Investigation of the separation of 3D-structures with undercuts

The separation of masters with 3D undercut structures from thin spin-coated layers of PDMS (Sylgard 184) on Si was investigated. In order to identify typical failure types and to figure out potential limitations imposed by the material, masters with different undercut widths were prepared. Imprint was chosen as the replication technique, where only thin base layers remain on the substrate below the 3D undercut structures. Two typical failure types were observed during separation, neck failure and base layer failure. It was found that surface quality of the master is a major impact factor. Small defects in the surface of the PDMS induced by the master result in large area tear-off of the undercut replica during separation. Defect-free masters could be successfully imprinted and separated with base layer thicknesses down to about 1 μm for undercut widths of up to 8 μm.