High-Precision Automatic UV Replication System for Micro/Nanostructure  

What is UV replication system?

Nanofabrication is the essential bridge between the discoveries of the nanoscience and real-world nanotechnology products. Roll-to-roll processing is the most important step for expanding the nanotechnology into a broad range of market applications, including flexible printed electronics industry. Most original nanostructured substrate (Master) is created by the lithography mastering system. Due to the production cost and technology limited, the size of these master is limited, means it cannot be directly used for the commercial Roll-to-roll nanofabrication machines for the large scale production. For example, a nanofabrication machine for optical diffusion film is at 800-1000 mm width, while a master size is typically at 50x50 mm after the first replication by the mastering company. To solve this problem, we need to replicate those masters to a working substrate (shim) at a bigger size. 

    The most replication systems in the market are using photosensitive or ultraviolet light (UV) method. The basic principle for both methods is using the nanostructures master as a moving stamp to replicate the nanostructure on the new bigger size substrate. The attenuation of the nanostructures during the photosensitive replication is better by using a metal stamp. The joints between the unit plates are relatively larger by using higher stamping pressure during the replication process. Both methods face the problem when the photosensitive/UV curable glue overflow and destroy the nanostructure during the processing.