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Electrowetting assisted air detrapping in transfer micromolding for difficult-to-mold microstructures
Xiangming Li1, Hongmiao Tian, Chunhui Wang
1Micro-/Nano-technology Research Center, State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University , 28 West Xianning Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710049, People's Republic of China.
This study introduces an electrowetting-assisted transfer micromolding process to overcome air-trapping issues in micro/nanostructure fabrication. This method ensures complete mold filling for high-fidelity polymer duplicates, even with complex mold geometries.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Microfabrication
- Surface Science
Background:
- Micromolding in atmosphere is a versatile technique for micro/nanostructure fabrication.
- Air-trapping in mold cavities hinders complete prepolymer filling, especially in high-aspect-ratio or complex molds.
- Existing methods struggle to ensure defect-free polymer duplicates due to trapped air.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel electrowetting-assisted transfer micromolding process.
- To address the challenge of air-trapping in micromolding complex geometries.
- To improve the structural integrity of polymer duplicates produced via micromolding.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a feeding blade to supply UV-curable prepolymer onto a conductive mold.
- Employed electrowetting by applying voltage between the feeding blade and mold.
- Integrated a progressively advancing stage for controlled molding.
Main Results:
- Electrowetting successfully displaced trapped air from mold cavities.
- Alternatively, electrocapillary forces compressed trapped air, enabling deep prepolymer infiltration.
- Demonstrated improved structural integrity of polymer duplicates in various deep-cavity molds.
Conclusions:
- The electrowetting-assisted transfer micromolding process effectively eliminates air-trapping issues.
- This technique enables high-fidelity fabrication of micro/nanostructures with complex geometries.
- The method significantly enhances the quality and integrity of polymer duplicates.
