IR assisted roll-to-roll embossing of polymeric films

This research aims to propose a novel infrared-assisted roll-to-roll embossing method which enables the rapid fabrication of dual-side microfeatured optical films. The whole research will be completed in three years. An infrared assisted roll-to-roll embossing facility will be designed and built in our lab especially for this study. Metallic rollers bearing microstructures will be fabricated using a tungsten carbide turning machine. The embossing facility will be used to replicate the microstructure onto PET and PC films in the experiments. During roller embossing, the infrared energy will be converted into heat to melt the thermoplastic at the roller/film interface and thereby to replicate the microstructures. The uniformity, profiles and optical properties of the fabricated diffusers are verified with SEM, AFM, surface profiler, profile projector and haze meter. The influence of processing parameter on the embossed film quality will be investigated. Key factor affecting the replication of microfeatures will also be identified. Under the proper processing conditions, high-performance dual-sided plastic diffusers shall be successfully fabricated. The proposed method will show great potential for fast fabrication of micro-optical components due to its simplicity and versatility.

Project ID:PB10202-0306
External Project ID:NSC100-2221-E182-020-MY3