Henrik Pranov

Hydrogen silsesquioxane mold coatings for improved replication of nanopatterns by injection molding

We demonstrate the replication of nanosized pillars in polymer (cyclic olefin copolymer) by injection molding using nanostructured thermally cured hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) ceramic coatings on stainless steel mold inserts with mold nanostructures produced by a simple embossing process. At isothermal mold conditions, the average pillar height increases by up to 100% and a more uniform height distribution is observed compared to a traditional metal mold insert. Thermal heat transfer simulations predict that the HSQ film retards the cooling of the polymer melt during the initial stages of replication, thus allowing more time to fill the nanoscale cavities compared to standard metal molds. A monolayer of a fluorinated silane (heptadecafluorotrichlorosilane) deposited on the mold surface reduces the mold/polymer interfacial energy to support demolding of the polymer replica. The mechanical stability of thermally cured HSQ makes it a promising material for nanopattern replication on an industrial scale without the need for slow and energy intensive variotherm processes.

Replication of nanopits and nanopillars by roll-to-roll extrusion coating using a structured cooling roll

This paper investigates a novel, very high throughput, roll-to-roll (R2R) process for nanostructuring of polymer foils, called R2R extrusion coating. It has the potential to accelerate the integration of nanostructured materials in consumer products for a variety of applications, including optical, technical, and functional surfaces and devices. In roll-to-roll extrusion coating, a molten polymer film is extruded through a flat die forming a melt curtain, and then laminated onto a carrier foil. The lamination occurs as the melt curtain is pressed between a cooling roller and a counter roller. By mounting a nanostructured metal shim on the surface of the cooling roller, the relief structure from the shim can be replicated onto a thermoplastic foil. Among the benefits of Poil, the process are availability of a wide range of commercial extruders, off-the-shelf extrusion grade polymers, functional additives, polymeric materials with good diffusion barrier properties, and the overall maturity of the technology...

Modelling the deformations during the manufacturing of nanostructures on non-planar surfaces for injection moulding tool inserts

This paper presents a new manufacturing process for transferring nanostructures from a glass wafer to a curved aluminium insert for polymer injection moulding. A nanostructure consisting of sinusoidal cross-gratings with a period of 426 nm is successfully transferred to hemispheres with different radii via an embossing process. The embossing is done into a glass-like resist called HSQ, using a 50 μm thick nickel foil, manufactured with electroforming. During the imprinting process the nickel foil is stretched due to the curved surface of the aluminium substrate and it is experimentally possible to characterize this stretch by counting the periods of the cross-gratings via SEM characterization. A numerical model for simulating the deformation of the nickel foil during nanoimprint is also developed, utilizing non-linear material and geometrical behaviour. Good agreement between measured and numerically calculated stretch ratios on the surface of the deformed nickel foil is shown, and from the model it is also possible to predict the limiting boundary of the nanostructures on the curved surfaces, with decreasing radii.

Modelling the deformation of nickel foil during manufacturing of nanostructures on injection moulding tool inserts

In the present work, a manufacturing process for transferring nanostructures from a glass wafer, to a double-curved insert for injection moulding is demonstrated. A nanostructure consisting of sinusoidal cross-gratings with a period of 426 nm is successfully transferred to hemispheres on an aluminium substrate with three different radii; 500 µm, 1000 µm and 2000 µm, respectively. The nanoimprint is performed using a 50 µm thick nickel foil, manufactured using electroforming. During the imprinting process, the nickel foil is stretched due to the curved surface of the aluminium substrate. Experimentally, it is possible to address this stretch by counting the periods of the cross-gratings via SEM characterization. A model for the deformation of the nickel foil during nanoimprint is developed, utilizing non-linear material and geometrical behaviour. Good agreement between measured and numerically calculated stretch ratios on the surface of the deformed nickel foil is found, and it is shown, that from the mode...

Low reflection Fresnel lenses via double imprint combined with vacuum-UV surface hardening

To improve the optical performance of Fresnel lenses, a technique for preparing them with antireflective structures of the moth-eye type is developed. Masters featuring such hierarchical structures are prepared in SU-8, a negative tone photoresist, by two consecutive thermal imprint steps. The moth-eye structures imprinted first are vacuum ultraviolet-treated at 172 nm to provide a surface-near the cross-linked layer that remains stable during the second imprint of the 100 μm sized Fresnel structures. A successful combination of both structure types is possible at an imprint temperature as low as 45 °C. This can be understood on the basis of the typical exposure and the crosslinking behavior of a chemically amplified negative tone resist like SU-8. The masters prepared in this way will be subjected to extrusion coating, the process of choice for future large area preparation of such structures in a single step.To improve the optical performance of Fresnel lenses, a technique for preparing them with antireflective structures of the moth-eye type is developed. Masters featuring such hierarchical structures are prepared in SU-8, a negative tone photoresist, by two consecutive thermal imprint steps. The moth-eye structures imprinted first are vacuum ultraviolet-treated at 172 nm to provide a surface-near the cross-linked layer that remains stable during the second imprint of the 100 μm sized Fresnel structures. A successful combination of both structure types is possible at an imprint temperature as low as 45 °C. This can be understood on the basis of the typical exposure and the crosslinking behavior of a chemically amplified negative tone resist like SU-8. The masters prepared in this way will be subjected to extrusion coating, the process of choice for future large area preparation of such structures in a single step.