EP1768825A1

EP1768825A1 - Method and apparatus for replicating microstructured optical masks

Info

Publication number: EP1768825A1
Application number: EP05785070A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Armin Schwerdtner
Original assignee: SeeReal Technologies GmbH
Current assignee: SeeReal Technologies GmbH
Priority date: 2004-09-08
Filing date: 2005-09-07
Publication date: 2007-04-04
Also published as: CN100575031C; DE102004043385B3; CN101014455A; US20080315442A1; JP2008512697A; WO2006027217A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for replicating planar, thin-layered, and microstructured flat lens systems and optical masks (LM) that are provided with such microstructured lens systems which are hardened from a highly viscous transparent fluid on a supporting substrate plate (TP). The fluid is introduced between a plate-shaped master plate (M) and a movable supporting substrate plate and remains joined to said substrate plate after hardening. The inventive method is carried out in a non-rotational manner while the molding space is not delimited by sidewalls or similar in the direction of expansion of the fluid. The inventive flat lens systems or optical masks are embodied as lenticulars, field lenses, or Fresnel lenses. The final shape of the mask is homogeneous, has a geometrically accurate layer thickness, and is free from air pockets. The inventive method and apparatus allow for controlled replication at great geometrical accuracy and extremely good optical quality.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR REPLICATING FINE STRUCTURED OPTICAL MASKS

Method and device for replication of finely structured flat optics and optical masks with such structured optics

The invention relates to a method and a device for replicating 5 sheet-like, thin-layered and finely structured flat optics and optical masks with optics structured in this way, which are hardened from a highly viscous or viscous transparent fluid on a carrier substrate plate, wherein the fluid between a plate-shaped master plate and a movable substrate substrate plate is introduced and remains connected after curing at this substrate plate.

The process is carried out without rotation. The mold space is not limited in the propagation direction of the fluid to be cured by side walls or the like. The master plate serves as replication template and is horizontally arranged 5 rotation-free. The fluid to be cured is introduced in the required amount without a controllable supply valve in the molding area between the plates.

In the following, the term of the optical mask is used in this document as a generic term for a mask or a flat optics. The optical masks comprise planar elements with different optical surface structures, such as lenticulars, lens grid plates or matrix structures. They are generally rectangular, and have a matrix-shaped, cylindrical or spherical structure. Cylindrical masks are in particular lenticular, 5 for example with a large number of adjacent parallel lenticles in the form of cylindrical lenses. A cylindrical optical mask may also be a cylindrical Fresnel lens or a prism mask or the like. Spherical optical masks are exemplified by spherical Fresnel lenses. A flat optics is also characterized by a structured optical surface structure 0. However, the carrier plate here is a self-luminous or transmissive optical element in the sense of a light modulator, such as an LCD display, an image matrix or a spatial light modulator. These masks are usually the size of a screen or a display monitor and are thin-layered with a thickness of the order of a few tenths of a millimeter. Typically, the thickness of the patterned area of the optical mask is in the range of less than 200 microns. Structured surfaces for optical applications require not only a high dimensional accuracy but also roughness values in the range of a few nanometers.

For an application, especially in complex optical systems, such as in autostereoscopic displays, high demands are placed on the optical masks. In autostereoscopic displays, it is necessary to spatially separate the right and left views of the image information by an optical imaging system. In order to be able to view stereoscopic image information, the image contents intended for one eye of the observer must be supplied as far as possible without crosstalk. The corresponding means for this are also referred to as image separating means and realized, for example, by a lighting matrix and a focusing matrix. These and other essential elements of autostereoscopic displays are here realized by lenticular or combined with lenticular, so that lenticular represent very important components. The lenticulars are usually very finely structured and have a very small pitch. Often the lens size, ie the pitch of the lenticles, is coupled to the pitch of an image matrix in order to achieve the optical goals. Image matrix is used here as a generic term for self-luminous or transmissive light modulators.

