Fabrication metal roller mold with sub-micrometer feature size based on contact printing photolithography

This paper presents an innovative approach for directly forming surface micro-structures at sub-micrometer scale on the cylindrical surface of a metal roller. This roller can then serve as a roller mold in roller imprinting processes for large-area micro/nano-fabrication. The key element in this roller mold fabrication mold processes is a new type of contact-printing method with can transfer a patterned metal film from a planar mold to a thin photo-resist layer coated on the roller's cylindrical surface. The pattern definition capability can easily reach sub-micrometer or nanometer over a large patterning area. Subsequent ultraviolet light exposure patterned surface micro-structures with sub-micrometer-scaled feature sizes can be directly formed on the roller's surface by either metal etching or metal deposition.