective, partially reflective, high power and other types. Vat polymerization typically uses UV wavelengths, such as 355 nm, but we also have much experience with coatings down to 193 nanometers. In addition to providing traditional optical shapes and coatings, MKS can also produce complex optical shapes, such as freeform optics, highly convex or concave optics, truncated optics and lightweight optics. We also have the capability of placing multiple coating types on a single optical component.

MKS will design a custom solution to meet your application's requirements, and we can handle build-to-print or build-to-specs. With our world class manufacturing capabilities, we are able to scale quantities as needed and also provide cost-effective high volume production.

High-energy laser mirrors optimized for 355-nm offer very high reflectivity and damage thresholds, and standard broadband metallic mirrors offer a more economic option for good performance and value over very broad spectral ranges.

High-energy lenses optimized for 355-nm offer very high transmission and damage thresholds, and standard fused silica lenses offer good performance and value over very broad spectral ranges.

Optimized for 355-nm, these cubes offer high damage thresholds, efficient polarization, and high extinction ratio.

Very high damage threshold, low sensitivity to temperature and UV wavelength variation.

• Resolution/Sensitivity
• Long Term Stability
• Lockable
• Size and Shape

Optical component mounts are needed to hold and adjust optics. Long term stability and low drift is crucial. Minimizing drift caused by vibrations or thermal drift over time will ensure laser alignment to the desired spot and also reduce any potential downtime due to misalignment and errors. Having a locking mechanism on these mounts can also prevent misalignment of the beam, especially during shipping and also if anything else happens during usage.

HVM industrial mounts are recommended for robust long term usage in compact space. The Suprema^® mirror mount is excellent for its stainless steel construction that gives better thermal performance than an aluminum mirror mount. Ultra-fine 254-TPI adjusters provide alignment sensitivity as low as 1.5 arc sec. For applications that are really concerned about the thermal changes that can be potentially caused by prolonged high powered laser usage, the ZeroDrift™ version will compensate for some thermal changes as well. For those mirror mounts that need to be set-and-forget for a long period of time, we recommend the MFM flexure mirror Mount. These are excellent for their small footprint so that machine size can be reduced.

• Suprema® Stainless Steel Mirror Mounts: the industry's best thermal performance for long-term stability.
• M-Series Aluminum Mirror Mounts: the new standard for affordable mounts.

	Suprema	M-Series
Optic Diameters	0.5, 1 and 2 in.	0.5, 1 and 2 in.
Resolution	50, 100, 127 and 254 TPI	100 TPI
Angular Range	±7°	±4°
Material	Stainless Steel	Aluminum
Drive Types	Knob Hex Key Exchangeable Actuators	Knob Hex Key
Lockable Versions	Yes	Yes
Other Versions	Clear-Edge Front- and Rear-Loading Right- and Left-Handed Low Wavefront Distortion ZeroDrift™	Clear-Edge Front- and Rear-Loading Right- and Left-Handed

• HVM Top-Adjust Mirror Mounts: for use in compact spaces so your hands do not have to cross the beam path for adjustment.
• MFM Flexure Mirror Mounts: designed for "set and forget" applications.

	HVM-Series	MFM-Series
Optic Diameters	0.5, 1 and 2 in.	0.5, 0.75 and 1 in.
Resolution	80 and 100 TPI	80 and 100 TPI
Angular Range	±2.5°, ±3° and ±3.5°	±2.5°
Material	Anodized Aluminum, Stainless Steel	Stainless Steel
Drive Types	Hex Key	Hex Key
Lockable Versions	Yes	No
Other Features	Front- and Rear-Loading Versions	Shock Resistant Front- and Rear-Loading Versions Adhesive wells for permanent mounting

• A-Line™ Fixed Position Lens Mounts: fast, easy and economic mounting, aligning and focusing of optics.
• Compact Lens Positioners: ideal solution for applications with limited table space.
• LP Precision Multi-Axis Lens Positioners: highest performing lens positioners.

	A-Line	Compact	LP-Series
Optic Diameters	0.5 to 3 in.	1 in.	0.5, 1 and 2 in.
Resolution	-	100 TPI	100 TPI
Adjustments	Fixed	XY, XYZ, XYZθxθy	XY, XYZ, XYZθxθy
Material	Aluminum	Aluminum	Aluminum
Other Features	Self-aligning design Large clear aperture Compatible with A-Line alignment system	Adapters for other optics Optional lock nuts	Zero-freeplay XY mechanism True Gimbal adjustments Independent non-influencing locks Adapters for other optics

• Ultima® Gimbaled Cube/Prism Mount: precision alignment of beamsplitter cubes and prisms.
• RSP High Performance Optic Rotation Mounts: smooth, continuous 360° rotation of optics.

	UGP-1	RSP-Series
Optic Size	0.5 and 1 in. cube	1 and 2 in.
Resolution	100 TPI	4 arc min
Angular Range	±5°	360°
Material	Aluminum	Aluminum
Drive Types	Knob w/ Hex Hole	Coarse: knurled edge Fine: knob
Lockable	Yes	Yes
Other Features	True gimbal motion Adapters for other optics	Full ball bearing races Adapters for other optics

• PX Forkless Optical Pedestals: Long-term stability of a pedestal at 1/3 the space.

	PX Post	PX Pedestal
Diameter	1 in.	1 in. with 1.25 in. flange
Heights	1, 2, 3 and 4 in.
Material	Stainless Steel
Other Features	Accessories for varying heights and mounting configurations

Even with the advantages that lasers provide over traditional tools, lasers systems can degrade over time, leading to reduced output power or a change in focus. This, in turn, could result in lower quality laser operations, including sintering. Therefore, it is very important to monitor your laser beam frequently, and the critical parameters of the laser should be checked before and after each important step of the laser manufacturing process.

