EV Group Introduces Roll-To-Roll Nanoimprint Lithography System For Biomedical, Optical And Flexible Electronics Applications

(Nanowerk News) EV Group (EVG), a leading supplier of  wafer bonding and lithography equipment for the MEMS, nanotechnology and  semiconductor markets, today introduced the EVG®570R2R—the industry’s first  roll-to-roll thermal nanoimprint lithography (NIL) tool.     Jointly developed with  the Industrial Consortium on Nanoimprint (ICON), helmed by A*A*STAR‘s Institute of  Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), the EVG570R2R utilizes hot embossing  to mass-produce films and surfaces with micro- and nanometer-scale structures  for a variety of medical, consumer and industrial applications, including  micro-fluidics, plastic electronics and photovoltaics.  The first system has  been installed in IMRE’s Singapore facility, where it will be used by IMRE to  conduct industrial research on the potential uses for large-scale nanoimprint  patterning, as well as by EV Group for product demonstrations with prospective  customers.

EV  Group unveils the industry’s first roll-to-roll thermal nanoimprint lithography  tool, the EVG®570R2R, which mass-produces films and surfaces with micro- and  nanometer-scale structures for a variety of medical, consumer and industrial  applications, including micro-fluidics, plastic electronics and photovoltaics.

Roll-to-roll nanoimprint technology is an attractive approach to  manufacturing micro- and nano-scale patterns due to its low cost, continuous  high throughput and large-area patterning capabilities.  Hot embossing, which is  one method of implementing roll-to-roll patterning, is particularly well suited  for devices used in biological and medical applications due to its low cost,  high throughput, material flexibility and monolithic approach.  By partnering  with IMRE, EVG has been able to leverage IMRE’s core competencies in materials  science with its own expertise in temperature embossing and pressure uniformity  to develop the EVG570R2R, whose innovative imprint module design provides  excellent temperature and pressure uniformity for micro- and nanoscale  patterning on a broad range of materials.

“While roll-to-roll nanoimprint lithography holds much promise  in enabling a variety of new applications, previous efforts to develop the  technology lacked a holistic approach,” stated Professor Andy Hor Tzi Sum,  executive director of IMRE.  “As part of this new ICON project, IMRE is bringing  together technology innovators from across the ecosystem to help drive this  technology toward commercialization.  Companies like EV Group have been  instrumental in building the foundational tools and solutions needed to make  roll-to-roll nanoimprint a viable manufacturing process.”

The EVG570R2R is the latest addition to EV Group’s extensive  suite of nanoimprint products, which also include the EVG®770 automated NIL  stepper, the EVG®750 automated hot embossing system, the IQ  Aligner® automated  UV-NIL and u-CP systems, the EVG®510HE and EVG®520HE semi-automated hot  embossing systems, and the EVG®620 and EVG®6200 automated UV-NIL systems.

Paul Lindner, EV Group’s executive technology director,  commented, “With the EVG570R2R, EV Group now offers the largest imprint product  portfolio to support a wide variety of applications, including medical,  point-of-care diagnostics, flexible electronics, displays, solar, architectural  glass and other structured films, biotechnology, security and optics.  We are  very proud of this particular development and working with IMRE and the ICON  organization.  EVG is once again laser focused on turning its R&D efforts  into world-class production-ready solutions, and we look forward to seeing the  results.”

About EV Group

EV Group (EVG) is a leading supplier of equipment and process  solutions for the manufacture of semiconductors, microelectromechanical systems  (MEMS), compound semiconductors, power devices and nanotechnology devices.  Key  products include wafer bonding, thin-wafer processing, lithography/nanoimprint  lithography (NIL) and metrology equipment, as well as photoresist coaters,  cleaners and inspection systems.  Founded in 1980, EV Group services and  supports an elaborate network of global customers and partners all over the  world.  More information about EVG is available at http://www.EVGroup.com.

Source: EV Group (press release)

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