1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to methods for fabricating molding stampers, and particularly, to a method for fabricating a molding stamper having a pattern for shaping a plurality of microlenses, and a molding stamper fabricated by the method.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional method for making a molding stamper typically includes the following steps: forming a photoresist layer on a substrate; exposing the photoresist layer to light, and developing the photoresist layer using developer; etching the substrate to form a patterned substrate, and removing the photoresist layer; forming a seed layer on the patterned substrate; electroforming a body on the substrate; and separating the electroformed body from the substrate, and stripping the seed layer off the electroformed body to obtain the molding stamper.
However, this method for fabricating the molding stamper includes many steps, and thus the production efficiency of the molding stamper is rather low. In addition, portions of the seed layer may not be completely stripped off from the electroformed body. When this happens, a surface roughness of the molding stamper is increased. This in turn means that the defect rate of final products made using the molding stamper may be unduly high.
Therefore, what is needed is a new method for fabricating a molding stamper, and a molding stamper fabricated by such method, which can overcome the limitations described.
Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
Embodiments will now be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In this description, unless the context indicates otherwise, it is assumed that a “microstructure” is a structure which has at least one of three dimensions thereof in the range from about 0.1 micrometers to about 999 micrometers. Similarly, unless the context indicates otherwise, a “microlens” is assumed to have a similar meaning.
Referring to
In step S1, referring also to
In step S2, referring to
In step S3, referring to
In step S4, referring to
In step S5, referring to
When the hard coating layer 40 is being deposited, a bombardment temperature on a silicon dioxide sputtering target (not shown) is in a range from about 160 degrees Centigrade to about 200 degrees Centigrade. A pressure in a vacuum cavity (not shown) receiving the combined patterned layer 20 and light transmissive substrate 30 therein is in a range from about 0.013332 pascal (Pa) to about 0.13332 Pa. The vacuum cavity is preferably held at room temperature for preventing the molding surfaces 201 from deforming.
Because the molding stamper 50 is fabricated by the transfer imprint of the master mold 10, the method for fabricating the molding stamper 50 is simple, thereby enhancing the production efficiency of the molding stamper 50. In addition, the method for fabricating the molding stamper 50 does not require removal of any seed layer from the molding surfaces 201. Thus surface roughness problems associated with conventional molding stampers are circumvented. Furthermore, the hard coating layer 40 can enhance the hardness of the molding surfaces 20. Accordingly, the molding stamper 50 has a higher wear resistance.
In alternative embodiments, step S3 may instead be performed after step S4 and before step S5. In other alternative embodiments, step S3 may instead be performed after step S5. In still other alternative embodiments, the step S3 may instead be omitted.
While certain embodiments have been described and exemplified above, various other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing disclosure. The disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments described and exemplified, but is capable of considerable variation and modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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200910302647.9 | May 2009 | CN | national |