Hot Embossing

Microfabrication
Hot Embossing is a technique of
imprinting microstructures on a
substrate (polymer) using a master
mold (silicon tool).
 Steps in Hot Embossing
Heating Silicon & Polymer above glass transition
temperature (Tg).
Applying load by pressing the silicon tool on
polymer at certain embossing pressure.
Cooling the silicon tool and polymer assembly
below Tg and de-embossing the tool.

Heat the substrate Apply embossing Cool the

Master/Mold De-embossing
and mold to just force on the substrate
from Femto- of the mold and
above Tg of the substrate via the and mold to just
Second Laser substrate
mold under vacuum below Tg
substrate
 Advantages of Hot
Embossing
System
Cost effective Easy manufacturability.
Time efficient Fast process.
Fabrication of high aspect ratio features.

Bio-Compatible surfaces Polymer substrates

used.
Disposable Low cost for volume production.
Applications of Hot
Embossing
BioMEMS/Bio-Sensors
Micro-Fluidic Devices
Micro-Optics
-TAS (Micro Total Analysis Systems)
 Hot Embossing v/s Other
MEMS Fabrication
Processes LIGA Surface
Characteristics Micro-
machining
Hot
Embossing
Number of layers 1 3-5 1

Minimum feature size 5 microns 5 microns 1 micron

Aspect ratio 20 N/A 10

Cost High Moderate Low

Productivity Moderate Low High

Residual Stress Very Low High Low

 Product Comparison

Process Parameters Existing Systems Our System

Jenoptik EV group
Maximum Substrate Size 6" 8" 8"
Embossing Force < 200kN 40kN 0 - 200kN
Heating Time < 7 minutes 6 minutes ~ 3 minutes
Cooling Time < 7 minutes 5 minutes ~ 2 minutes
Schematic
Representation of
Hot Embossing Setup
Hot Embossing
Conceptual
Solid Models
 Heating Subsystem:
Thermal Analysis
Heating block dimensions and number of
cartridges found by a parametric study.
53 heating cartridges (1 kW, 1/2, 10 long) on
each heating block of 10 (L) x 10.5 (B) x 4 (H).
Parametric study to determine heating block thickness Parametric study to determine number of cartridges
 Heating Subsystem:
Thermal Analysis
(Cont..)
Appropriate zone configuration of heating
cartridges for
optimal heating time,
prevention of hot spots, and
uniform heating on mold and substrate surfaces.
5 heating zones per heating block having
different heating power/heat flux.
 Heating Subsystem:
Thermal Analysis
(Cont..)
Zone Configuration obtained using iterative
transient FEM thermal analysis in ANSYS.
Transient behavior of heating cartridges also
taken into account.
Temperature Uniformity at the Mold
and Substrate Surface
203
202.5

202
201.5
201
200.5

200
199.5
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Width of Heating Block (Inc hes)
 Forcing Subsystem:
Structural Analysis
Forcing System used to provide embossing
force.
Forcing provided by a Dual Column Floor
Mounted Frame material testing system by
Instron Corporation model 5800.
Thermal solution incorporated for FEM
structural analysis.
Material modeling incorporates Youngs modulus
and Poissons ratio variation with temperature.
 Forcing Subsystem:
Structural Analysis
(Cont..)
1/4th model used for finite element analysis
due to symmetry.
Displacement Profile at the Mold Surface

5
0
-5 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Displacement (Microns)

-10
-15
-20
-25
-30
Width (Inches)

Displacement contour plot from

structural analysis
 Cooling Subsystem
15 Ton (52.76 kW) chiller and Temperature
Controller used to cool the system within 2
minutes.
Cooling plates divided into 5 zones (5 inputs, 5

outputs) to obtain
uniform temperature distribution on the mold and
substrate surfaces.
optimize cooling time.
Manifolds and flow-meters used to evenly
distribute the cooling oil into the cooling plates.
Mini-Vacuum Chamber
Mini vacuum chamber used to provide a clean
and moisture free environment during embossing.
Mini vacuum chamber can accommodate an 8
substrate.
Control Subsystem
Compact Fieldpoint system and LabVIEW by
National Instruments used for data acquisition
and control of the main system and individual
sub-system.
 Control Subsystem
(Cont..)
LabVIEW is used to:
Monitor
the chiller set-points,
the temperature across the master and the substrate,
the pressure in the vacuum chamber.
Control
the motion (displacement and velocity) of the embossing
machine,
the flow of the cooling oil through the cooling block,
the current through the heater cartridges
relief valve of the vacuum chamber.