Modeling of Passive Heating for Replicating Sub-micron Patterns in Optical Disk Substrates

단열층을 이용한 광디스크 기판 성형에 대한 수치 해석

Transcribability of pit or land groove structures in replicating an optical disk substrate greatly affects the performance of a high-density optical disk. However, a solidified layer, generated during the polymer filling, deteriorates transcribability because the solidified layer prevents the polymer melt in filling the sub-micro patterns. Therefore, the development of the solidified layer during filling stage of injection molding must be delayed. For this delay, passive heating by insulation layer has been used. In the present study, to examine the development of the solidified layer delayed by passive heating, the flow of polymer melt with passive heating was analyzed. Passive heating markedly delayed the development of the solidified layer, reduced the viscosity of the polymer melt, and increased the fluidity of the polymer melt in the vicinity of the stamper surface with the sub-micro patterns. As a result, we predict that passive heating can improve transcribability of an optical disk substrate. To verify our prediction, we fabricated an optical disk substrate by using passive heating of a mold and measured the transcribability.