JP6330157B2 - Imprint method using mold for imprint - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a molding apparatus and a molding method for molding a three-dimensional shape on a film having a fine pattern, an imprint mold capable of transferring the fine pattern onto the surface of the three-dimensional shape, and an imprint using the imprint mold Regarding the method.

  Conventionally, there is a nanoimprint technique as a method of forming a micro-order or nano-order fine pattern. In this method, a mold having a fine pattern is pressed on a molded object such as resin, and the pattern is transferred to the molded object using heat or light (for example, see Patent Document 1). In order to increase the transfer area, an imprint apparatus that pressurizes a flexible mold or stage with fluid pressure is also considered (for example, see Patent Document 2).

International Publication Number WO2004 / 062886 JP 2009-154393 A

  In recent years, it is expected to form a moth-eye structure on the curved surface of a lens. Here, in order to transfer the fine pattern onto the curved surface, a curved surface mold is required. However, it has been very difficult and costly to produce an imprint mold for transferring a fine pattern on a non-planar surface such as a curved surface.

  Therefore, in the present invention, a molding apparatus and a molding method capable of forming a three-dimensional shape into a film having a fine pattern easily and inexpensively, an imprint mold capable of transferring the fine pattern to the surface of the three-dimensional shape, and the concerned An object of the present invention is to provide an imprint method using an imprint mold.

  In order to achieve the above object, a forming apparatus of the present invention is for forming a three-dimensional shape exceeding the thickness of the film on a film having a fine pattern, and the film is fluidized from the fine pattern side. A pressure receiving stage having a pressure chamber for pressurization and a pressure unit for adjusting the pressure of fluid in the pressure chamber, a pressure receiving surface having the three-dimensional shape, and supporting the film It is characterized by comprising.

  In this case, depending on the material of the film, it is preferable to provide a temperature control unit for adjusting the temperature of the film. In addition, it is preferable that at least the three-dimensional surface of the pressure receiving surface is formed into a mirror surface. Moreover, it is preferable to provide a decompression unit having a decompression chamber for decompressing the atmosphere between the film and the pressure receiving stage.

  Further, the forming method of the present invention is a method for forming a three-dimensional shape exceeding the thickness of the film on a film having a fine pattern, and on the pressure receiving stage having a pressure receiving surface made of the three-dimensional shape. A disposing step of disposing the film so that a surface on which no pattern is formed is on the pressure receiving surface side; and a pressing step of pressing the film on the pressure receiving stage with fluid from the fine pattern side. And

  In this case, depending on the material of the film, it is preferable to have a heating step of heating the film. In addition, it is preferable that at least the three-dimensional surface of the pressure receiving surface is formed in a mirror shape. Moreover, it is preferable to have the pressure reduction process which decompresses the atmosphere between the said film and the said pressure receiving stage before the said pressurization process.

  The imprint mold of the present invention is made of a flexible film, and has a three-dimensional shape exceeding the thickness of the film and a depth smaller than the thickness of the film formed on the three-dimensional shape. It has the molding pattern which has.

The imprint method of the present invention is for transferring a molding pattern of an imprint mold onto a molding surface having a three-dimensional shape of a molding, and a three-dimensional shape substantially identical to the three-dimensional shape is formed. An arrangement step of arranging an imprint mold having the molding pattern on a molded surface on a molding object on a pressure receiving stage so that the molding surface is on the molding surface side, and the imprint mold In this case, the pressure between the imprint mold and the molding object is reduced before the pressing process. It is preferable to have a decompression step. Moreover, it is preferable that the pressure receiving stage has a cushioning material at a portion in contact with the molding target. Furthermore, it is preferable that the pressure receiving stage has a buffer material at a boundary portion with the molding surface of the molding object.

  In addition, when performing a light imprint, it has the light irradiation process which irradiates light to the said to-be-molded object. Moreover, when performing a thermal imprint, it has the heating process which heats the said to-be-molded object more than a glass transition temperature.