If, for example, only a few pixel columns of the image matrix are assigned to a lenticle of the lenticular, this results in several important tasks due to the steadily decreasing pixel size of the image matrix. With the increasing reduction of the pixels as a reference, there is the danger that the limits of optical feasibility, but at least the limits of a cost-effective and process-safe production of the lenticulars are achieved.

Making a lenticular lenticular of smaller screen pixels is very difficult, making a lenticular lenticular equivalent to a screen pixel with the currently available screen resolutions usually has already come to the limit of technology.

State of the art

For the replication of plate-shaped elements is a variety of different methods, some of which have long been known.

One technique of filling a cavity with a fluid is described by the method of injection-filling. It consists essentially in allowing the fluid to flow through a filling opening into the mold space at ambient pressure. Alternatively, the pressure-filling, describes the fluid usually with very high pressure in the mold.

Simple methods are based on the principle of pumping the fluid through an inlet opening in the mold cavity until the fluid at one or more

Outlet openings overflows.

EP 0 141 531 B1, meanwhile extinguished, lays down such a principle for filling the

Shaping room open. Liquid resin is walled in via an inlet opening

Inserted until the sensors detect that the resin has reached an outlet opening remote from the inlet opening or

Position detectors recognize that the resin has reached a sufficient level even in the peripheral areas of the mold.

EP 0 688 649 B1 describes the filling of a limited mold space with a flowable material through an opening. By applying an outward force (transverse force), the flowable material is guided away from the filling opening. The force when filling the fluid, the force of gravity or a compressive force, and the transverse force are applicable independently of each other. The transverse force is explained in more detail in this document as a centrifugal force and thus also describes the method of rotation method. In another aspect explained in the text, the fluid is introduced through an inlet opening into the mold space, wherein the excess amount of fluid can leave the mold space through an outlet again, the degree of filling of the mold cavity is detected and controlled by sensing elements.

WO 99/30886 describes, in molding processes, the use of air-permeable but liquid-impermeable seals or membranes through which the mold space is evacuated during the filling process. After the mold is filled, the cell openings of the seal are closed and the fluid is cured. However, an economical application in the production of large quantities appears problematic here.

EP 0 490 580 B1, meanwhile extinguished, describes a process for coating glass and for producing coated glass articles. The glass sheets are horizontal during the process or may also be temporarily slightly inclined. In this process, resin is placed between two spaced glass sheets to be laminated one on top of the other. In a first step, special spacer elements are attached to the two glass panes. These spacers extend at the edge of the glass sheets and are characterized by being permeable to air but impermeable to a fluid. After positioning the disks, the introduction of an appropriate amount of resin between the glass sheets is followed by an injection hose wherein the resin contacts the inner surfaces of both glasses and the introduction is controlled so that the fluid area between the disks spreads in a controlled manner. Subsequently, the space between the glass panes is filled with the remaining amount of fluid, whereby the air displaced by the introduced resin can escape through the above-mentioned air-permeable spacers. The resin is then cured and forms a layer between the glass sheets. Preferably, the resin is introduced into the central region of the glass sheets. The resin is introduced through an injection hose between the glass plates, for which purpose an opening is provided in the peripheral air-permeable spacer element. In particular, the

Spacers (spacer-means) designed as a foam adhesive strips having an open-pore structure. The method also includes pressing the glass plates during the filling operation of the resin to assist in filling the resin into the space between the glasses. The pressing of the plates can take place in a slightly overpressure environment, during which evacuation the air can escape through the air-permeable, but fluid-impermeable spacer elements.

US Pat. No. 6,203,304 B1 describes a method and a device for filling a cavity between a first substrate and a second substrate with a fluid. The method describes several evacuation nests, which are arranged on the outer surface of the two substrates. The evacuation nests are associated with subcavities of the mold. During the filling of the mold, the evacuation nests serve to reduce the overpressure in the mold.

DE 36 43 765 A1 discloses a method for producing a plastic plate between two glass surfaces and an apparatus for performing this process. A liquid plastic is introduced between the glass surfaces, wherein the surfaces are inclined or normal to each other. Subsequently, surface edges are aligned parallel to each other and sealed. In a subsequent step, the two glass surfaces are pressed against each other from the outside, during which a high pressure is exerted during the curing of the plastic by one or more rotating pressure rollers, which are moved along the glass surfaces.

US Pat. No. 4,170,616, Method of Fabricating a Fresnel-lens, 1978, describes a method for rotationally free replication of flat Fesnellinsenplatten in which formed by a vertically or alternatively horizontally arranged master plate with a relief region of the Fesnelstrukturen and a plan counterpart a closed, vacuum-tight mold space becomes. The mold cavity is pumped off at the vacuum level and a curable fluid is introduced into it or sucked in as a result of the vacuum.

DE 22 55 923 A1, discloses a method for molding optical lenses, wherein a synthetic resin between an upper and lower mold carrier plate is introduced and cured. The replication device is closed with a joint seal. The mold carrier plates are fastened to each other via mechanical guide elements whose length determines the spacing of the guide plates and thus the thickness of the lenses.

US 5,202,793, Three dimesional image apparatus, mentioned in the

Figure description of Figure 11 shows a device consisting of a vacuum chamber with a UV source and an infrared heating element. An optical element made of a sandwich composite of plastic film and thermosetting plastic is introduced between an upper and lower moldings in the vacuum chamber. By applying negative pressure, the plastic composite is pressed against the moldings, molded and finally cured.

JP 63307909 describes a typical rotary process for the production or molding of disks made of resin, whereby air pockets are avoided. The resin is applied through a metering device, a dipenser, in the center of a rapidly rotating mold, with the resin spreading through the centrifugal force and covering the mold. With this method, round optical disks or masks of high quality are produced, but the size of the final shape is limited by the method.

Rotary techniques are very robust and reliable for smaller dimension devices, however, this process may no longer be desirably used in the production of the desired rectangular optical masks for displays whose diagonal may be 20 inches or more.

The above-described method of mold filling, that is, the "two-hole method" and the fluid-impermeable seal have the disadvantage that they tend to bend in thin-layered and large-scale impression elements due to the high forces, the walls of the mold. If, in addition, a negative pressure or a vacuum is applied to a second opening, then the danger increases that the walls of the molding space deform so that an inexactly shaped, non-dimensionally accurate end product is produced. The aforementioned thin-layered and finely structured masks must be produced in the highest quality. A defective optical mask, for example, causes a permanently visible on the display pixel error. Any defects, such as those caused by air trapping, can rarely be repaired in the rarest of cases and thus lead to rejects.

The fluid to be cured, so the resin is usually not a significant cost factor in the manufacturing process, but the high-precision master plate as the centerpiece of the replication device is usually very expensive. However, the resin overflowed beyond the target boundaries of the mask to be produced between the mold plates cures with the optical mask, adheres to the master plate, and thus has to be removed from the master plate by time-consuming cleaning operations. This organizational downtime reduces the availability of the entire replication facility. The master plate is also exposed during this cleaning work to a high degree of wear. Moreover, there is the risk of damage by the additional handling, so that the life of the expensive master plate can be significantly shortened.

The molded optical mask remains until sufficient curing of the fluid in the system. Nevertheless, it is desirable to shorten the cycle time of the replication process, in particular the processing time for applying the fluid and for forming the mask. The simplicity of the method and the replication device should ensure a high system availability and good process reliability with uncomplicated handling.

As mentioned above, the optical masks are very thin-layered and preferably have a thickness below 200 microns. From this, the correspondingly small tolerances can be derived and the high demands on the dimensional and dimensional accuracy can be seen. Such a high vertical dimensional accuracy is achieved if it is possible to avoid during replication in particular the deflections of the substrate plate.

In connection with the abovementioned problems, both the method for replication and the device provided for this purpose are intended to ensure an economical and process-reliable production of said thin-layered and finely structured optical masks. The final product must have a high dimensional and dimensional accuracy as well as a high degree of optical quality.

