Abstract
The invention relates to a scaled-up master for imprinting of micro- and nano-structures, the master being made-up from a plurality of tile-shaped master units, wherein the plurality of tile-shaped master units making-up the master comprises tile-shaped master units having a non-hexagonal shape wherein adjoining edges of neighbouring master units are parallel with each other and wherein the master units forming the master are arranged such that the splice lines between the master units only have junctions between master units where at most three corners of neighbouring master units are brought together. The invention further relates to a flexible stamp for imprinting of micro- and nano-structures, the flexible stamp being copied from such scaled-up master. Also an imprinted product is claimed which is copied from the flexible stamp.
Claims
1. Scaled-up master for imprinting of micro- and nano-structures, the master being made-up from a plurality of the-shaped master units, wherein the plurality of tile-shaped master units making-up the master comprises tile-shaped master units having a non-hexagonal shape, wherein adjoining edges of neighbouring master units are parallel with each other and wherein the master units forming the master are arranged such that the splice lines between the master units only have junctions between master units where at most three corners of neighbouring master units are brought together.
2. Scaled-up master according to claim 1, wherein the master is made-up from tile-shaped master units having a non-hexagonal shape.
3. Scaled-up master according to claim 1, characterized in that the master units having a non-hexagonal shape have a square, a rectangular or a triangular shape or the shape of a trapezoid, of an axis-symmetric pentagon having right-angle basic angles or of a parallelogram with internal angles unequal 90° or have curved edges which have the form of an oscillating curve.
4. Scaled-up master according to claim 1, characterized in that each master unit has an active area with relief structure.
5. Scaled-up master according to claim 4, characterized in that the active areas of the master units extend over the whole scaled-up master, thus forming a scaled-up active area.
6. Scaled-up master according to claim 1, characterized in that the scaled-up master has a length direction and the master units are arranged in rows in the length direction, wherein the master units of one row show an offset from the master units of the neighbouring row.
7. Scaled-up master according to claim 1, characterized in that the master has a length direction and the master units are arranged in rows perpendicular to the length direction, wherein the master units of one row show an offset from the master units of the neighbouring row.
8. Scaled-up master according to claim 2, characterized in that the master units have a square or rectangular shape and have straight edges and the junctions have a T-shape.
9. Scaled-up master according to claim 8, characterized in that the master units within a row are equally sized.
10. Scaled-up master according to claim 6, characterized in that each master unit has an active area with relief structure, which active area has edges parallel to the edges of its corresponding master unit, wherein the active areas are arranged within the corresponding master units and the offset between the master units of neighbouring rows such that the active areas of neighbouring master units are aligned with an alignment accuracy of less than +/−1 mm.
11. Scaled-up master according to claim 1, characterized in that the scaled-up master is built-up from master units having a triangular shape or the shape of a trapezoid or of an axis-symmetric pentagon having right-angle basic angles and the scaled-up master has junctions between master units with a Y-shape.
12. Scaled-up master according to claim 11, characterized in that it is built-up from master units having a triangular shape and master units having the shape of a trapezoid.
13. Scaled-up master according to claim 1, characterized in that the master units have curved edges which have the form of an oscillating curve.
14. Flexible stamp copied from the scaled-up master according to claim 1.
15. Imprinted product copied from the flexible stamp according to claim 13.
Description
[0033] The invention is explained now in more detail with reference to the following figures, wherein the scope of the invention is not limited by the figures:
[0034] FIG. 1: Assembly of stamp tiles with four corner junction (prior art)
[0035] FIG. 2: Assembly of stamp tiles with four corner junction after being moved together when being conveyed to an imprinting station (prior art)
[0036] FIG. 3: Scaled-up master according to the invention, which is set-up from four master units having a rectangular shape and straight edges.
[0037] FIG. 4: Scaled-up master according to the invention, which is set-up from four master units having a rectangular shape and straight edges and aligned active areas.
[0038] FIG. 5: Scaled-up master according to the invention, set-up from three equally sized master units having the form of isosceles triangles.