  The molding apparatus and molding method of the present invention can easily and inexpensively form a film having a fine pattern on a three-dimensional shape. Further, the imprint method of the present invention uses a film having a fine pattern on a three-dimensional shape as an imprint mold, thereby transferring a precise fine pattern easily and inexpensively onto a molded article having a three-dimensional shape. Can do.

It is a partial end view which shows the shaping | molding apparatus before shaping | molding in this invention. It is a partial end view which shows the shaping | molding apparatus at the time of shaping | molding in this invention. It is a partial end view which shows another shaping | molding apparatus in this invention. It is an end view which shows the film and pressure receiving stage before shaping | molding. It is an end view which shows the film and pressure receiving stage after shaping | molding. It is a partial end view which shows an imprint apparatus. It is sectional drawing which shows the imprint type | mold of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the imprint type | mold of this invention.

  The forming apparatus of the present invention is a forming apparatus for forming a three-dimensional shape exceeding the thickness of the film 20 on a film 20 (see FIG. 4) having a fine pattern 20a as shown in FIGS. A pressurizing unit 3 having a pressurizing chamber 30 for pressurizing the film 20 with fluid from the fine pattern 20a side, and a pressurizing means 35 for adjusting the pressure of the fluid in the pressurizing chamber 30; And a pressure receiving stage 32 that supports the film 20. Further, depending on the material of the film 20, it further includes a temperature adjustment unit (not shown) for adjusting the temperature of the film 20.

  Here, the fine pattern 20a refers to a geometric shape composed of irregularities having a depth smaller than the thickness of the film 20. For example, a concavo-convex structure that functions as a moth eye is applicable. The fine pattern 20a is formed in various sizes such as the minimum width of the convex portion and the concave portion in the plane direction is 100 μm or less, 10 μm or less, 2 μm or less, 1 μm or less, 100 nm or less, 10 nm or less. Also, dimensions in the depth direction are formed in various sizes such as 10 nm or more, 100 nm or more, 200 nm or more, 500 nm or more, 1 μm or more, 10 μm or more, 100 μm or more.

  The film 20 may be any film as long as it can form a three-dimensional shape with a predetermined temperature and pressure. For example, a resin or a metal can be used. As the resin, cyclic olefin ring-opening polymerization / hydrogenated product (COP), cyclic olefin-based resin such as cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), acrylic resin, polycarbonate, vinyl ether resin, perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA) and polytetra A fluororesin such as fluoroethylene (PTFE), or a thermoplastic resin such as polystyrene, polyimide resin, or polyester resin can be used. As the metal, nickel, gold, silver, or the like can be used.

  The pressurizing unit 3 includes a pressurizing chamber 30 for directly pressurizing the film 20 with a fluid, and a pressurizing unit 35 for adjusting the pressure of the fluid in the pressurizing chamber 30. The pressurizing chamber 30 may be constituted by, for example, the film 20, the pressurizing chamber casing 33, and the sealing means 34 that seals between the film 20 and the pressurizing chamber casing 33.

  The pressurizing chamber casing 33 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape having an opening, and constitutes the pressurizing chamber 30 which is a sealed space by closing the opening with the film 20. This opening is formed larger than the three-dimensional shape formed on the film 20. Any material may be used as long as it has pressure resistance and heat resistance with respect to molding conditions. For example, a metal such as stainless steel can be used. The film 20 closes the opening so that the fine pattern 20a faces the pressurizing chamber 30 side.

  The sealing means 34 closes the pressurizing chamber housing 33 and the film 20 in order to seal the pressurizing chamber 30. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, an O-ring is prepared as the sealing means 34, and a concave groove 33b shallower than the diameter of the cross section of the O-ring is formed at the end of the side wall 33a of the pressurizing chamber housing 33 on the pressure receiving stage 32 side. And an O-ring may be disposed in the groove. Thus, the film 20 can be sandwiched between the pressurizing chamber casing 33 and the pressure receiving stage 32, and the pressurizing chamber casing 33 and the film 20 can be brought into close contact with each other. Can do. Even if there is an inclination between the pressurizing chamber casing 33 and the film 20, the pressurizing chamber 30 can be reliably sealed if the parallelism is within the crushing margin of the O-ring.

  An opening / closing means is used to open and close the pressurizing chamber 30. Although not shown, the opening / closing means moves relatively so as to adjust the distance between the pressurizing chamber casing 33 and the pressure receiving stage 32. For example, the pressurizing chamber housing 33 may be relatively close to or separated from the pressure receiving stage 32 by an electric motor and a ball screw. Of course, any type can be used as long as the pressurizing chamber housing 33 can be relatively close to or separated from the pressure receiving stage 32, and can be moved by a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder.

  The pressurizing means 35 may be anything as long as the pressure of the fluid in the pressurizing chamber 30 can be adjusted to a pressure at which the three-dimensional shape of the pressure receiving stage 32 can be transferred to the film 20. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a pressurization chamber gas supply / exhaust flow path 351 is connected to the pressurization chamber casing 33, and air is supplied to the pressurization chamber 30 via the pressurization chamber gas supply / exhaust flow path 351. Or a gas such as an inert gas may be supplied or exhausted. For the gas supply, a gas supply source 352 such as a cylinder or a compressor having a compressed gas can be used. Further, although not shown in the drawings, the gas may be exhausted by opening and closing a deaeration valve. In addition, you may provide a safety valve etc. suitably.

  The pressure receiving stage 32 supports the film 20 that has received the pressure of the pressurizing unit 3 and transfers the three-dimensional shape to the film 20. The three-dimensional shape is formed on the pressure receiving surface 321 that is the surface of the pressure receiving stage that is in contact with the film 20. Here, the three-dimensional shape means a shape having a size exceeding the thickness of the film 20 in the depth direction, and corresponds to a curved surface of a convex lens or a concave lens, for example. In addition, it is preferable that the pressure receiving surface 321 is formed in a mirror-like shape having a surface roughness so that at least the three-dimensional surface does not impair the fine pattern 20a or the three-dimensional function. Any material may be used as long as it has pressure resistance and heat resistance with respect to molding conditions. For example, an iron material such as carbon steel or a metal such as SUS can be used. In addition, when the film 20 is heated from the pressure receiving stage 32 side, it is preferable to use a film having high thermal conductivity such as metal. Further, when heating the film 20 from the pressurizing chamber 30 side, it is possible to use a low thermal conductivity to prevent heat from escaping to the pressure receiving stage 32 side, but in order to prevent uneven heating, The stage surface is preferably composed of a material having high thermal conductivity.

  Although not shown, the temperature adjustment unit adjusts the temperature of the film 20 by heating or cooling the film 20. The temperature control unit includes a heating unit that directly or indirectly heats the film 20 and a cooling unit that cools the film 20.

  The heating means may be a temperature that can be transformed into a three-dimensional shape when the film 20 is pressed against the pressure receiving stage 32, for example, a resin film that can be heated above the glass transition temperature or the melting temperature of the resin. It ’s fine. Further, the film 20 may be heated from the pressure receiving stage 32 side or heated from the pressurizing chamber 30 side. Specifically, it is possible to use a device that heats the film 20 from the pressure receiving stage 32 side by providing a heater in the pressure receiving stage 32 or a stage main body 320 on which the pressure receiving stage 32 is placed. In addition, a radiant heat source for heating by radiation by electromagnetic waves such as a ceramic heater or a halogen heater may be provided in the pressurizing chamber 30 to heat the film 20. It is also possible to heat the gas supplied to the pressurizing chamber 30 and heat it with the heated gas. When the material of the film 20 is a metal, the heating means can be omitted.

  As the cooling means, a film capable of cooling the film 20 to a predetermined temperature, for example, a resin film, lower than the glass transition temperature or lower than the melting temperature may be used. Further, the film 20 may be cooled from the pressure receiving stage 32 side or may be cooled from the pressurizing chamber 30 side. Specifically, a cooling water channel provided in the pressure receiving stage 32 or in the stage main body 320 to cool the film 20 from the pressure receiving stage 32 side can be used. Alternatively, a cooling gas or liquid circulating in the pressurizing chamber 30 may be used for cooling.