Summary of the invention

The method belongs to the group of rotation-free impressions, wherein the replication process is preferably carried out horizontally. The method is used for replication of sheet-like and finely structured flat optics and optical masks, especially for autostereoscopic displays, which in this case of a viscous transparent fluid, usually a resin cured.

The optical masks are usually rectangular and have a cylindrical or spherical structure. Cylindrical masks are in particular lenticular, for example with a large number of adjacent parallel lenticles in the form of cylindrical lenses. A cylindrical optical mask may also be a cylindrical Fresnel or prismatic mask or the like. Spherical optical masks are exemplified by spherical Fresnel lenses.

These masks are usually the size of a screen or a display monitor and are thin-layered with a thickness of the order of a few tenths of a millimeter. Preferably, the thickness of the optical mask is in the range below 200 micrometers.

The replication device according to the invention comprises a mold space containing a horizontally arranged plate-shaped master plate. The master disk has a structured replication area in the center as a replication template as well a plane-parallel enclosing edge area. The replication region is releasably connected to the master plate, preferably by vacuum.

A sealing ring encloses this plate. On this sealing ring is a movable carrier substrate plate and closes the mold cavity airtight.

According to the invention, the replication means includes means for detecting the distance of the plates. The invention is based on the idea that the distance between the plates is controllably controlled by a negative pressure in the mold space. In a further development of the invention, the distance of the plates is also controllable by variable spacers between the plates.

The method according to the invention consists of the main steps of initial dispensing and molding. In the following, these steps will be explained further.

A first major step (a) of the procedure is Initial Dispensing. This step includes:

(a1 :) Initial Point: application of one or more smaller areas as initial points of the fluid to be cured. A single initial point is preferably in the region of the center of the carrier substrate plate;

(a2 :) Tracking: applying several tracks of fluid to the master plate. The tracks preferably run from the center of the replication area to the edge area of the master disk or extend between the counterpoints. The lanes are preferably continuous and radiant and / or arcuate;

(a3 :) Dispensing: Apply the required amount of fluid to the master plate. In this case, a coherent initial fluid region is formed. This area forms in its maximum vertical elevations

Counterpoints, wherein a counterpoint on the master plate is in each case congruent to an initial point of the carrier substrate plate. The steps of the initial dispensing (a) are preferably carried out automatically, exemplarily with a dispenser and with handling technology, and can thus also take place temporally parallel or overlapping.

The second main step (b), the molding, comprises:

(b1 :) Initial Contact: application of the horizontally oriented carrier substrate plate, wherein the carrier substrate plate and the master plate initially touch at the initial and counterpoints and the carrier substrate plate rests on the sealing ring (D) and the forming space (R) hermetically seals.

(b2) Controlled Molding: Applying a negative pressure in the mold space, wherein the Träger Substratpiatte approaches controlled to the master plate and the fluid from the initial Fluiding range from the initial and Kontrapunkte along the tracks continuously and completely through the replication the master plate given space between the plates fills, the negative pressure in the mold space and optionally variable spacers between the plates are used as controllable process parameters.

The steps of molding (b) are preferably carried out automatically with corresponding sensors and a program control of the process parameters.

The method according to the invention is based on the idea of transforming the transformation of the initial shape of the fluid, that is to say the initial fluid region, by means of the tracks into a rectangular end shape of the mask.

A first process condition is that no air bubbles may occur in the optical mask. A second requirement is to achieve the horizontal end shape of the mask in an optimal manner, that is, without undersize and with as little oversize as possible.

According to the invention this is achieved by means of the tracks. A track here is preferably a coherent beam or arcuate track of the fluid. In one variant, the tracks can also be longitudinal surface areas molding. These longitudinal surface areas are also selected so that the fluid does not induce air pockets during the flow process.

Preferably, several tracks extend from the initial fluid region to the edge region of the master plate. The course of a plurality of tracks is preferably selected so that they run in the direction of propagation of the fluid during the flow process, thus forming almost a trajectory of the flow direction. Deviation from the ideal trajectory can serve to direct the flow direction of the fluid and facilitate the transition from pitch of the mold to adjacent pitch.

