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Depth-profiling of vertical material contrast after VUV exposure for contact-free polishing of 3D polymer micro-optics

We characterize the impact of high-energy, 172 nm vacuum ultraviolet photons on the molecular weight and the glass transition temperature of poly(methyl methacrylate). We found that the molecular weight is reduced strongly on the surface of the exposed samples with a continuous transition towards the unexposed bulk material being located below the modified region. The glass transition temperature was found to be significantly lowered in the exposed region to well below 50°C compared to that of the 122°C of the bulk region. We could use this material contrast to selectively reflow the top surface of the exposed samples only. This allowed us to create ultra-smooth micro-optical structures by postprocessing without influencing the overall geometry that is required for the optical functionality.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:DRESDEN/oai:qucosa:de:qucosa:34986
Date14 August 2019
CreatorsKirchner, R., Hoekstra, R., Chidambaram, N., Schift, H.
PublisherSPIE
Source SetsHochschulschriftenserver (HSSS) der SLUB Dresden
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typeinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion, doc-type:conferenceObject, info:eu-repo/semantics/conferenceObject, doc-type:Text
Rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Relation10.1117/12.2279712

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