Fabrication of a light-intensity-enhancement component by using computer-controlled ultraviolet curing and air-pressing imprinting

Abstract

In this study, the ultraviolet (UV) curing and air pressure imprinting methods are proposed for the fabrication of a light-intensity-enhancement component. The air-pressing process provides a uniform embossing pressure, and the UV curing module enables the process to be performed at room temperature and low pressure. Because the UV resin is sensitive to the process parameters, such as the curing time and pressing pressure, the liquid resin must be filled at a precise pressure. To control the precision, the UV embossing facility comprised a resin-dispensing system, air-pressing system, and UV curing system. These systems were controlled by the Arduino system. In the Arduino system, the computer-controlled input can eliminate artificial errors and each forming step can be programed into one script to achieve automation. In this study, V-groove microstructures were formed. The V-groove pattern was replicated with a width of 47 μm and height of 22 μm on polymethyl methacrylate substrate for use as a light guiding panel. The proposed methodology enables automatic control of the UV microscale imprinting process.