  Further, the temperature control unit may be a combination of a plurality of heating means and cooling means described above.

  Note that the molding apparatus of the present invention may include the decompression unit 4 having a decompression chamber for decompressing the atmosphere between the film 20 and the pressure receiving stage 32. Thereby, the gas existing between the film 20 and the pressure receiving stage 32 can be removed, and the film 20 and the pressure receiving stage 32 can be uniformly pressed to be molded.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the decompression unit 4 may be composed of a decompression chamber 40 containing the film 20 and decompression means 45 for discharging the gas in the decompression chamber 40.

  The decompression chamber 40 includes a decompression chamber casing, a decompression chamber sealing means 44, and a pressure receiving stage 32 or a stage body 320 on which the pressure receiving stage 32 is placed.

  The decompression chamber casing includes, for example, a pressurization chamber casing 33, a flange portion 431 extending horizontally from the upper portion of the pressurization chamber casing 33, and a flange portion so as to cover the pressurization chamber casing 33. And accordion 432 depending from 431. In this case, the pressurization chamber 30 is also a part of the decompression chamber 40.

  The decompression chamber sealing means 44 is for bringing the decompression chamber casing 33 and the pressure receiving stage 32 or the stage main body 320 into close contact with each other in order to seal the decompression chamber 40. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, an O-ring is prepared as the decompression chamber sealing means 44, and a concave groove 432b shallower than the diameter of the cross section of the O-ring is formed at the stage body side end of the bellows 432. An O-ring may be disposed at 432b. Thereby, the inside of the decompression chamber 40 can be sealed. Even if there is an inclination between the decompression chamber casing and the pressure receiving stage 32, the decompression chamber 40 can be reliably sealed if the parallelism is within the crushing margin of the O-ring.

  It goes without saying that the decompression chamber casing and the decompression chamber sealing means 44 have strengths that can withstand external forces when decompressed.

  The decompression means 45 includes a decompression chamber gas supply / exhaust flow path 451 connected to the decompression chamber 40, and a decompression pump 452 that exhausts the gas in the decompression chamber 40 via the decompression chamber gas supply / exhaust flow path 451. What is necessary is just to comprise.

  The decompression pump 452 only needs to be capable of decompressing the decompression chamber 40 to the extent that no transfer failure occurs when the film 20 and the pressure receiving stage 32 are pressurized.

  Further, in the decompression chamber 40, a separation means 46 may be provided for separating the film 20 and the pressure receiving stage 32 during decompression so that the gas between the film 20 and the pressure receiving stage 32 can be easily removed. Thereby, it is possible to reliably remove the gas and prevent transfer failure. The separation means 46 may be anything as long as it forms a gap between the film 20 and the pressure receiving stage 32. For example, as shown in FIG. Further, it may be configured by an elevating means (not shown) that moves the clamping unit 461 in a direction in which the film 20 and the pressure receiving stage 32 are separated from each other.

  For example, a clip or the like that urges and holds an elastic force such as a spring can be used as the holding unit 461.

  As the raising / lowering means, one that is moved by a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, one that is moved by an electric motor and a ball screw, or the like can be used.

  Next, the molding method of the present invention will be described using the molding apparatus of the present invention.

  The forming method of the present invention is a forming method for forming a three-dimensional shape exceeding the thickness of the film 20 on a film 20 (see FIG. 4) having a fine pattern 20a, which is an arrangement step, a heating step, and a pressing step. It consists of.

  In the arrangement step, the film 20 is arranged on the pressure receiving stage 32 having the three-dimensional pressure receiving surface 321 so that the surface on which the fine pattern 20a is not formed is on the pressure receiving surface 321 side. In other words, in order to prevent the fine pattern 20a from being damaged during molding, the surface on which the fine pattern 20a is formed is set to the pressurizing chamber 30 side of the forming apparatus. In this case, it is preferable that the pressure receiving surface 321 is formed in a mirror-like shape having a surface roughness that does not impair the function of the fine pattern 20a and the three-dimensional shape, at least.