[0039] FIG. 6: Scaled-up master formed from two equally sized right-angle trapezoids and one isosceles triangle
[0040] FIG. 7: Scaled-up master formed from a combination of master units having the shape of a regular hexagons being stretched along one symmetry direction, master units having the shape of a axis-symmetric pentagon, master units having the form of right-angle trapezoids and a master unit having the form of an isosceles trapezoid.
[0041] FIG. 8: Imprinted product, which may be obtained from a flexible stamp which in turn is manufactured from the scaled-up master shown in FIG. 7, from which imprinted product a large scale imprinted structure is cut.
[0042] FIG. 9: Imprinted product, which may be obtained from a flexible stamp which in turn is manufactured from the scaled-up master shown in FIG. 7, from which imprinted product a multitude of smaller imprinted structures is cut.
[0043] FIG. 10: Imprinted product, which may be obtained from a flexible stamp which in turn is manufactured from a scaled-up master similar to the one shown in FIG. 7, from which imprinted product a multitude of smaller imprinted structures is cut with segmented active areas.
[0044] FIG. 11: Scaled-up master having curved upper and lower edges, which scaled-up master is set-up from tiled master units arranged in rows and which master units have edges of sinusoidal form on two opposite sides.
[0045] FIG. 1 shows a prior art assembly of stamp tiles 1, from which a scaled-up master can be made. In this example, four stamp tiles 2, 3, 4, 5 having a rectangular shape are arranged such that they meet with their corners at a center point thus forming a cross joint or cross junction 6. The stamp tiles 2, 3, 4, 5 may have active areas 7 with relief structure, which in the present case cover part of the surface of the stamp tiles 2, 3, 4, 5 and have edges parallel to the edges 8A of the stamp tiles 2, 3, 4, 5.
[0046] Initially, the four stamp tiles 2, 3, 4, 5 are arranged with adjoining edges 8A of neighbouring stamp tiles being parallel with each other and the splice lines 8B (also called stitch lines or seams) formed between adjoining edges 8A of the stamp tiles are uniform and well controlled.
[0047] When the stamp tiles 2, 3, 4, 5 of the prior art assembly of stamp tiles 1 of FIG. 1 are pushed or moved together when being conveyed to a imprinting station for transferring, i.e. imprinting the pattern of the multitude of stamp tiles to make the scaled-up master, the last stamp tiles 4 and 5 may push the other stamp tiles 2, 3 aside, resulting in a misaligned and rotated tiling. It should be mentioned that for such an assembly of stamp tiles as shown in FIG. 1 misaligned and rotated tiling may already be created during the tiling process itself, i.e. when the stamp tiles are arranged next to each other. This leads to non-uniform gaps 9, 10 between the stamp tiles 2, 3, 4, 5 and high strain levels at the corners at cross junction 6, as shown in FIG. 2. When manufacturing of a large-area scaled-up master from this assembly of stamp tiles 1 having misaligned and rotated tiling and non-uniform gaps, also the scaled-up master will show the same deficiencies.
[0048] FIG. 3 shows a scaled-up master 11 according to the invention, which is set-up from four master units 12, 13, 14, 15 having a rectangular shape and straight edges. The master units 12, 13, 14, 15 are arranged in columns such that adjoining edges of neighbouring master units 12, 13, 14, 15 are parallel with each other. The master units 12, 13, 14, 15 forming the scaled-up master 11 are arranged such that the splice lines 18B between the master units 12, 13, 14, 15 only have junctions 16, 17 between the master units 12, 13, 14, 15, where three corners of neighbouring master units are brought together, so that the junctions 16 and 17 have a T-shape. This is achieved for the scaled-up master 11 of FIG. 3 by an arrangement of the master units 12, 13, 14, 15 such that the master units 12, 14 of one row show an offset from the master units 13,15 of the neighbouring row. By this offset it is furthermore achieved that along the splice lines 18B the junctions 16 and 17 have a distance A from each other.