Between the pitches, or grooves of the master plate, passes a transition of reduced vertical extent. The fluid is thus more anxious to run in the longitudinal direction of the groove than to pass into the adjacent longitudinal groove.

Here, the invention is based on the idea to create and initiate through the tracks as it were a bridge to the adjacent groove, which serves as an initiating track line for the passage of the fluid into the adjacent groove.

In the course of the dispensing step (a3 :), the required amount of fluid is applied to the master plate and here the initial fluiding region is formed.

According to the invention, one or more maximum vertical elevations, the counterpoints, are formed on the fluid region on account of the viscous fluid. These points are according to the invention congruent with the respective initial points of the carrier substrate plate.

The initial fluiding region is contiguous in a simple embodiment and has a round, elliptical or approximately oval shape. This basic shape can be extended by bulges or lobed areas towards the corners of the replication area. The fluiding region may also be radiating, for example meandering, but here too there is at least one counterpoint. A single counterpoint is preferably in the center of the replication area of the master disk. For this purpose, reference is made to the following schematic representations in the figures. The structuring of the optical mask as end product, for example a cylindrical lenticular or a spherical field lens, essentially determines the initial shape of the initial fluid region, the course of the tracks and the position of the counterpoints.

In the second main step of the method, the molding (b :), the idea of the invention is continued. In the initial contact step (b1 :), the horizontally aligned carrier substrate plate is applied, with the master plate initially touching its contrapoints and the initial points of the carrier substrate plate. If necessary, it may be necessary to intensify the counterpoints of the initial fluid area just prior to the initial merging of the plates. This can be done, for example, by adding a small amount of fluid to the respective sites of the initial fluid area.

Due to the defined initial contact of the fluids at these initial points, it is prevented according to the invention that unwanted air inclusions form between the plates in this method step. At the same time, the carrier substrate plate rests on the sealing ring and closes the mold space airtight.

In the subsequent second molding step, the controlled molding (b2 :), a negative pressure in the mold cavity is generated, whereby the carrier substrate plate is controlled to approach the master plate. In this case, the fluid continuously spreads from the meanwhile connected initial fluiding region along the tracks.

According to the invention, the negative pressure in the mold space and possibly additionally the variable spacing means are used as controllable process parameters. These controllable parameters induce, according to the invention, a spreading of the fluid, wherein the deflection of the carrier-substrate plate lies within the required tolerance ranges. The parameters are preferably program-controlled.

The controllable variable spacers used in addition to the negative pressure are, for example, mechanical, for example as a worm gear or like, trained. Other exemplary embodiments include pneumatic, hydraulic or particularly preferably piezoelectric elements.

In a simple embodiment, the controllable spacer means are present as a variable vertical spring force of the sealing ring, wherein the sealing ring may have a plurality of separately controllable sections.

With the negative pressure in the molding area two objectives are pursued according to the invention. On the one hand, the negative pressure in the molding area induces an approximation of the plates and causes the fluid to spread. Furthermore, a suction effect is exerted on the fluid area by the negative pressure, so that the fluid also spreads as a result. According to the invention, it is possible to superimpose these forces so that only a slight vertical force is exerted on the carrier plate during the controlled approach of the plates. The support plate bends only very slightly during the process, remains until the curing of the fluid in the desired tolerances plan and thus ensures the desired dimensional accuracy of the final product.

If appropriate, the step of controlled molding is supported by the variable distance means as further controllable process variables.

In one variant of the method, vibrations are induced on the fluid in the mold cavity. This vibrator is preferably an ultrasonic exciter as implemented by a power sonotrode. Due to the microvibrations, the propagation of the fluid is sustainably accelerated, since the passage of the fluid from one groove to the next following groove is excited. In the following will be

Material stresses reduced during curing of the fluid. The end product is thus virtually stress-free.

