Nano-structures in roll-to-roll

The R2R pilot plant enables us to:

• sustainable production of high-resolution conductive structural elements for organic electronics (fine conductor tracks, nanoscale electrodes for organic transistors)
• precise optical creation of 2.5D structures for the light management in flexible films (coupling and outcoupling, light guiding) for applications in photonics
• large-scale realisation of structured bionic surfaces and complex nanopatterns, which allow the artificial imitation of biological characteristics (shark skin, lotus effectgecko effect, structural colors)
• cost-effective production of complex microfluidic elements on foil for bioanalytic lab-on-foil systems
• continuous production of optimized high-tech film surfaces for packaging, decoration, safety and labeling, which display improved optical, mechanical and chemical behavior due to their micro and nanostructural properties

Process sequence for R2R imprinting

• The entire system is located inside a laminar flow box, which guarantees a class 10.000 cleanroom environment (ISO 7 standard).
• A flexible polymer film as substrate on a roll is cleaned from particles by means of ionization and suctioning devices during the production process. If necessary, the surface to be coated may be pre-treated in a corona unit to improve wettability.
• The web edge control after unwinding and directly before winding regulates the position of the web edge, keeps the web centred and ensures even winding.
• A coating step follows, whereby the liquid lacquer is applied by means of gravure printing. If necessary, the material can then be pre-dried in the thermal dryer in order to evaporate undesired solvent.
• The structuring of the coated embossing varnish is then carried out using UV nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL). The structures are transferred from an embossing die into the still liquid UV-curable lacquer and cured/cross-linked by means of UV exposure. Once these structures on the film have been released from the embossing stamp, the film is rewound.
• The quality of the embossing is checked in-line with a high-resolution line scan camera.

Find out more about our services in the area of R2R pilot line for micro- and nanostructuring as well as Materials and components for micro- and nanostructuring (NILcure).