• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.481-484
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• 2003

In this study, we fabricated the master metallic nano-stamper with nano pillar patterns to apply replication processes which is adequate for mass production. Master nano patterns with various hole diameters between 300 nm and 1000 nm was fabricated by e-beam lithography. After the seed layer was deposited on the master nano patterns using e-beam evaporation, the nickel was electroformed. In each step, the shape and surface roughness of their patterns were analyzed using SEM and AFM.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.999-1005
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• 2004

A new stamp fabrication technique for the soft lithography has been developed in the range of several microns by means of a nano-replication printing (nRP) process. In the nRP process, a figure or a pattern can be replicated directly from a two-tone bitmap figure with nano-scale details. A photopolymerizable resin was polymerized by the two-photon absorption which was induced by a femtosecond laser. After the polymerization of master patterns, a gold metal layer (about 30 ㎚ thickness) was deposited on the fabricated master patterns for the purpose of preventing a join between the patterns and the PDMS, then the master patterns were transferred in order to fabricate a stamp by using the PDMS (poly-dimethylsiloxane). In the transferring process, a few of gold particles, which were isolated from the master patterns, remained on the PDMS stamp. A gold selective etchant, the potassium iodine (KI) was employed to remove the needless gold particles without any damage to the PDMS stamp. Through this work, the effectiveness of the nRP process with the PDMS molding was evaluated to make the PDMS stamp with the resolution of around 200 ㎚.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.29 no.2 s.233
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• pp.228-231
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• 2005

In this paper, we present reusable quartz master fabricated by electron-beam lithography and dry etching process of quartz, and results of injection molding based on the reusable quartz master for the manufacturing of nano-scale information media. Since patterned structures of photoresist can be easily damaged by separation (demolding) process of nickel stamper and master, a master with photoresist cannot be reused in stamper fabrication process. In this work, we have made it possible of the repeated use of master by directly patterning on quart in nickel stamper fabrication process. We have designed and fabricated four different specimens including 100nm, 140nm 200nm and 400nm pit patterns. In addition, both intaglio and embossed carving patterns are fabricated for each specimen. In the preliminary test of injection molding, we have fabricated polycarbonate patterns with varying mold temperature. We have experimentally verified the fabrication process of the reusable quart master and possibility of quartz master as direct stamper.

• Transactions of the Society of Information Storage Systems
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.192-196
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• 2005

In this paper, we investigated the possibility of replicating patterned media by nano-injection molding process with a metallic nano-stamper. The original nano-master was fabricated by E-beam lithography and ICP etching process. The metallic nano-stamper was fabricated using a nanoimprint lithography and nano-electroforming process. The nano-patterned substrate was replicated using a nano-injection molding process without additional etching process. In nano-injection molding process, since the solidified layer, generated during the polymer filling, deteriorates transcribability of nano patterns by preventing the polymer melt from filling the nano cavities, an injection-mold system was constructed to actively control the stamper surface temperature using MEMS heater and sensors. The replicated polymeric patterns using nano-injection molding process were as small as 50 nm in diameter, 150 nm in pitch, and 50 nm in depth. The replicated polymeric patterns can be applied to high density patterned media.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.367-370
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• 2003

In this study, application of SAM (self-assembled monolayer) to nano replication process as an anti-adhesion layer was presented to reduce the surface energy between the nano mold and the replicated polymeric nano patterns. The electron beam lithography was used for master nano patterns and the electorforming process was used to fabricate the nickel nano stamper. Alkanethiol SAM as an anti-adhesion layer was deposited on metallic nano stamper using solution deposition method. To analyze wettability and adhesion force of SAM, contact angle and LFM (Lateral Force Microscopy) were measured at the actual processing temperature and pressure for the case of nano compression molding and at the actual UV dose for the case of nano UV molding. It was found that the surface energy due to SAM deposition on the nickel nano stamper markedly decreased and the quality of SAM on the nickel stamper maintained under the actual molding environments.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.305-313
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• 2004

A vacuum pressure-difference technique for making a nano-precision replica is investigated for various applications. Master patterns for replication were fabricated using a nano-replication printing (nRP) process. In the nRP process, any picture and pattern can be replicated from a bitmap figure file in the range of several micrometers with resolution of 200nm. A liquid-state monomer is solidified by two-photon absorption (TPA) induced by a femto-second laser according to a voxel matrix scanning. After polymerization, the remaining monomers were removed simply by using ethanol droplets. And then, a gold metal layer of about 30nm thickness was deposited on the fabricated master patterns prior to polydimethylsiloxane molding for preventing bonding between the master and the polydimethylsiloxane mold. A few gold particles attached on the polydimethylsiloxane stamp during detaching process were removed by a gold selecting etchant. After fabricating the polydimethylsiloxane mold, a nano-precision polydimethylsiloxane replica was reproduced. More precise replica was produced by the vacuum pressure-difference technique that is proposed in this paper. Through this study, direct patterning on a glass plate, replicating a polydimethylsiloxane mold, and reproducing polydimethylsiloxane replica are demonstrated with a vacuum pressure-difference technique for various micro/nano-applications.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2008.05a
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• pp.513-516
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• 2008

We have replicated nanopillar arrays using injection molding process of active heating and cooling method by several peltier devices. The injection melding has a high accuracy ed good reproducibility that are essential for mass production at low cost. Conventional molding processes widely use the water-based mold heating and air cooling methods. However, in case of replication for nano-patterned structures, it caused several defects such as air-flow mark, non-fill, sticking and tearing. In this study, periodic nano-scale patterns are replicated by using injection molding with Peltier devices. Porous nano-scale patterns, which have pore diameter range from 120nm to 150nm, were fabricated by using anodizing process. Periodic nano-pore structures ( $20mm\;{\times}\;20mm$) were used as a mold stamp of injection molding. Finally, PMMA with nanopillar arrays was obtained by injection molding process. By using the Peltier devices, the temperature of locally adiabatic molds can be dramatically controlled and the quality of the molded patterns can be slightly improved.

• 한국금형공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.35-38
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• 2008

A pattern master and a Ni stamper for 50nm class of patterns are fabricated through e-beam lithography and Ni electroforming process. A model pattern set is designed, which is based on unit patterns of 50nm, 100nm, 150nm and 200nm in length and 50nm in width. The e-beam process is optimized to fabricate designed patterns with some parameters including dose, accelerating voltage, focal distance and developing time. For Ni electroforming to fabricate Ni stamper, a seed layer, a conducting layer, is deposited first on the pattern master fabricated by an e-beam lithography process. Ni, Ti/Ni and Cr are first tested to find optimal seed layer process. Currently the best result is obtained when adopting Cr deposited to be 100nm thick with continuous tilting motion of the master substrate during the deposition process.

• KSTLE International Journal
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.33-38
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• 2005

Submicron-scale patterns made of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) were fabricated on silicon-wafer using a capillarity-directed soft lithographic technique. Polyurethane acrylate (PUA) stamps (Master molds) were used to fabricate the patterns. Patterns with three different aspect ratios were fabricated by varying the holding time. The patterns fabricated were the negative replica of the master mold. The patterns so obtained were investigated for their adhesion and friction properties at nano-scale using AFM. Friction tests were conducted in the range of 0-80 nN. Glass (Borosilicate) balls of diameter 1.25 mm mounted on cantilever (Contact Mode type NPS) were used as tips. Further, micro-friction tests were performed using a ball-on-flat type micro-tribe tester, under reciprocating motion, using a soda lime ball (1 mm diameter) under a normal load of 3,000 mN. All experiments were conducted at ambient temperature ($24{\pm}1^{\circ}C$) and relative humidity ($45{\pm}5\%$). Results showed that the patterned samples exhibited superior tribological properties when compared to the silicon wafer and non-patterned sample (PMMA thin film) both at the nano and micro-scales, owing to their increased hydrophobicity and reduced real area of contact. In the case of patterns it was observed that their morphology (shape factor and size factor) was decisive in defining the real area of contact.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.989-992
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• 2004

A new method is proposed to fabricate a reusable qualtz master with order of 100 nm dot pattern on its surface. Some fabrication conditions such as dose are investigated to find optimal condition. This reusable qualtz master is used directly as a stamper to injection mold the dot patterns. Polycarbonate and Polyoxymethylene are used as molding materials and the effect of the mold temperature is also investigated to see the moldabilty of the injection molding for very fine dot features.