Co-optimization of Diffusive and Tomographic Blur in Computed Axial Lithography via Experimental Kernel Identification

Abstract: Computed Axial Lithography is a volumetric additive manufacturing method that selectively cures photosensitive resin through the 3D superposition of patterns of light, offering advantages over layer-based processes including rapid print times, reduced layer artifacts, and compatibility with high-viscosity materials. However, diffusive effects, primarily those of free-radical quenchers such as oxygen, blur the boundary between cured and uncured regions, limiting resolution and preventing the reproduction of sharp, high-spatial-frequency features. By comparing micro-CT data to computational dose models convolved with kernels across a range of diffusivities, we establish a framework for extracting a single diffusion kernel from any standard uncorrected print to account for all observed deviations from the target. In this work, we correct diffusion-induced blurring by co-optimizing for its effects alongside the inherent blur of the computed tomography reconstruction, demonstrating improved fidelity over previous approaches of pre-compensating the target geometry via deconvolution.