Fabrication of Electroless NiP Nanoimprinting Mold by Replication of UV-treated and Self-assembled-monolayer-modified Cyclo-olefin Polymer Nanopatterns

Abstract

An electroless NiP imprinting mold was fabricated through replication of a cyclo-olefin polymer (COP) master mold. The NiP was electrolessly deposited on a nanopatterned COP master mold, pretreated by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation prior to modification with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). The NiP deposit as a "replicate" was then detached from the COP master mold. Additionally, by optimizing the UV irradiation period, APTES could be formed on the COP master mold for electroless deposition without disturbing the nanopattern geometry of the COP master mold. The water contact angle and surface morphology of the COP surface, and the adhesion strength between deposited NiP and the COP surface were investigated.