Fluidic simulation and realization for inkjet nano SFIL

This paper proposed an ultraviolet (UV) nanoimprinting process for transferring various macro/nano-scales patterns from a silicon mold to a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. Both finite element method (FEM) simulation and experiment were conducted to investigate the formation of patterns. A FEM model of periodic nanostructures with prescribed boundary conditions was first established. Then, the geometrical parameters, such as aspect ratio, duty ratio, and process parameters including velocity, UV curing time, the performance index, and the filling factor, were defined. From the simulated pressure and velocity distributions of the UV resin flow, the mechanism of the UV resin formation was obtained, which provided a guideline for performing the experimental study. The process parameters were tuned according to the simulation conditions and physical observations confirmed the geometries of the mold and the transferred patterns. This is a study concerning fluid-to-solid thermal nano-scale step and flash imprint lithography (SFIL) patterning with simulation prediction and process realization.