Fabrication of the polymer diffuser with surface microstructures by using the extrusion roller embossing process

• Published in: 2011 Second International Conference on Mechanic Automation and Control Engineering pp. 4069 - 4072
• Main Authors: Xiaowei Wang, Xiuting Zheng, Daming Wu, Ying Liu, Wenlong Liu
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01.07.2011
• Subjects: diffuser; Embossing; extrusion roller embossing; micro-lens; Microstructure; microstructures; Optical device fabrication; Optical diffraction; Polymers; polypropylene; Surface treatment; Three dimensional displays
• ISBN: 9781424494361; 1424494362
• DOI: 10.1109/MACE.2011.5987896

Abstract-This paper reports a new kind of extrusion roller embossing microstructure process, which enables the fabrication of diffusers with surface microstructures. Established extrusion roller embossing system consists of polymer plate extrusion institution and roller embossing agency. The metal roller microstructure roller for embossing is fabricated by coating the slab mould. During the roller embossing process, the surface temperature of polypropylene (PP) sheet is still close to its melting point, which is suitable for extrusion roller embossing microstructure process. Under the proper processing parameters, the polymer diffusers have been successfully fabricated with uniform distribution micro-lens arrays. The diffuser with surface microstructures can scatter the light uniformly and diffuse the light effectively. The haze of this diffuser increases with its transmittance declining.