METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THREE-DIMENSIONAL FABRICATION
A method of forming a three-dimensional object, is carried out by (a) providing a carrier and a build plate, the build plate comprising a semipermeable member, the semipermeable member comprising a build surface with the build surface and the carrier defining a build region therebetween, and with the build surface in fluid communication by way of the semipermeable member with a source of polymerization inhibitor; (b) filling the build region with a polymerizable liquid, the polymerizable liquid contacting the build surface, (c) irradiating the build region through the build plate to produce a solid polymerized region in the build region, while forming or maintaining a liquid film release layer comprised of the polymerizable liquid formed between the solid polymerized region and the build surface, wherein the polymerization of which liquid film is inhibited by the polymerization inhibitor; and (d) advancing the carrier with the polymerized region adhered thereto away from the build surface on the build plate to create a subsequent build region between the polymerized region and the build surface while concurrently filling the subsequent build region with polymerizable liquid as in step (b). Apparatus for carrying out the method is also described.
1 . (canceled)
2 . A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising:
(a) continuously maintaining a dead zone in a polymerizable liquid on an optically transparent build plate, with a gradient of polymerization zone continuously maintained on the dead zone, and
(b) irradiating the polymerizable liquid through the optically transparent build plate to produce a solid three-dimensional object from the continuously maintained gradient of polymerization zone.
2 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the build plate is substantially fixed or stationary.
4 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising forming the dead zone and the gradient of polymerization zone in the polymerizable liquid by contacting the build plate with a source of inhibitor, wherein the inhibitor passes partly or fully through the build plate to contact the polymerization liquid.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the inhibitor is oxygen.
6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein producing the three-dimensional object comprises
(b1) irradiating the polymerizable liquid to form a solid polymerized region attached to a carrier in contact with the polymerizable liquid;
(b2) advancing the carrier with the polymerized region adhered thereto away from the build plate;
(b3) irradiating the polymerizable liquid to form a solid polymerized region adhered to a previous polymerized region, and
(b4) repeating steps (b2) and (b3) until the repeated deposition of polymerized regions adhered to one another forms the three-dimensional object.
7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the dead zone has a thickness in a range of from 0.1 microns to 400 microns.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the dead zone has a thickness in a range of from 1 micron to 100 microns.
9 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the dead zone and gradient of polymerization zone together have a thickness in a range of from 1 micron to 400 microns.
10 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the optically transparent build plate comprises a semipermeable fluoropolymer, a rigid gas-permeable polymer, porous glass, or a combination thereof.