  In the heating step, the heating means of the temperature control unit heats the film 20 to a temperature at which the film 20 can be deformed into a three-dimensional shape during the pressing step, for example, in the case of a resin film, the glass transition temperature or higher. On the other hand, when the material of the film 20 is a metal, the heating step can be omitted.

  In the pressurizing step, the film 20 is pressurized to the pressure receiving stage 32 by fluid from the fine pattern 20a side. That is, the pressurizing chamber 30 is configured by pressing the pressurizing chamber casing 33 and the sealing means 34 against the film 20 and the pressure receiving stage 32 by the opening / closing means. Next, a fluid is supplied to the pressurizing chamber 30 by the pressurizing means 35, and the fluid pressure in the pressurizing chamber 30 is increased. As a result, the film 20 is deformed into the three-dimensional shape of the pressure receiving stage 32.

  Thereafter, the temperature of the film 20 is cooled to a predetermined temperature or lower, for example, in the case of a resin film, by the cooling means of the temperature control unit or natural cooling, and then cooled to the glass transition temperature of the resin or lower, and then the film 20 is solidified. The shape is molded.

  In addition, it is better to have a pressure reducing step for reducing the atmosphere between the film 20 and the pressure receiving stage 32 before the pressure step. For example, the space between the bellows 432 and the stage main body 320 is sealed via the decompression chamber sealing means 44 to configure the decompression chamber 40. Next, the gas in the decompression chamber 40 is exhausted by the decompression means 45 to lower the pressure in the decompression chamber. Thereby, the gas existing between the film 20 and the pressure receiving stage 32 can be removed, and the film 20 and the pressure receiving stage 32 can be uniformly pressed to be molded. When the pressure is reduced, it is preferable to use the separating means 46 to separate the film 20 and the pressure receiving stage 32 and to reliably remove the gas between the film 20 and the pressure receiving stage 32.

  In this way, a three-dimensional shape can be formed on the film 20 having the fine pattern 20a simply and inexpensively. In addition, what was formed in this way consists of a film which has flexibility, as shown in FIG. 6, and the depth smaller than the thickness of the three-dimensional shape exceeding the thickness of a film, and the three-dimensional shape formed on the said three-dimensional shape. It can also be used as an imprint mold 1 having a molding pattern 1a having a thickness. If this imprint mold 1 is used, it is possible to precisely transfer the molding pattern 1a to the molding having the three-dimensional shape by using the imprint technique. As an example of the combination of the three-dimensional shape and the molding pattern 1a, for example, a lens curved surface (three-dimensional shape) and a moth-eye structure (molding pattern) formed in the curved surface shape are applicable.

  Next, a method for transferring the molding pattern 1a to the molding object 2 having a three-dimensional shape will be described with reference to FIGS. The imprinting method of the present invention is a method for transferring the molding pattern 1a of the imprinting mold 1 onto the molding surface 2a having a three-dimensional shape of the molding object 2, and is the above-described imprinting mold of the present invention. 1 is arranged on the molding object 2 on the pressure receiving stage 32A, and a pressing process for pressurizing the imprint mold 1 to the molding object 2 with a fluid. Moreover, when performing a photoimprint, it has the light irradiation process which irradiates light to the to-be-molded object 2, and when performing a thermal imprint, the heating process which heats the to-be-molded object 2 more than a glass transition temperature Have

  Here, the molding 2 is, for example, a thermoplastic resin or a polymerizable reactive group-containing compound on the surface of an inorganic compound such as glass or silicon having a predetermined three-dimensional shape such as a curved surface of a lens, a metal, or a resin. And a thin film made of a resin produced by a polymerization reaction (thermal curing or photocuring).

  Examples of the thermoplastic resin include cyclic olefin ring-opening polymerization / hydrogenated product (COP) and cyclic olefin-based resin such as cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), acrylic resin, polycarbonate, vinyl ether resin, perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA), and the like. Fluorine resin such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polystyrene, polyimide resin, polyester resin, or the like can be used.

  Resins produced by polymerization reaction (thermosetting or photocuring) of polymerizable reactive group-containing compounds include epoxide-containing compounds, (meth) acrylic acid ester compounds, vinyl ether compounds, bisallyl nadiimide compounds As described above, unsaturated hydrocarbon group-containing compounds such as vinyl groups and allyl groups can be used. In this case, it is possible to use the polymerization-reactive group-containing compounds alone for thermal polymerization, and to add a heat-reactive initiator to improve thermosetting. Is also possible. Furthermore, the thing which can add the photoreactive initiator and advance a polymerization reaction by light irradiation, and can form the shaping | molding pattern 1a may be used. Organic peroxides and azo compounds can be preferably used as the heat-reactive radical initiator, and acetophenone derivatives, benzophenone derivatives, benzoin ether derivatives, xanthone derivatives and the like can be preferably used as the photoreactive radical initiator. The reactive monomer may be used without a solvent, or may be used after being dissolved in a solvent and desolvated after coating.

  In addition, you may use the to-be-molded product 2 formed only with resin mentioned above.

  In this specification, it demonstrates using the thing which apply | coated the photocurable resin on the convex lens as the to-be-molded object 2. FIG. In addition, the application | coating of photocurable resin can use the existing technique if a uniform film | membrane can be formed on a convex lens.

  Further, as the imprint apparatus for performing the imprint, as shown in FIG. 6, except for the pressure receiving stage 32A, the same apparatus as the above-described molding apparatus can be used. Therefore, the description is omitted.

  The pressure receiving stage 32 </ b> A has a pressure receiving surface 321 </ b> A formed in substantially the same shape as one surface of the molding object 2, and is for supporting the molding object 2 that has received the pressure of the pressurizing unit 3. Any material may be used as long as it has pressure resistance and heat resistance with respect to molding conditions. For example, an iron material such as carbon steel or a metal such as SUS can be used. Further, when the film 20 is heated from the pressure receiving stage 32A side, it is preferable to use a film having high thermal conductivity such as metal. Further, when heating the film 20 from the pressurizing chamber 30 side, it is possible to use a low thermal conductivity to prevent heat from escaping to the pressure receiving stage 32A side, but in order to prevent uneven heating, The stage surface is preferably composed of a material having high thermal conductivity. In addition, the pressure receiving stage 32A preferably has a buffer material 322 made of a resin such as PDMS at a portion in contact with the object 2 to be molded. Thereby, damage to the surface of the molding 2 can be prevented. Further, the pressure receiving stage 32A preferably has a buffer material 323 made of a resin such as PDMS at a boundary portion between the molding object 2 and the molding surface 2a. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the imprint mold 1 from being damaged by the fluid pressure at the boundary portion between the pressure receiving stage 32A and the workpiece 2.

  Moreover, when performing optical imprinting, it has a light irradiation means (not shown). The light irradiation means may be provided on the pressure chamber side or on the pressure receiving stage 32A side. However, when it is provided on the pressurizing chamber 30 side, it is necessary to make the imprint mold 1 light transmissive. When it is provided on the pressure receiving stage 32A side, the molding 2 and the pressure receiving stage 32A are provided. It must be light transmissive.

  In the arranging step, as shown in FIG. 7, the imprint mold 1 having the molding pattern 1a on the molding surface 1b on which the three-dimensional shape substantially the same as the three-dimensional shape of the molding object 2 is formed is applied to the molding surface 1b. It arrange | positions to the to-be-molded object 2 on the receiving pressure stage 32A so that it may become the molding surface 2a side.

