• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.135-142
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• 2009

In the present study replication of microstructured surfaces by microinjection molding was carried out. For a fabrication of mold inserts, nickel microstructures having various characteristic dimensions were fabricated by nickel electroforming onto Si mother microstructures. In addition, reverse nickel microstructures based on the electroformed nickel microstructures were successfully realized by electroforming with passivation process. The fabricated nickel microstructures were used as mold inserts for a replication of microstructured surfaces by microinjection molding. Microinjection molding experiment was carried out under three different processing conditions, which revealed effects of a packing stage and mold wall temperature. The microinjection-molded microstructured surfaces were characterized by using an atomic force microscope (AFM). It was found that mold wall temperature could enhance replication quality resulting in the precise microstructured surfaces.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.859-866
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• 2010

In this study, microinjection molding process using the newly developed micromold system, namely modularized and sectioned micromold system (MSMS), has been carried out for a replication of multi-level microstructures. The present MSMS consisted of several micromold modules, each having cross-sectional microstructures on the top surface. The micromold modules were precisely fabricated by deep X-ray lithography and subsequent nickel electroforming. By assembling the micromold modules, an MSMS having multi-level microstructures, which could be used as a mold system in micromolding processes, was obtained. In this manner, polymeric multi-level microstructures, such as the triangular prism microstructures on a stepped surface, were successfully replicated by the microinjection molding process.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.15 no.1 s.82
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• pp.34-41
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• 2006

Microlens arrays were fabricated by a modified LIGA process composed of the exposure of a PMMA (Polymethylmethacrylate) sheet to deep x-rays and subsequent thermal treatment. A successful modeling and analyses for microlens formation were presented according to the experimental procedure. A nickel mold insert was fabricated by the nickel electroforming process on the PMMA microlens arrays fabricated by the modified LIGA process. For the replication of microlens arrays having various diameters with different foci on the same substrate, both hot embossing and microinjection molding processes have been successfully utilized with the fabricated mold insert. Replicated microlenses showed very good surface roughness with the order of 1 nm. The focal lengths of the injection molded microlenses were successfully estimated theoretically and also measured experimentally.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2005.09a
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• pp.23-28
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• 2005

Microlens arrays were fabricated using a modified LIGA process based on the exposure of a PMMA (Polymethylmethacrylate) sheet to deep x-rays and subsequent thermal treatment. A successful modeling and analyses for microlens formation were presented according to the experimental procedure. A nickel mold insert was fabricated by the nickel electroforming process on the PMMA microlens arrays fabricated by the modified LIGA process. For the replication of microlens arrays having various diameters with different foci on the same substrate, the hot embossing and the microinjection molding processes have been successfully utilized with the fabricated mold insert. Fabricated microlenses showed good surface roughness than the mold insert. The focal lengths of the injection molded microlenses were successfully measured experimentally and also estimated theoretically.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2012.10a
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• pp.465-466
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• 2012

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.465-469
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• 2003

Microlens arrays were fabricated using a novel fabrication technology based on the exposure of a PMMA (Polymethylmethacrylate) sheet to deep X-rays and subsequent thermal treatment. X-ray irradiation causes the decrease of molecular weight of PMMA, which in turn decreases the glass transition temperature and consequently causes a net volume increase during the thermal cycle resulting in a swollen microlens. A new physical modeling and analyses for microlens formation were presented according to experimental procedure. A simple analysis based on the new model is found to be capable of predicting the shapes of microlens which depend on the thermal treatment. For the replication of microlens arrays having various diameters with different foci on the same surface, the hot embossing and the microinjection molding processes has been successfully utilized with a mold insert that is fabricated by Ni-electroplating based on a PMMA microstructure of microlenses. Fabricated microlenses showed good surface roughness with the order of 1 nm.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.7-13
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• 2003

Microlens arrays were fabricated using a novel fabrication technology based on the exposure of a PMMA (Polymethylmethacrylate) sheet to deep X-rays and subsequent thermal treatment. X-ray irradiation causes the decrease of molecular weight of PMMA, which in turn decreases the glass transition temperature and consequently causes a net volume increase during the thermal cycle resulting in a swollen microlens. A new physical modeling and analyses for micro lens formation were presented according to experimental procedure. A simple analysis based on the new model is found to be capable of predicting the shapes of micro lens which depend on the thermal treatment. For the replication of micro lens arrays having various diameters with different foci on the same surface, the hot embossing and the microinjection molding processes has been successfully utilized with a mold insert that is fabricated by Ni-electroplating based on a PMMA microstructure of micro lenses. Fabricated microlenses showed good surface roughness with the order of 1nm.