• Thermal Effects
• Debris from Process
• Vibrations and Shock

There are three types of beam analysis instruments to monitor your laser: (1) sensors and detectors to measure power, (2) power meters to process the information provided by sensors and (3) beam profilers to determine focus position and other beam characteristics. Shown below are the main criteria for choosing such instruments.

• Compatible with laser wavelength
• Power/energy range/density
• Beam size
• Calibrated power measurement

• Compatible with sensor
• Connect to system/PC
• Track process data over time
• Compare multiple measurements at once

• Measurement of multiple attributes
  • Focal shift
  • Focal spot size
  • Laser power and power density
  • Changes over time
  • Laser propagation characteristics
• Speed of measurement

Compact, fan-cooled UV sensors with high damage thresholds.

	FL250A-LP2-35	F150(200)A-CM-16
Spectral Range	250 to 2200 nm	248 to 9400 nm
Power Range	0.1 to 250 W	0.3 to 200 W
Energy Range	0.5 to 300 J	0.05 to 200 J
Maximum Average Power Density	20 kW/cm2	35 kW/cm2
Maximum Energy Density (2 ms)	130 J/cm2	45 J/cm2
Aperture	Ø35 mm	Ø16 mm
Response Time	2 s	3 s
Application	Long pulse lasers	High rep rate lasers

Ophir laser power and energy meters work on the smart plug principle. This means that almost any power meter can work – plug and play – with almost any of the wide range of Ophir optical sensors.

Power Meters		Virtual Power Meters
Centauri	StarBright Handheld	Juno+	EA-1
Extensive graphic displays on 7-in full color touchscreen display Advanced measurement processing Single- or dual-channel versions USB and RS-232 interfaces, with user-friendly software application Analog and TTL output External trigger input	Portable use For transmission checks "in the field" Variety of measurement modes and displays USB & RS-232 interfaces	USB connection to use PC as monitor User-friendly software Extensive graphic displays of data Advanced measurement processing Data logging	Ethernet adapter enables remote control and monitoring of sensor Telnet, HTTP and UDP protocols supported Interact with sensor through custom software or MKS user-friendly software Data logging

• NanoScan™ Scanning Slit Beam Profiler: The most versatile laser beam profiler, providing instantaneous feedback of beam parameters for CW and kHz pulsed lasers.
• SP932U Beam Profiling Camera: High resolution, real-time viewing and measuring of laser structure with highest accuracy in the industry.

	NanoScan™	SP932U
Spectral Range	190 to 1100 nm
Power Range	µW to > kW
Damage Threshold		50W/cm2 / 1J/cm2 for < 100ns pulse width
Beam Sizes	7 µm – 3 mm or 20 µm – 6 mm	34.5 µm – 5.3 mm
Spatial Sampling Resolution	5.3 nm – 18.3 µm
Scan Frequency	Up to 20 Hz
Pixels		2048 x 1536 Effective Pixels 3.45 µm Pixel Size
PC Interface	USB 2.0	USB 3.0
Other Features	Graphical user interface software included M2 Wizard software for quick calculation Integrated 200 mW power meter	BeamGage® software included UltraCal™ correction algorithm Measures cross-sectional intensity 72 dB true dynamic resolution 24 Hz frame rate in 12-bit mode

• Advantages
  • Used to steer laser
  • Fast scanning (meters/sec) with sharp corners
• Limitations
  • Limited field of view (~100-200 mm)
  • Limited focal spot size (10-20 µm)

• Advantages
  • Used to position target or…
  • Used to position galvo(s)
  • Large field of view
  • Allows tight focal spots (<10 µm)
• Limitations
  • Not as fast as galvos

• Combines speed of galvos with FOV allowed by positioners
• Galvo and positioners can be synchronized with advanced motion controller
• Enables "stitching":
  • Galvo process for "cells"
  • Positioners place next cell as target
  • Repeat galvo process

• MKS offers a full range of positioners and motion controllers
• Galvos purchased separately – MKS controllers can interface with galvos

• Stages that MKS ships meet or exceed the guaranteed specifications
• Metrology reports included with each stage (ASME B5.57 and ISO 230-2 standards)
• Typically, the product will perform ~2x better than the guarantee

High sensitivity and outstanding trajectory accuracy in a compact, robust and cost-effective package.

Highly accurate, repeatable and fast vertical motion in a compact unit

High load capacity, long travel, fast movement capable of high-duty cycles in industrial applications

High load capacity, mid-travel, fast movement capable of high-duty cycles in light industrial applications

XPS-D	XPS-RLD
High performance, complex motion trajectories Up to 8 axes Extensive analog and digital I/O Can synchronize galvos and positioners Best for the most demanding applications	High performance, complex motion trajectories Up to 4 axes Analog and digital I/O Can synchronize galvos and positioners Good for demanding R&D and low volume production

For applications that require holding alignments in place, we offer a comprehensive range of vibration isolation and damping solutions to ensure a stable system.

	Breadboards	Workstations	Table Systems	Tables and Legs
Dimension	Few feet	Few feet	Several feet, custom sizes	Several feet, custom sizes
Thickness	Few inches	Few inches	Several inches, custom thickness	Several inches, custom thickness
Portability	Must be carried or placed on "cart"	Casters on legs are standard	Larger, heavier, optional casters	Larger, heavier, optional casters
Isolation	None	✓	✓	✓
Damping	✓	✓	✓	✓
Setup	Base model comes assembled	Base model comes assembled	Support frame included but not assembled May need help from riggers	Tables, legs sold separately May need help from riggers