The real-time study of the shrinkage during UV-curing of (meth)acrylate monomers is limited due to the very fast curing rate, their thin sample geometry (<100 mu m), and low viscosity. We report a reflective laser scanning system for direct measurement of UV-curing shrinkage. A low-power laser beam at a wavelength of 650 nm, different from the polymerization wavelength (395 nm), was used. This noncontact method of measurement makes it possible to analyze the thin liquid monomer with a very low shrinkage (measuring accuracy 0.02 mu m), and very fast curing rate (fast sampling speed of 50 KHz). Eight different kinds of UV monomers were tested using 25 mg specimens, and the shrinkage process was examined. The results proved that this new method was accurate and precise, and could be applied to different kinds of (meth)acrylates. Furthermore, the shrinkage capability of acrylic double bonds was determined as 23.98 mL/mol using this novel method. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012