This molding apparatus is intended for the manufacturing of a molded article from a raw material intended to be arranged in a first region of an embossing chamber of the molding apparatus. The embossing chamber includes a mold and a counter-mold, the molds being arranged on two opposite sides of the first region. The molding apparatus further includes a second chamber having a common wall with the embossing chamber and a pressurization system configured to generate a predefined pressure differential between the embossing chamber and the second chamber, the common wall including at least one embossing actuator, the embossing actuator being configured to generate a movement of at least one of the molds so as to mold the raw material when a predefined pressure differential is applied.

Described is a resinous structure derived from fluorine-containing polymers useful as a mold having excellent dimensional stability.

A determination method for determining a pattern of a mold is disclosed. The pattern of the mold is used in imprint processing of forming a pattern on imprint material by performing the steps of pressing the imprint material on a substrate against the pattern of the mold in an atmosphere containing condensable gas to be liquefied due to compression, curing the imprint material, and releasing the mold from the imprint material. A processor calculates a shrinkage amount of the pattern on the imprint material. The pattern on the imprint material shrinks by desorbing condensate liquid, which is produced through liquefaction of the condensable gas between the imprint material and the pattern of the mold in the pressing step and which is dissolved in the imprint material, from the imprint material after completion of the pressing step.

The present invention relates to a replication tool for replicating an element from a replication material, the replication tool comprising a replication side, a plurality of cavities on the replication side, each defining the shape of one element or a group of elements, the replication tool further comprising at least one bump portion, protruding, on the replication side, from the cavities, and further comprising means for confining the replication material to a predetermined area of the tool, when the tool is pressed against a substrate, which predetermined area exceeds the desired volume of the element in at least one direction along the surface of the substrate.

According to one embodiment, a template for imprint patterning processes comprises a template substrate having a first surface and a pedestal on the first surface of the template substrate, the pedestal having a second surface spaced from the first surface in a first direction perpendicular to the first surface. A pattern is disposed on the second surface. The pedestal has a sidewall between the first surface and the second surface that is at an angle of less than 90° to the second surface.

Provided is a sheet press molding method by which a molded product having a small plate thickness deviation is obtained. Such a sheet press molding method is provided with a process in which a molded product (30) having a recess and protrusion pattern portion (32), to which a recess and protrusion pattern (3) is transferred, is formed by pressurizing a sheet-shaped material (20) including 60 vol. % to 95 vol. % of a filler and a resin composition using a pair of molds (40) having the predetermined recess and protrusion pattern (3) composed of recessed portions (3a, 3b, and 3c) and protrusion portions (23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d) in at least one of a pair of the molds, in which the mold provided with a dummy pattern (24) composed of dummy protrusion portions (24a) that offset the difference between the total volume of the protrusion portions (23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d) formed on the inside (14) and the total volume of the recessed portions (3a, 3b, and 3c) disposed between the protruding portions (23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d) and the side surfaces (14b) of the inside (14) and the recessed portions (3a, 3b, and 3c) disposed between the protruding portions (23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d) on the inside (14) is used as a pair of the molds (40).

Methods for mass production of new microfluidic devices are described. The microfluidic devices may include an array of micro-needles with open channels in fluid communication with multiple reservoirs located within a substrate that supports the micro-needles. The micro-needles are configured so as to sufficiently penetrate the skin in order to collect or sample bodily fluids and transfer the fluids to the reservoirs. The micro-needles may also deliver medicaments into or below the skin.

A large area patterned film includes a first patterned area; a second patterned area; and a seam joining the first patterned area and the second patterned area, wherein the seam has a width less than about 20 micrometers. A method for tiling patterned areas includes depositing a predetermined thickness of a curable material; contacting a first portion of the curable material with a mold; curing the first portion of the curable material; removing the mold from the cured first portion of the curable material; contacting a second portion of the curable material with the mold, such that the mold contacts a portion of the cured first portion of the curable material; curing the second portion of the curable material; and removing the mold to yield a seam between the cured first portion of the curable material and the cured second portion of the curable material, wherein the seam has a dimension less than about 20 micrometers.

A method for manufacturing a molded product with fine structure includes steps of, in a temperature-controlled stamper mold provided with a fine structure including a concavo-convex pattern having a width of 10 nm to 1 μm, forming a thermoplastic molten polymer layer to be in contact with the fine structure 20 of the stamper mold having been kept at a predetermined temperature and holding the thermoplastic molten polymer layer for a predetermined time so as to transfer the fine structure of the stamper mold to the thermoplastic molten polymer layer under gravity.

A method for manufacturing a fine hollow protruding article (1) according to the invention involves: a protrusion forming step of bringing a projecting mold part (11) that includes a heating means into contact from one surface (2D) side of a base sheet (2) including a thermoplastic resin, and, while softening, with heat, a contact section (TP) in the base sheet (2) where the projecting mold part (11) contacts the base sheet (2), inserting the projecting mold part (11) into the base sheet (2), to form a protrusion (3) that protrudes from the other surface (2U) side of the base sheet (2); a cooling step of cooling the protrusion (3) in a state where the projecting mold part (11) is inserted in an interior of the protrusion (3); and a release step of withdrawing the projecting mold part (11) from the interior of the protrusion (3) after the cooling step, to form the fine hollow protruding article (1).