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Analysis of laser/IR‐assisted microembossing
Author(s) -
Lu Chunmeng,
Juang YiJe,
Lee L. James,
Grewell David,
Benatar Avraham
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.20324
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , polymer , laser , penetration depth , polymer substrate , substrate (aquarium) , infrared , embossing , finite element method , epoxy , penetration (warfare) , heat flux , mold , optics , heat transfer , structural engineering , oceanography , engineering , operations research , thermodynamics , geology , physics
To shorten the cycle time in conventional hot embossing, an infrared laser (laser/IR)‐assisted microembossing process was investigated in this study. Since the laser/IR heats the substrate rapidly and locally, the heating and cooling time can be substantially reduced. Two different modes of IR embossing were tested. In one case, the polymer substrate was the IR‐transparent poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and a carbon black‐filled epoxy mold was used. In the second case, the polymer substrate was an IR‐absorbent PMMA, and an IR transparent epoxy mold was used. The experimental results showed that both a shorter cycle time and good replication accuracy could be achieved. A commercially available finite element (FEM) code, DEFORM™, was used for process simulation. The relationship between the penetration of radiation energy flux from the laser/IR heating source and temperature distribution inside the polymer substrate was considered in the simulation. The flow pattern observed in the experiments agreed well with the numerical simulation. However, the displacement curve showed a discrepancy. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 45:661–668, 2005. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers