Mold and process for production of mold

A method for manufacturing a mold which has an inverted moth-eye structure over its surface, the inverted moth-eye structure having a plurality of recessed portions whose two-dimensional size viewed in a direction normal to its surface is not less than 10 nm and less than 500 nm, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a mold base, the mold base including a base, an inorganic underlayer provided on the base, a buffer layer provided on the inorganic underlayer, and an aluminum layer provided on the buffer layer;
• (b) partially anodizing the aluminum layer to form a porous alumina layer, the porous alumina layer having a porous layer which defines a plurality of minute recessed portions and a barrier layer which is provided at a bottom of each of the plurality of minute recessed portions;
• and
• (c) after step (b), bringing the porous alumina layer into contact with an etching solution to perform etching, thereby enlarging the plurality of minute recessed portions of the porous alumina layer,
• wherein in step (c) the etching is performed such that an average depth of the plurality of minute recessed portions increases but does not exceed a 1/7 of an average thickness of the barrier layer before the etching.