Iryna Yakimets

Single Layer Broadband Anti-Reflective Coatings for Plastic Substrates Produced by Full Wafer and Roll-to-Roll Step-and-Flash Nano-Imprint Lithography

Anti-reflective coatings (ARCs) are used to lower the reflection of light on the surface of a substrate. Here, we demonstrate that the two main drawbacks of moth eye-structured ARCs—i.e., the lack of suitable coating materials and a process for large area, high volume applications—can be largely eliminated, paving the way for cost-efficient and large-scale production of durable moth eye-structured ARCs on polymer substrates. We prepared moth eye coatings on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and polycarbonate using wafer-by-wafer step-and-flash nano-imprint lithography (NIL). The reduction in reflection in the visible field achieved with these coatings was 3.5% and 4.0%, respectively. The adhesion of the coating to both substrates was good. The moth eye coating on PMMA demonstrated good performance in three prototypical accelerated ageing tests. The pencil hardness of the moth eye coatings on both substrates was <4B, which is less than required for most applications and needs further optimization. Additionally, we developed a roll-to-roll UV NIL pilot scale process and produced moth eye coatings on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) at line speeds up to two meters per minute. The resulting coatings showed a good replication of the moth eye structures and, consequently, a lowering in reflection of the coated PET of 3.0%.

Polymer substrates for flexible electronics: achievements and challenges

Flexible electronics technology can potentially result in many compelling applications not satisfied by the rigid Si-based conventional electronics. Commercially available foils such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) have emerged as the most suitable polymer materials for wide range of flexible electronics applications. Despite the enormous progress which has been recently done on the optimization of physical and mechanical properties of PET and PEN foils, their dimensional stability at the micro-scale is still an issue during patterning of wiring by means of lithography. Consequently, the measurement of in-plane micro-deformation of foil is of great importance for understanding and predicting its thermal, hydroscopic and mechanical behaviour during processing.

Gas response behaviour and photochemistry of borondiketonate in acrylic polymer matrices for sensing applications

The fluorescent spectra in combination with gas response behavior of acrylic polymers doped with dibenzoyl(methanato)boron difluoride (DBMBF2) were studied by fluorescence spectroscopy and time-resolved fluorescence lifetime. The role of acrylic matrix polarity upon the fluorescence spectra and fluorescence lifetime was analyzed. Changes in emission of the dye doped polymers under exposure to toluene, n-hexane and ethanol were monitored. The fluorescence lifetimes were measured for the singlet excited state as well as the exciplex formed between DBMBF2 and toluene. A reduction of the transition energy to the first singlet-excited state in the four polymers was observed, compared to solution. Reversible exciplex formation, viz. a red shifted fluorescence emission was perceived when exposing the polymers to toluene, while for hexane and ethanol only reversible reduction of the fluorescence occurred. Longer singlet and shorter exciplex lifetimes were observed for non-polar matrixes. The latter mechanism is explained in function of the lower charge transfer character of the exciplex in non-polar matrixes. Additionally, the quantum yield of the dye in the polymer matrix increased almost seventh-fold compared to values for solution.

Micromechanical modelling of short-term and long-term large-strain behaviour of polyethylene terephthalate

A micromechanically based model is used to describe the mechanical behaviour of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) under uniaxial compression up to large strains and at different temperatures. The creep behaviour of isotropic PET is simulated and compared to experimental data to demonstrate the applicability of the model to describe the long-term response. The material is modelled as an aggregate of two-phase layered domains, where different constitutive laws are used for the phases. A hybrid interaction law between the domains is adopted. The crystalline phase is modelled with crystal plasticity and the amorphous phase with the Eindhoven Glassy Polymer model, taking into account material ageing effects. Model parameters for the selected constitutive laws of the phases are identified from uniaxial compression tests for fully amorphous material and semicrystalline material. Texture evolution during the deformation predicted by the model adequately matches previously observed texture evolution.

Micromechanical modelling of poly(ethylene terephthalate) using a layered two-phase approach

The aim of this study is to assess the interactions between the constituent phases of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and thereby analyse the validity of a hybrid interaction model in a mean-field micromechanical model based on layered two-phase inclusions. Two different modelling approaches are used to simulate the behaviour of semicrystalline polymers. The first approach is the micromechanical model based on interactions of the crystalline lamellae and the adjacent amorphous layers. The second approach is a two-scale finite-element model of the spherulitic microstructure. Isotropic poly(ethylene terephthalate) is selected as the model material. The deformation mechanisms at the microscopic scale are examined. Various crystal geometries are used in the finite-element model to analyse the case when the crystalline regions do not form an interconnected network. It is shown that the predictions of the microscopic deformation measures obtained with the micromechanical and the finite-element models are similar. Experimental evaluation of the elastic moduli has been performed to further estimate the applicability of the micromechanical model to PET.

Double-layer imprint lithography on wafers and foils from the submicrometer to the millimeter scale.

In this paper, a thermal imprint technique, double-layer nanoimprint lithography (dlNIL), is introduced, allowing complete filling of features in the dimensional range of submicrometer to millimeter. The imprinting and filling quality of dlNIL was studied on Si substrates as a model system and compared to results obtained with regular NIL (NIL) and reverse NIL (rNIL). Wavy foils were imprinted with NIL, rNIL and dlNIL and the patterning results compared and discussed. With dlNIL, a new application possibility was introduced in which two different resists having, for example, a different etch resistance to a certain plasma were combined within one imprint step. dlNIL allows extension to many resist combinations for tailored nanostructure fabrication.

High resolution patterning for flexible electronics via roll-to-roll nanoimprint lithography

Flexible electronics is a growing field and is currently maturing in applications such as displays, smart packaging, organic light-emitting diodes and organic photovoltaic cells. In order to process on flexible substrates at high throughput and large areas, novel patterning techniques will be essential. Conventional optical lithography is limited in throughput as well as resolution, and requires several alignment steps to generate multi-layered patterns, required for applications such as thin-film transistors. It therefore remains a complex and expensive process. Nanoimprint lithography is an emerging alternative to optical lithography, demonstrating patterning capabilities over a wide range of resolutions, from several microns down to a few nanometres. For display applications, nanoimprint lithography can be used to pattern various layers. Micron sized thin-film transistors for backplane can be fabricated where a self-aligned geometry is used to decrease the number of alignment steps, and increase the overlay accuracy. In addition, nano-structures can be used for optical applications such as anti-reflective surfaces and nano patterned transparent electrodes. Imprint lithography is a fully roll-to-roll compatible process and enables large area and high throughput fabrication for flexible electronics. In this paper we discuss the possibilities and the challenges of large area patterning by roll-to-roll nanoimprint lithography, reviewing micron and nano sized structures realized on our roll-to-roll equipment. Nano patterned transparent electrodes, moth-eye antireflective coatings, and multilevel structures will be covered.

Modeling the residual shrinkage during lithographic processing on flexible polymer substrates

The challenge of lithographic production of electronic circuitry on polymer foil is that deformations approaching the feature sizes of the circuitry can cause considerable overlay problems and thereby malfunctioning of the devices. The substrate foil is susceptible to several types of deformations. Accurate prediction of these deformations is of great importance, as it will help to improve the production process and thereby improve the quality of the electronic devices. One of the deformations is the residual shrinkage, a deformation that occurs after application of a heat step to a polymer foil. This study presents an experimental investigation of residual shrinkage combined with a modeling approach in which the temperature dependent visco-elastic material properties of the foil are used. The model enables us to more accurately predict overlay errors.