Fermosecond laser pulses were used for laser fabrication using two-photon-absorption. By imaging microstructures during laser fabrication, we precisely controlled the sizes and positions of optical functions in the microstructures. We fabricated a two-dimensional periodic array of polymer microstructures using two-photon-induced photopolymerization, and developed a technique of recording optical data with a spatial resolution of less than 1 mu m in three-dimensions. This optical recording was achieved by using a fermosecond laser with near-infrared wavelength to induce two-photon photodegradation of fluorescent chromophores. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.