In accordance with the method, the fluid completely fills the intermediate space of the plates given by the replication area of the master plate. The final shape of the mask is homogeneous, true to size and shape in the layer thickness and is free of air bubbles. The horizontal actual dimension of the final shape has a slight oversize to the desired final shape, that is to say the intended replication area of the master plate. The method and the device according to the invention allow a process-reliable replication of the masks with high dimensional accuracy and quality rate as desired. The small horizontal excess contributes with a small cleaning effort after a replication step to a high plant availability.

Brief description of the figures

Further embodiments will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures. The figures show

1a and 1b is an illustration of the replication device according to the invention in oblique and front view;

FIG. 2a is a detail view of the replication device in front view; FIG. and FIG. 2b a detail view of the shaping space of the replication device in an oblique view,

3a to d detailed representations of the preferred variants of the initial Fluiding- areas, the counterpoints and the tracks.

1a and 1b show the device for replication of sheet-like, rectangular, thin-layered and finely structured optical masks in a combined oblique and front view. The forming space R of the replication device includes a master plate M, an enclosing seal ring D, and a movable substrate substrate plate TP. The master plate M has a structured replication area MF as replication template and an adjoining, plane-parallel edge area MR.

In this group of figures, the process step (a) of the initial dispensing is substantially completed. In the initial point step (a1 :), a single initial point IP of the fluid to be cured was applied to the carrier substrate plate TP. This point IP is here in the center of the carrier substrate plate TP. With the tracking step (a2 :), the application of several tracks TS1.TS2, .. from fluid to the master plate M ₁ which here from the center of Master plate to the edge of the replication area MF of the master plate run. The tracks run together here.

During dispensing (a3 :), the required quantity of fluid, here in the region of the center of the master plate M, was applied and a coherent initial fluid area IF was formed, the maximum vertical elevation of which forms a counterpoint KP. As can be seen from the figure, the counterpoint KP is congruent with the initial point IP of the carrier substrate plate TP.

FIG. 2a shows the replication device similar to FIG. 1 after the molding step (b :). Here, in the initial contact step (b1 :), the horizontally oriented carrier substrate plate TP was applied so that the master plate M initially touches the counterpoint KP and the initial point IP of the carrier substrate plate TP, as already apparent from FIG was. The variable spacers are implemented here in the illustration on the right side, implemented in a first embodiment as a sealing ring D. For this purpose, the sealing ring D has a variable spring force in the vertical direction.

In Controlled Molding (b2 :), a negative pressure is created in the forming space R, with the carrier substrate plate TP approaching the master plate M in controlled manner, and the fluid from the initial fluiding region IF approaching from the initial point IP and counterpoint KP along the tracks TS1.TS2 , .. continuously distributed. The fluid completely fills the intermediate space of the plates given by the replication area MF of the master plate M. The fluid projects beyond this replication area MF of the master plate as desired only slightly and the horizontal actual size of the optical mask LM as the end product only slightly exceeds the replication area MF. A controllable heating or cooling device, without imaging, ensures a uniform temperature in the replication device and in particular in the mold cavity.

The substrate substrate plate TP is due to the negative pressure and the variable

Spacer DM as a controllable process parameter during the process step dimensionally stable plan and bends only insignificantly. The optical mask LM thus fulfills as desired the vertical tolerances of the dimensional accuracy. In the figure, a further variant of the variable spacer DM is shown schematically on the left side of the replication device. In this embodiment, the spacer means DM are designed as piezoelectric elements. These elements allow a particularly precise control of the distance of the plates.

The mentioned variants of the distance means DM, on the right the sealing ring D with variable spring force and on the left the variable spacing means DM are likewise advantageously used in the step of demoulding the end product. In this step, by means of the distance means DM, the optical mask LM is released from the master plate M. For example, the sealing ring D is inflated until the carrier substrate plate TP with the optical mask of the replication region MR of the master plate M dissolves.

