Method and apparatus for producing a structure, molding tool

#The present invention relates to a concept for producing a structure of a curable material, for example an optical lens made from a UV polymer.

#UV replication technology may be used for producing and/or replicating optical and mechanical structures.

#In this technology, a UV-curing plastic or polymer, for example Ormocere, UV adhesives by Delo, Norland, Epoxy Technology, Panacol-Elosol, is molded into the desired shape by using a molding tool, and is cured by means of UV radiation, for example. Molding is effected in a mask aligner enabling exact positioning of the molding tool with regard to marks on the substrate on which the molding is to be effected. To perform the curing, the entire surface area of the polymer present on the substrate is irradiated simultaneously with UV radiation through the tool or the substrate and thus is cured.

#Embodiments of the present invention will be detailed subsequently referring to the appended drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 shows a flow chart of a method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

#Before the present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures, it shall be noted that identical elements have been provided with identical or similar references and that repeated descriptions of said elements have been omitted.

#The methods described below by means of FIGS. 1 and 2 may be performed, for example, by using apparatus as will be described by means of FIGS. 3 to 18 following the description of the methods. In particular, the reference numerals used in the descriptions of the methods relate to the apparatus described subsequently.

#FIG. 1 shows a flow chart of a method 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The method 100 of producing a structure from curable material by molding includes a first step 110 of arranging a molding tool 310 on a surface 330, for example a glass substrate, so that in a region 340 between the molding tool 310 and the surface 330, the curable material 320, for example a UV polymer, adjoins the surface 330 and a molding face 312 of the molding tool 310 which faces the surface 330 and so that additional curable material 321 may continue to flow into the region 340. In addition, the method 100 includes a second step 120 of irradiating the curable material 320 in a locally varying manner in the region 340, so that the curable material 320 cures at different speeds in a laterally varying manner, and so that shrinkages occurring during curing of the curable material 320 may be readily compensated for by the additional curable material 321. In addition, the method 100 includes a third step 130 of applying an external, or outer, pressure to the additional curable material, it being possible to perform said third step 230 simultaneously with the second step 220.