you should look for Pockels cell, or Faraday rotator, you could control it by voltage/current by using polarized light and polarizer. This is best way to control light from laser. But it is controlled by electricity, not by light, so i don't know will fit your purpose
I heard of a scheme where they had like an aquarium full of a clear liquid monomer or dimer that would polymerize only if it was simultaneously exposed to both red and blue light. The would scan it from two axes. . .
OK, I believe most of them use pulsed lasers to control exposure time.
If you use a CW laser, then you can use a simple shutter or deflector mirror to control the beam.
I agree that using a laser to sinter powders to make metal objects is intriguing. I have not been keeping up with the technology, but I know there are a number of pulsed laser with specific wavelengths that make this process easier.
I am currently researching a new way to view individual atoms and how they bind physically, chemically and biologically via photon transfer. One of my goals is to find specific frequencies that facilitate the bonding process with minimal energy needs.
That's interesting, I like the idea of controlling atoms with lasers too. The idea is to change the charge of the photons to alter them. I really like this.
Supposed to be faster because it doesn't have to go layer-by-layer. SLA uses UV to polymerize, this needs simultaneous red + blue. I'm guessing that the material is expensive.