This figure also shows a bending device BX, which allows the carrier substrate plate TP in the region of the initial point IP, especially during the intial contact step (b1 :) briefly vertically durchbiegen towards the master plate M and the initial contact of the plates on To ensure initial or counterpoint supportive.

The master plate M is arranged horizontally and contains the shaded replication area MF, which represents the final shape of the optical mask LM, and the plane-parallel edge area MR, which encloses the replication area MF , The master plate M here forms the bottom of the mold space R. A sealing ring D rests on the master plate and surrounds the

Edge region MR of the master plate M. For simplicity, only the left and rear portions of the sealing ring D are shown in the illustration. The sealing ring D at the same time forms the side walls of the forming space R. Finally, when the movable carrier substrate plate TP is placed on the sealing ring, the forming space R is thereby limited and closed. In a preferred embodiment, the

Replication area MF a movable plate and is connected to the master plate M as a base plate exemplified by vacuum. The presentation of further spacers is omitted. Another conceivable variant of the replication device is given by the fact that the two carrier substrate plate and the master plate are arranged reversed, so we executed the replication horizontally mirrored. It is also conceivable to arrange the carrier substrate plate in a fixed manner, whereas the master plate, or in particular the replication region of the master plate, can be moved.

FIGS. 3a to 3d illustrate in schematics the shape of the initial fluid area IP of the tracks T1, T2,... On the master plate M. Specifically, the replication area MF of the master plate is shown in plan view in each case. In the dispensing step (a3 :), the required amount of fluid is applied to the master plate, and a contiguous initial fluid region IF is formed whose maximum vertical elevation forms the counterpoint KP. The more complex tracks TS1.T2,.. Are shown as arrows in more detail in the lower right area of the replication area MF.

The optical mask to be formed is a lenticular in these examples with vertical lenticules in this illustration.

3a shows the simplest form. The initial fluid area IF is approximately oval, the tracks T1, T2, .. extend outward along the diagonal and the counterpoint KP lies in the center of the replication area MF.

Fig. 3b shows curved tracks T1 and T2 extending to the edge, each in the form of a brachistrochrone.

Fig. 3c shows branched tracks TS2 and TS3.

FIG. 3d shows an initial fluid area IF with lugs in the direction of the corners of the replication area MF. The area here has two counterpoints KP1 and KP2 and the tracks TS1 to TS3 run as a trajectory to the propagation direction of the fluid.

Claims

claims

1. A method for the rotation-free replication of sheet-like, finely structured flat optics and optical masks (LM) with structured optics, in which a curable viscous transparent fluid is introduced into the forming space (R) of a replication device, wherein the forming space (R) through the gap between a horizontally arranged, a replication region (MF) with the structure to be replicated and a plane-parallel edge region (MR) having master plate (M) and a substrate substrate plate (TP) is formed on one in the edge region of the

Master plate (M) arranged, the mold area (R) hermetically sealing sealing ring (D) rests, with the following steps

(a1 :) Applying one or more smaller areas of fluid than

Initial points (IP) of the fluid to be cured on the carrier substrate plate (TP);

(a2 :) application of several radiant and / or arcuate tracking

Traces (TS1.TS2, ..) of fluid on the master plate (M); (a3) applying a quantity of fluid to the master plate (M) and forming a contiguous initial fluid region (IF), thereby increasing one or more maximum vertical elevations of the fluid region

Kontrapunkte (KP) are formed, which are each congruent with an initial point (IP) on the carrier substrate plate (TP); (b1 :) Apply the carrier substrate plate (TP) to the assembly

Master plate (M) and sealing ring (D), wherein the carrier substrate plate (TP) is aligned horizontally so that the initial points (IP) and the counterpoints (KP) touch,

