Roll-to-roll-imprinting

A roll-to-roll nanostructure manufacturing method comprising steps of:

• unwinding a substrate web;
• optionally pre-treating the substrate web;
• preparing a resist by mixing at least two component substances, or obtaining and optionally stirring a single-component resist;
• coating the substrate web with the resist to form a resist film;
• patterning the resist film in a continuous process by applying a pressure on the resist film by pressing the resist film between the substrate web and a mold placed at or formed on the outer surface of a rolling replication tool, thereby the mold defining a plurality of nanostructures in the resist;
• curing the patterned resist film comprising the mold-patterned nanostructures, wherein the curing at least partially occurs prior to detaching the patterned resist from the mold;
• and
• rewinding the substrate web with the cured nanostructures,
• enclosing apparatus for performing the steps in a reduced-pressure chamber,
• reducing air pressure in the reduced-pressure chamber, so that air pressure within the reduced-pressure chamber is between 0 atm and 0.5 atm, and
• performing the steps of the roll-to-roll nanostructure manufacturing method by said apparatus enclosed in the reduced-pressure chamber after said reducing of the air pressure.