Fig. 5: Continuous DLP 3D printed PCs structures as color and pattern selective optical light-guide tubes.

a–e Optical images of hollow cylinder-shaped tubes with different frequency selective light-guide property printed from PS particles with diameters of 192 nm (a), 214 nm (b), 230 nm (c), 245 nm (d), and 265 nm (e), respectively. f Schematic illustration of the length-dependent optical loss characterization. g–l Optical images of light-guide performance of hollow cylinder-shaped tubes with lengths of 9 mm (g, j), 18 mm (h, k) and 20 mm (i, l), respectively. j–l are the optical images of output light morphology on a black background from different lengths. m–p Optical images of output light patterns with triangle (m), square (n), pentagon (o), and flower (p) morphologies, respectively. The insets are cross-sectional morphology of corresponding tubes. q Schematic illustration of light direction guidance through bended structures. r–u Optical images of bended optical light-guide structures with bending angle of 30° (r), 45° (s), 70° (t), and 90° (u), respectively. The insets are the corresponding models of optical light-guide structures. v–x Optical images of the light color regulation through overlapping lights guided from two light-guide tubes. The two light-guide tubes are printed from PS particles with diameters of 192 nm and 265 nm (v), 192 nm and 214 nm (w), and 265 nm and 214 nm (x), respectively.