  In the pressurizing step, the pressurizing chamber 30 is configured by pressing the pressurizing chamber casing 33 and the sealing unit 34 against the imprint mold 1 and the pressure receiving stage 32A by opening and closing means. Next, a fluid is supplied to the pressurizing chamber 30 by the pressurizing means 35, and the fluid pressure in the pressurizing chamber 30 is increased. As a result, the imprint mold 1 is pressed against the molding 2 by the fluid, and a molding pattern 1a is formed on the photocurable resin.

  Thereafter, through a light irradiation step of irradiating the molding object 2 with light, the photocurable resin is cured and the molding pattern 1a is fixed.

  Finally, when the mold release step of releasing the imprint mold 1 from the molding object 2 is completed, the molding pattern 1a can be transferred to the molding object 2 having a three-dimensional shape.

  In addition, it is better to have the pressure reduction process which decompresses the atmosphere between the imprint type | mold 1 and the to-be-molded product 2 before a pressurization process. For example, the decompression chamber 40 is configured by sealing between the bellows 432 and the stage body via the decompression chamber sealing means 44. Next, the gas in the decompression chamber 40 is exhausted by the decompression means 45 to lower the pressure in the decompression chamber. Thereby, the gas existing between the imprint mold 1 and the molding object 2 is removed, and the molding pattern 1a can be transferred by pressing the imprint mold 1 and the molding object 2 uniformly. When the pressure is reduced, the separating means 46 is used to separate the imprint mold 1 and the molding 2 from each other, and the gas between the imprint mold 1 and the molding 2 is reliably removed. Is preferred.

  In the above description, the case where optical imprinting is performed has been described. However, when a product obtained by applying a thermoplastic resin on a convex lens is used as the molding 2, it is of course possible to perform thermal imprinting. In this case, after the placing step of placing the imprint mold 1 on the molding 2 on the pressure receiving stage 32A, a heating step of heating the thermoplastic resin to a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature of the resin is performed. Next, a pressurizing step for pressurizing the imprint mold 1 onto the molding 2 with a fluid, a cooling process for cooling the film below the glass transition temperature of the resin, and releasing the imprint mold 1 from the molding 2 What is necessary is just to perform the mold release process to perform.

  In the heating step, the thermoplastic resin of the molding 2 is heated to the glass transition temperature or higher by the heating means of the temperature control unit. Of course, the material of the imprint mold 1 needs to have heat resistance higher than the heating temperature in the heating process.

  Moreover, what is necessary is just to cool the thermoplastic resin of the to-be-molded product 2 to below glass transition temperature by the cooling means of a temperature control part, or natural cooling in a cooling process.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Imprint type | mold 1a Molding pattern 1b Molding surface 2 Molding object 2a Molding surface 3 Pressurization part 4 Decompression part
20 films
20a fine pattern
30 Pressurization chamber
31 Pressure stage
32 Pressure receiving stage
32A pressure receiving stage
32a solid shape
33 Pressurization chamber housing
35 Pressurizing means
40 decompression chamber
321 Pressure-receiving surface
322 cushioning material
323 cushioning material

Claims (6)

An imprint method for transferring a molding pattern of an imprint mold onto a molding surface having a three-dimensional shape of a molding,
An imprint mold having the molding pattern on a molding surface on which a three-dimensional shape substantially the same as the three-dimensional shape is formed is arranged on a molding on the pressure receiving stage so that the molding surface is on the molding surface side. An arrangement process to
A pressurizing step of pressurizing the object to be molded with the imprint mold constituting the pressurizing chamber with a fluid in the pressurizing chamber ;
The imprint method characterized by having.   The imprinting method according to claim 1, further comprising a depressurizing step of depressurizing an atmosphere between the imprint mold and the molding target before the pressurizing step.   The imprint method according to claim 1, wherein the pressure receiving stage has a buffer material at a portion in contact with the molding target.   The imprint method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pressure receiving stage includes a buffer material at a boundary portion between the molding object and a molding surface.   The imprint method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a light irradiation step of irradiating the molding object with light.   The imprint method according to claim 1, further comprising a heating step of heating the molding object to a glass transition temperature or higher.

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