(b2 :) generating a negative pressure in the mold space (R), whereby the carrier substrate plate (TP) controlled to the master plate (M) and approaches the fluid from the initial Fluiding area (IF), the initial points (IP) and the Kontrapunkte (KP) continuously distributed and the mold space (R) over the replication area (MF) of the master plate (M) fills without gaps, with negative pressure the distance between the carrier substrate plate (TP) and the master plate (M) is set and completely fills the given by the replication area (MF) of the master plate (M) given space of the plates, wherein the negative pressure is used as a controllable process parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlled approach of the carrier substrate plate (TP) to the master plate (M) by the negative pressure in the mold space (R) and controllable spacer means (DM), which determine the distance of the plates (M ₁ TP) , is controlled.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the first method step (a1 :) an initial point (IP) lies at the intersection of the diagonal of the carrier substrate plate (TP).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a plurality of the master plate (M) applied tracks (TS1, TS2, ..) extend from fluid approximately in the propagation direction of the fluid.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that a plurality of the master plate (M) applied tracks (TS1, TS2, ..) of fluid from the center to the edge region (MR) of the master plate (M) extend.

6. The method according to any one of claims 4 or 5, wherein the on the master plate (M) applied initial Fluiding area (IF) is contiguous round or elliptical.

7. The method according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that on the master plate (M) applied initial Fluiding area (IF) is coherently radiant and / or arcuate.

8. Method according to claim 6, wherein the initial fluiding region (IF) applied to the master plate (M) is meandering.

A method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the initial fluiding region (IF) applied to the master plate (M) has lugs which lie in the direction of the corners of the replication region (MF) of the master plate (M).

10. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein a counterpoint (KP) which is formed by the on the master plate (M) applied initial Fluidingbereich (IF), in the center of the replication area (MF) of the master plate (M) ,

11. The method according to claim 1 or 5, wherein the tracks (TS1, TS2, ..) branch.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the carrier substrate plate (TP) is releasably connected on its outer side with a stabilizing support plate.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the carrier substrate plate (TP) is detachably connected by means of negative pressure with a stabilizing support plate.

14. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein in step (b1) a bending device (BX) bends the carrier substrate plate (TP) in the region of an initial point (IP) vertically in the direction of the master plate (M).

15. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein between the method steps (a3) and (b1) the counterpoints (KP) of the initial Fluiding area (IF) are formed reinforced.

16. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the optical mask (LM) has a spherical or cylindrical structure.

17. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the sub-steps a1 to a3 take place in parallel or overlapping time.

18. Replication device for rotation-free replication of, finely structured

Flat optics and optical masks (LM) with such structured optics with a horizontally arranged, a replication area (MF) with the structure to be replicated and a plane-parallel edge area (MR) having master plate (M), on whose edge region (MR) a sealing ring (D) is arranged, on which one of the arrangement of master plate (M) and sealing ring (D) releasable support substrate plate (TP) rests, wherein the gap between the master plate and the substrate substrate plate (TP) forms a sealed by a sealing ring (D) mold space,

Means which generate a controllable negative pressure in the mold space (R),

- Means, which recognize the distance of the master and the carrier substrate plate (TP) from each other and with

- A control device which controls the negative pressure in the mold space (R) for adjusting the distance between the master and the carrier substrate plate (TP).

19. Replication device according to claim 18, wherein the distance of the carrier substrate plate (TP) to the master plate (M) by variable spacer means (DM) is controllable.

20. replication device according to claim 19, wherein the controllable spacer means (DM) are mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic.

21. Replication device according to claim 19, wherein the controllable spacer means (DM) are piezoelectric elements.

22. replication device according to claim 19, wherein the sealing ring (D) or a plurality of subsections of the sealing ring (D) a variable, controllable vertical

Has spring force.

23. Replication device according to one or more of the preceding claims 18 to 22, which contains a controllable heating or cooling device.

24. Replication device according to one or more of the preceding claims 18 to 23, wherein the vibration exciters induce vibrations in the introduced fluid in the mold space (R).

25 replication device according to claim 24, wherein the vibration exciters in the introduced fluid in the mold space (R) induce vibrations by means of ultrasound.

26. A replication device according to one or more of the preceding claims 18 to 25, which on the carrier substrate plate (TP) has a bending device (BX) which bends the carrier substrate plate (TP) vertically towards the master plate (M).