• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.305-310
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• 2004

The Hot Embossing Lithography(HEL) as a method for the fabrication of nanostructure with polymer is becoming increasingly important because of its simple process, low cost, high replication fidelity and relatively high throughput. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of hot embossing lithography as a nanoreplication technique. To grasp characteristics of nano patterning rheology by process parameters(embossing temperature, pressure and time), we have carried out various experiments by using the DVD(400nm pattern width) and Blu-ray nickel stamps(150nm pattern width). During the hot embossing process, we have observed the characteristics of the size effect. The quality of products made by hot embossing is affected by its cooling shrinkage. The demolding process at the glass transition temperature results in low quality because of the shrinkage of the polymer. Therefore, the quantification of the temperature condition is essential for the replication of high quality.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.1168-1170
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• 2005

Nanoimprint Lithography(NIL) has increasingly been recognized as a key manufacturing technology for nanosized feature. One of the most important task for nanoimprint lithography is to provide the imprinting stamp with low price. The Stamp fabricated with Si based material by e-beam lithography, RIE is extremely expensive and its throughput is very limited and PDMS replica is too soft to hold high imprinting pressure.(>5atm) In this study, we present the imprinting stamp which can be easily replicated from original mold and is based on PVC film. Replication of original Si mold to PVC film was done by Hot embossing technique, ($120^{\circ}C$ of Temperature, 20 atm applied) As small as 100nm patterns were successfully transferred into PVC film. The size of stamp was up to 100mm in diameter.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.199-204
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• 2007

Hot embossing, one of Nanoimprint Lithography(NIL) techniques, has been getting attention as an alternative candidate of next generation patterning technologies by the advantages of simplicity and low cost compared to conventional photolithographies. A typical hot embossing usually, however, takes more than ten minutes for one cycle of the process because of a long thermal cycling. Over the last few years a number of studies have been made to reduce the cycle time for hot embossing or similar patterning processes. The target of this research is to develop an induction heating apparatus for heating a metallic micro patterning mold at very high speed with the large-area uniformity of temperature distribution. It was found that a 0.5 mm-thick nickel mold can be heated from $25^{\circ}C$ to $150^{\circ}C$ within 1.5 seconds with the temperature variation of ${\pm}5^{\circ}C$ in 4-inch diameter area, using the induction heating apparatus.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.22 no.8 s.173
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• pp.159-164
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• 2005

The Hot Embossing Lithography(HEL) as a method fur the fabrication of the nanostructure with polymer is becoming increasingly important because of its simple process, low cost, high replication fidelity and relatively high throughput. In this paper, we carried out experimental studies and numerical simulations in order to understand the viscous flow of the polymer (PMMA) film during the hot embossing process. To grasp the characteristics of the micro patterning rheology by process parameters (embossing temperature, pressure and time), we have carried out various experiments by using the nickel-coated master fabricated by the deep RIE process and the plasma sputtering. During the hot embossing process, we have observed the characteristics of the viscoelastic behavior of polymer. Also, the viscous flow during the hot embossing process has been simulated by the continuum based FDM(Finite Difference Method) analysis considering the micro effect, such as a surface tension and a contact angle.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.16 no.4 s.94
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• pp.282-287
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• 2007

Hot embossing, one of Nanoimprint Lithography(NIL) techniques, has been getting attention as an alternative candidate of next generation patterning technologies by the advantages of simplicity and low cost compared to conventional photolithographies. A typical hot embossing usually, however, takes more than ten minutes for one cycle of the process because of a long thermal cycling. Over the last few years a number of studies have been made to reduce the cycle time for hot embossing or similar patterning processes. The target of this research is to develop an induction heating apparatus for heating a metallic micro patterning mold at very high speed with the large-area uniformity of temperature distribution. It was found that a 0.5 mm-thick nickel mold can be heated from $25^{\circ}C\;to\;150^{\circ}C$ within 1.5 seconds with the temperature variation of ${\pm}5^{\circ}C$ in 4-inch diameter area, using the induction heating apparatus.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.191-194
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• 2007

In hot embossing lithography which has shown to be a good method to fabricate polymeric patterns for IT and bio components, it is very important to determine the proper process conditions of pressure, temperature, and time. It is also a key factor for predicting the optical properties of final product to calculate residual stress distribution after the embossing process. Therefore, to design the optimum process with right conditions, the ability to predict viscoelastic behavior of polymer during and after the hot embossing process is required. The objective of the present investigation is to establish simulation technique based on constitutive modeling of polymer with experiments. To analyze deformation behavior of viscoelastic polymer, the large strain material properties were obtained from quasi-static compression tests at different strain rates and temperatures and also stress relaxation tests were executed. With this viscoelastic material model, finite element simulation of hot embossing was executed and stress distribution is obtained. Proper process pressure is very important to predict the defect and incomplete filling.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.331-334
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• 2008

The replica of highly ordered nano-sphere array patterns were fabricated using hot embossing method. First, silica nano-sphere array on Si substrate was transferred to PVC film at $130^{\circ}C$ and 7 bar using hot embossing process. Then, silica nano-sphere array on PVC template was removed by soaking the PVC film in buffered oxide etcher. In order to form anti-stiction layer, the PVC template was coated with silicon dioxide layer and self-assembled monolayer. Through UV nanoimprint lithography with the fabricated flexible PVC template, highly ordered nano-sphere array pattern was imprinted on curved substrates with high fidelity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.1-7
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• 2015

In the present study, copper micromolds with a microhole array were precisely manufactured by a synchrotron LIGA process. Like in the traditional LIGA process, a deep X-ray lithography based on a synchrotron radiation was employed as the first manufacturing step. Due to the excellent optical performance of the synchrotron X-ray used, cylindrical micropillar arrays with high aspect ratio could be efficiently obtained. The fabricated microfeatures were then used as a master of the subsequent copper electroforming process, thereby resulting in copper micromolds with a microhole array. Thermoplastic hot embossing experiments with the copper micromolds were carried out for imprinting cylindrical microfeatures onto a polystyrene sheet. Through the hot embossing, the effect of embossing temperature and usefulness of the present manufacturing method could be verified.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.589-593
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• 2005

Nanoimprinting lithography (NIL) is known as a suitable technique for fabricating nano and micro structures of high definition. Hot embossing is one of NIL techniques and can imprint on thin films and bulk polymers. Key issues of hot embossing are time and expense needed to produce a stamp withstanding a high temperature and pressure. Fabrication of a metal stamp such as an electroplated nickel is cost intensive and time consuming. A ceramic stamp made by silicon is easy to break when the pressure is applied. In this paper, a plastic stamp using a high temperature epoxy was fabricated and tested. The plastic stamp was relatively inexpensive, rapid to produce and durable enough to withstanding multiple hot embossing cycles. The merits of low viscosity epoxy solutions were a fast degassing and a rapid filling the microstructures. The hot embossing process with plastic stamp was performed on PMMA substrates. The hot embossing was conducted at 12.6 bar, $120^{\circ}C$ and 10 minutes. An imprinted PMMA wafer was almost same value of the plastic stamp after 10 times embossing. Entire fabrication process from silicon master to plastic stamp was completed within 12 hours.

• Design & Manufacturing
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• v.2 no.6
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• pp.28-32
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• 2008

Polymer solar cells are a type of organic solar cell (also called plastic solar cell), or organic photovoltaic cell that produce electricity from sunlight using polymers. It is a relatively novel technology, they are being researched by universities, national laboratories and several companies around the world. In this paper, stamping mold of barrier ribs for polymer solar cells was manufactured by lithography and electroforming which can control the height of pattern and 80nl of barrier ribs was manufactured by using hot embossing.