Abstract
We report the novel use of thermoplastic acrylic lacquer (automotive paint) in the hot embossing of nanoscale structures. Replicas of grating arrays have been produced in coatings of acrylic lacquer using a standard embossing process. The master dies for the experiments comprised grating arrays fabricated by electron beam lithography. Grating patterns with a pitch of 0.7–1.3 μm were configured to produce diffractive images over an area of ∼25 × 25 mm. The embossing experiments used a replicated Ni shim as a die and were performed at 100–150 °C and 80 kN force. A temperature above the glass transition temperature for the lacquer, T = 120–150 °C, was required in order to achieve a uniform impression across the embossed area of ∼80 × 80 mm. The diffractive grating patterns which were embossed into acrylic lacquer have shown optical effects suitable as a security feature including image switching and color movement.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Heckele M, Schomburg WK (2004) J Micromech Microeng 14:R1
Studer V, Pepin A, Chen Y (2002) Appl Phys Lett 80(19):3614
Casey BG, Cumming DRS, Khandaker II, Curtis ASG, Wilkinson CD (1999) Microelectron Eng 46:125
Schift H, David C, Gobrecht J, D’Amore A, Simoneta D, Kaiser W, Gabriel M (2000) J Vac Sci Technol B 18(6):3564
Casey BG, Monaghan W, Wilkinson CD (1997) Microelectron Eng 35:393
Van Renesse RL (2005) Optical document security, 3rd edn. Artech House, Boston
Lee RA (2000) Microelectron Eng 53:513
Lee RA (1997) Proceedings of the 9th Interpol conference on currency counterfeiting, Helsinki
Leech PW, Lee RA (2006) Microelectron Eng 83:351
Ansdell DA (1999) In: Lambourne R, Strivens TA (eds) Paint and surface coatings – theory and practice, 2nd edn. Woodhead Publishing
Bulthaup CA, Wilhelm EJ, Hubert BN, Ridley BA, Jacobson JM (2001) Appl Phys Lett 79(10):1525
Acknowledgements
E-beam lithography was performed by R. Marnock and nickel shims were produced by F. Glenn.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Leech, P.W., Lee, R.A. Hot embossing of grating-based optically variable images in thermoplastic acrylic lacquer. J Mater Sci 42, 4428–4434 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-006-0651-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-006-0651-1