Apparatus for embossing a flexible substrate with a pattern carried by an optically transparent compliant media

An embossing apparatus, comprising:

• a flexible substrate including a coated side and a base side;
• a coating unit for depositing a photopolymer material having a first thickness on the coated side;
• an embossing drum comprising an optically transparent cylinder and an optically transparent complaint media connected with the cylinder, the compliant media including an optically transparent imprint stamp having an imprint pattern therein;
• a drive unit for imparting a drive motion to the embossing drum and the flexible substrate;
• a plurality of transport rollers connected with the base side and operative to conformally wrap the coated side over a portion of the embossing drum so that the embossing drum imparts a tension in the flexible substrate and the tension generates a pressure between the flexible substrate and the embossing drum,
• the drive motion is operative to transport the coated side over the embossing drum and to urge the imprint stamp and the coated side into contact with each other so that the imprint pattern is embossed in the photopolymer material and forms a replicate pattern in the photopolymer material;
• and
• an ultraviolet light source for irradiating the replicate pattern with an ultraviolet light through the cylinder and the imprint stamp, the irradiating occurring contemporaneously with the embossing of the replicate pattern.