ABSTRACT
The increasing demand for nano-and microstructures on large substrates makes the establishment of large-scale fabrication technology for polymeric nano-and microstructures a priority in the fields of digital display, nano energy, nano data storage etc. as exemplified in Figure 14.1. Several technologies are considered promising for low-cost mass production of nano-and microstructures, including injection molding, hot embossing, and UV imprinting1-6. Injection molding has been regarded as one of the best methods, with this automated process used to
replicate optical data storage media (CD, DVD, and Blu-ray substrates) and to produce components with nano-and microstructures (the lightguide plate of liquid-crystal displays(LCD))1,2. Thermal imprinting involves shaping the thermoplastic substrate after it has been softened above its glass transition temperature, and is another mass-production method for fabricating polymeric nano-and microstructures in applications such as photonic crystals and optical wave guides3,4. UV imprinting involves applying a stamp to a liquid resin and then exposing it to UV light for curing and is regarded as the most suitable process for fabricating or integrating nano-and microstructures, including subwavelength optical elements, diffractive optical elements, microlens arrays on vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs), and microlens-integrated image sensor5,6, because the process does not require high pressures since the resin is basically a viscous liquid that is soft enough to be easily deformed.
