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- Copy the folder to the Nanoscribe computer
- Place your substrates in the positions indicated in your gwl file and add resin to them, using an appropriate amount for the sample printed
- Large deposits of resin may drip in the machine, please ensure a minimal amount is applied
- Insert the correct objective and the Multi-DiLL holder as with standard prints
- Select the position of your first print in NanowriteNanoWrite. By default, the Multi-DiLL is set to position 5, as seen below. To reduce bubble formation in your print, it is best to change this to your first print position. Note that when clicking the new position on the Multi-DiLL graphic in the Nanowrite NanoWrite "Choose sample holder" dialog box, the view is from the bottom of the holder, so positions are flipped, e.g. position 1 is the top right. Click OK and then approach the sample.
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- Load the *job.gwl file in your top folder in NanowriteNanoWrite, in the case of the example load 1_2_3_job.gwl
- Start print job, the total print time scales linearly with the number of samples in the job
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- Load your substrate in a sample holder. If the substrate is thicker or thinner than the holder depth (i.e. 700 microns thick for the Multi-DiLL holder), it is important to measure how much taller or shorter your substrate is.
- Add resin to your substrate and the objective.
- Load your sample as you would normally, select the correct holder and click OK.
- Do not click Approach Sample at any point.
- In the advanced camera settings, ensure that the light source is correct for your substrate - for opaque substrates use a Reflective Illumination, but for transparent substrates you will be better served with Transmission Illumination with all objectives.
- Approach the sample with the manual Z control. You may use coarse control initially until you reach a Z-height on the order of 9000um. For thicker substrates, it is recommended to stop earlier, substract your substrate height above the holder from 9000.
- During this step you should see the lens contact the resin, it will be very obvious, looking like a bubble moving across the microscope. Keeping Auto Contrast and Auto Exposure.
- Using the fine control, move the microscope slowly; you should slowly begin to resolve the substrate.
- For a 700um thick substrate this is typically a Z-value greater than 9800um.
- Turning off auto-contrast and auto exposure can be helpful; ensuring short exposure times but also smaller Gain (<15) will result in a clearer image.
- Once the substrate appears in view, turn off the microscope in Nanowrite NanoWrite and open AxioVision.
- While AxioVision loads, in the Nanowrite NanoWrite Advanced Settings console type ManualControl and click Submit.
- On the left hand side of the Manual Control interface is a section with Shutter Control. Set the laser power to a low value, typically 5%
- With AxioVision loaded, open the shutter. If you see a small white dot, this is the laser. If you cannot see it, you are either too close to the substrate and its focal length is past the surface of your substrate. Alternately, you may be too far from the substrate, however this is typically not the case if you have your substrate in focus.
- Using the fine Z control, slowly adjust the Z location towards your substrate until the white dot just disappears. Note this Z location - switching the microscope control unit to XYZ mode is helpful for this process as the Manual Control interface is not ideal for this step.
- Close the Shutter in Manual Control.
- Close AxioVision and Manual Control. Enable the Nanowrite NanoWrite microscope.
- Note: closing AxioVision and renabling the microscope will automatically turn on Auto-Contrast, you may wish to disable this again.
- Your substrate should eventually come into sharp focus, move the substrate on X and Y until you have identified where you would like to print.
- Modify your _data.gwl file:
- It will contain the line FindInterfaceAt $interfacePos, comment this out by adding "%" before the line
- If this line is not removed or commented out, the microscope will lose the position and attempt to automatically find the interface
- Load your print job and begin printing
- It may be valuable to have a small object (e.g. a cube) to test the print before starting a longer one. This can help validate your starting point and ensure that your print isn't floating or the laser is focused past your substrate.
- When your print is complete, click Exchange Sample Holder. This will back the objective from your print as normal.
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