Low adhesive force of fluorinated sol-gel hybrid materials for easy de-moulding in a UV-based nano-imprint process

Abstract

A fluorinated methacryl hybrid material, with low surface tension, was used as an imprinting material for easy de-moulding in a UV-based nano-imprint process. Specifically, a method to measure the adhesive force between the poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) mould and the imprinting material, using the force-distance curve of PDMS, was suggested to represent the de-mouldability of the PDMS mould in a UV-based nano-imprint process. The fluorinated methacryl hybrid material exhibited a low adhesive force to PDMS, as well as low surface tension, and could be nano-imprinted without using an anti-sticking treatment on the PDMS mould.