[0049] In the process of manufacturing the scaled-up master of FIG. 3 an assembly of stamp tiles is used, which is build-up from stamp tiles having the same configuration or inverse configuration having the negative of the texture as the master units of the scaled-up master 11. This means that the assembly of stamp tiles, from which the scaled-up master 11 of FIG. 3 is made, also have a rectangular shape, are arranged in rows in the length extension, wherein the assembled stamp tiles of one row show an offset from the assembled stamp tiles of the neighbouring row, resulting in junctions, where only three corners of neighbouring stamp tiles meet, resulting in junctions having a T-shape. If the stamp tiles of such an assembly are pushed or moved together when being conveyed to the imprinting station for transferring, i.e. imprinting the pattern of the multitude of stamp tiles to make the scaled-up master, at the junctions a lower strain is generated on the corners or vertices of the stamp tiles, no pushing aside of stamp tiles occurs and a high alignment accuracy is obtained.
[0050] At the same time, these advantages are transferred to the scaled-up master 11. The four master units 12, 13, 14, 15 of the scaled-up master of FIG. 3 are therefore arranged with adjoining edges 18A of neighbouring stamp tiles being parallel with each other and the splice lines 18B (also named stitch lines or seams) formed between the master units 12, 13, 14, 15 are thus uniform and well controlled.
[0051] As has been shown for the stamp tiles 2, 3, 4, 5 of FIGS. 1 and 2, also the master units 12, 13, 14, 15 of the scaled-up master 11 of FIG. 3 may have active areas 20 with relief structure, which in the present case cover part of the surface of the master units 12, 13, 14, 15 and have edges parallel to the edges of the master units 2 13 14, 15.
[0052] FIG. 4 shows another scaled-up master 11′ of the invention. As the scaled-up master 11 of FIG. 3, the scaled-up master 11′ of FIG. 4 is set-up from four master units 12′, 13′, 14′, 15′ having a rectangular shape and straight edges. The master units 12′, 13′, 14′, 15′, too, have active areas 20′, 20″, 20′″, 20″″ with relief structure, which cover part of the surface of the master units 12′, 13′, 14′, 15′ and have edges parallel to the edges of the master units 12′, 13′, 14′, 15′. The master units 12′, 13′, 14′, 15′ are arranged in columns such that adjoining edges 18A′ of neighbouring master units 12′, 13′, 14′, 15′ are parallel with each other. The master units 12′, 13′, 14′, 15′ forming the scaled-up master 11′ are arranged such that the splice lines 18B′ between the master units 12′, 13′, 14′, 15′ only have junctions 16′, 17′, where three corners of neighbouring master units are brought together, so that the junctions 16′, 17′ have a T-shape.
[0053] Different from the master units forming the scaled-up master of FIG. 11, the master units 12′, 13′, 14′, 15′ of the scaled-up master 11′ of FIG. 4 are different in size, while the size of the active areas in the master units 12′, 13′, 14′, 15′ is the same for all master units. In order to assure an easy cut of multiple tiled products from a final large-scale imprinted product, the active areas 20′, 20″, 20′″, 20″″ are placed in straight rows and/or straight columns within the scaled-up master 11′ and the active areas 20′, 20″, 20″′ 20″″ are arranged within the corresponding master units such and the offset between the master units of neighbouring rows and or columns is such, that the active areas of neighbouring master units are aligned in straight rows and/or straight columns with required alignment accuracy, which are shown in FIG. 4 as distances B and C. According to the invention, the alignment accuracy preferably is less than +/−1 mm.
[0054] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a scaled-up master 100 according to the invention which is set-up from three equally sized master units 101,102,103 having the form of isosceles triangles, and the scaled-up master 100 has a junction 104 between master units 101,102,103 with a Y-shape. The master units 101,102,103 of scaled-up master 100 are arranged to form the scaled-up master 100 such that the legs of the isosceles triangles are attached to each other.
[0055] The scaled-up master 100 of FIG. 5 has an active area covering the whole surface of the scaled-up master 100.
[0056] In FIG. 6 a scaled-up master 200 according to the invention is shown, which has a rectangular shape and is formed from two equally sized right-angle trapezoids 201, 202 and one isosceles triangle 203, wherein the base angles α.sub.1, α.sub.2 of the isosceles triangle 203 and the base angles β.sub.1, β.sub.2 of the right-angle trapezoids 201,202 adjacent to the base angles α.sub.1, α.sub.2 of the isosceles triangle 203 together form a right angle. The scaled-up master 200 of FIG. 6, too, has an active area covering the whole surface of the scaled-up master 200.
[0057] In FIG. 7 a scaled-up master 300 is shown which is formed from a combination of master units 301 having the shape of a regular hexagons being stretched along one symmetry direction, with master units 302 having the shape of an axis-symmetric pentagon having right-angle basic angles and with master units 303 having the form of right-angle trapezoids and finally a master unit 304 having the form of an isosceles trapezoid. The hexagons, pentagons, right-angle trapezoids and the isosceles trapezoid are matched with respect to their sizes and their contours and arranged such that they result in a rectangular form. For the scaled-up master unit of FIG. 7 the splice lines 305 between the master units 301,302,303,304 only have junctions 306 where three corners of neighbouring master units are brought together, which junctions have a Y-shape.
[0058] Also the scaled-up master 300 of FIG. 7 has an active area covering the whole surface of the scaled-up master 300, as is indicated by the dotted marking.
[0059] In FIG. 8 schematically an imprinted product 400, which may be obtained from a flexible stamp which in turn is manufactured from the scaled-up master shown in FIG. 7. The imprinted product 400 has over its whole surface an active area. The splice lines 305 between the master units which are present for the scaled-up master of FIG. 7 may also be visible as seams, boarders or stitch lines 401 on the final imprinted product 400.
[0060] As is indicated by the dotted line 402 in FIG. 8 a large scale imprinted structure 402 may be cut from the imprinted product 400 along the dotted line 403.
[0061] In a further embodiment shown in FIG. 9 a multitude of smaller imprinted structures 502 can be obtained from an imprinted product 500 corresponding to the imprinted product 400 shown in FIG. 8. Again, as is indicated by the dotted lines 503, 504 in FIG. 9, segments 502 can be cut from the imprinted product 500, which are smaller in size than the tiles originating from the master units of the scaled-up master, from which the imprinted structure finally stems and which are visible as tiles surrounded by the stitch lines 501. Imprinted structures 502 may be obtained by first cutting the imprinted product 500 along lines 503 and afterwards along lines 504. Thus, as is shown in FIG. 9, a scaled-up master as shown in FIG. 7 may be used for a manufacturing process in which in one replication cycle multiple products, i.e. multiple smaller imprinted structures can be replicated.
[0062] FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of an imprinted product 600 which is stems from a scaled-up master similar to the one shown in FIG. 7. In contrast to the scaled-up master shown in FIG. 7, the scaled-up master which forms the basis for the imprinted product 600 in FIG. 10, the master units each have a rectangular active area covering only part of the surface of the master units. As a result, the imprinted product 600 shown in FIG. 10 also has rectangular segments 601 of active area within the tiles surrounded by the stitch lines 602. Imprinted structures 603 may be obtained by first cutting the imprinted product 600 along lines 604 and afterwards along lines 605. Thus, as is shown also in FIG. 10, a scaled-up master similar as shown in FIG. 7 may be used for a manufacturing process in which in one replication cycle multiple products, i.e. multiple smaller imprinted structures can be replicated.
[0063] FIG. 11 shows an example of a scaled-up master 700 having curved upper and lower edges 701, 702, which scaled-up master 700 is set-up from tiled master units 703, which are arranged in rows. Master units 703 have on two opposite sides edges 704, 705 of oscillating or sinusoidal form. The other two edges 706, 707 of the master units 703 and the other two edges 708, 709 of the scaled-up master 700 are straight. The sinusoidal line formed from the sinusoidal edges 704, 705 of the master units of one row runs parallel to the sinusoidal line formed from the sinusoidal edges 704, 705 of the master units of the neighbouring row. The straight edges 706, 707 of the master units 703 of one row have an off-set with respect to the straight edges 706, 707 of the master units 703 of the neighbouring row. By this, along the sinusoidal splice lines between the master units 703 only junctions 710 between master units 703 exist where two corners of neighbouring master units 703 are brought together and meet with the continuous sinusoidal edge 704, 705 of a third master unit. In the scaled-up master 703 of FIG. 11 master units 703 have rectangular sections of active area 711.
