| abstract |
A method of forming a three-dimensional object, comprising: providing a carrier (18, 418) and an optically transparent member having a build surface, said carrier (18, 418) and said build surface defining a build region therebetween; filling said build region with a polymerizable liquid, continuously or intermittently irradiating said build region with light through said optically transparent member to form a solid polymer from said polymerizable liquid, continuously or intermittently advancing (e.g., sequentially or concurrently with said irradiating step) said carrier (18, 418) away from said build surface to form said three-dimensional object from said solid polymer, said optically transparent member comprising a flexible layer (414, 514, 614) having upper and lower opposing sides, wherein the flexible layer (414, 514, 614) upper side defines the build region, the method further comprising forming a region of reduced pressure adjacent the flexible layer (414, 514, 614) lower side. |