A simple and low-cost technique called low one-photon absorption (LOPA) direct laser writing (DLW) is demonstrated as an efficient method for structuration of multidimensional submicrostructures. Starting from the diffraction theory of the electromagnetic field distribution of a tightly focused beam, the crucial conditions for LOPA-based DLW are theoretically investigated, and then experimentally demonstrated using a simple optical confocal microscope. Various 1D, 2D, and 3D submicrostructures

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... ere successfully fabricated in different materials, such as commercial SU8 photoresist and magnetic nanocomposite. The advantages and drawbacks of this LOPA-based DLW technique were also studied and compared with the conventional two-photon absorption based DLW. Several methods were proposed to overcome the existing problem of the DLW, such as the dose accumulation and shrinkage effect, resulting in uniform structures with a small lattice constant. The LOPA-based DLW technique should be useful for the fabrication of functionalized structures, such as magneto-photonic and plasmon photonic crystals and devices, which could be interesting for numerous applications.