Manufacturing of Surface Relief Structures in Moving Substrates Using Photoembossing and Pulsed-Interference Holography

• Published in: Macromolecular materials and engineering Vol. 298; no. 1; pp. 33 - 37
• Main Authors: Picot, Olivier T., Alcalá, Rafael, Sánchez, Carlos, Dai, Mian, Hughes-Brittain, Nanayaa F., Broer, Dirk J., Peijs, Ton, Bastiaansen, Cees W. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 01.01.2013; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley; John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Holography; Interference; Lasers; lithography; Meteorology; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanostructure; photoembossing; photopolymerization; Photopolymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymerization; Polymers and radiations; Pulsed lasers; relief structure; Methacrylate polymer; Embossing; Photochemical method; Holography; Energy density; Surface topography; Experimental study; Crosslinked copolymer; Structure processing relationship; Pulsed laser; Acrylate copolymer; Photolithography; Photochemical copolymerization
• ISSN: 1438-7492; 1439-2054
• DOI: 10.1002/mame.201100433

Photoembossing is a cost‐effective technique for the production of complex surface relief structures in a photopolymer film, achieved via contact‐mask exposure to UV‐light. Here, photoembossing is explored using interference holography with a CW laser and a nanosecond pulsed laser. It is shown that identical surface relief structures are produced if the photopolymer film is kept in a fixed position. In the case of a moving substrate, relief structures are only obtained with the pulsed laser and the heights of the relief structures and their shape are the same as in the static experiments. This illustrates that photoembossing in combination with pulsed laser interference holography is potentially useful in the production of large area structured films using roll‐to‐roll processes. A new route to roll‐to‐roll surface patterning is demonstrated. Surface relief structures are obtained on a photoresist combining photoembossing and pulsed interference holography. The relief height of the structures is compared between films obtained using static and moving substrates during the exposure step.