The evolution and generation of nanosurfaces and their microcontact mechanism in glass‐embossing process

Abstract

Glass‐embossing technology has attracted great attention due to its promise of low‐cost and environmentally conscious fabrication of well‐defined and controllable surfaces and nanostructured devices. The embossed surface quality of glass structures is a very important index for optics. However, the evolutions of nanosurfaces and their microcontact mechanism during glass‐embossing process have not been deeply and comprehensively investigated. Here, we studied the surface morphology evolution of optical glass under different processing conditions using a tungsten carbide surface plate with nanoscale roughness as the mold. The light transmittances of different embossed glasses were detected by an ultraviolet spectrophotometer. The flow deformation and microcontact mechanism of glass‐supercooled liquids were revealed during glass‐embossing process. The result showed that the rough optical glass can successfully replicate the nanoscale smoothness of the tungsten carbide template without grinding or polishing. On the basis of the previous study, the glass‐surfaced structures from nanoscale to macroscale are fabricated. This work provides better understanding for the evolution of nanosurfaces and the fabrication of nanostructured optics during glass‐embossing process.

Study of Interfacial Adhesion and Re–Ir Alloy Coating in Chalcogenide Glass Molding

“…A ring area is formed on the mold surface, which is similar to the experimental results of other researchers. 31,32 The material composition of the ring area is identified by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS, Hitachi S4800, Japan), as shown in Figure 3b, and it contains the germanium, selenium, and arsenic elements, which confirms that the residual materials have the composition of ChG glass. This indicates that ChG glass materials physically adhere to the mold surface.…”

Facile and flexible fabrication of structured array surfaces on binderless tungsten carbide by using electrical discharge machining with a novel self‐assembly ball electrode

“…[1][2][3] Building unique microstructures, such as micro-lens array, micro-grooves, and micro-pillars, on the binderless WC substrates has a great application in glass molding and photonic fields. [4][5][6][7] However, the cost-effective micromachining of binderless WC is still challenging because of its difficult-to-cut property. Currently, the major machining method for binderless WC parts mainly depends on precision grinding, but the subsurface of the grinded workpiece easily suffers defects and damage.…”

“…Binderless WC is considered a well‐established ultra‐hard ceramic material, which is widely used in the tools and molds field due to excellent high‐temperature mechanical properties 1–3 . Building unique microstructures, such as micro‐lens array, micro‐grooves, and micro‐pillars, on the binderless WC substrates has a great application in glass molding and photonic fields 4–7 . However, the cost‐effective micromachining of binderless WC is still challenging because of its difficult‐to‐cut property.…”