DRESDEN, Germany, Oct. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –PLASTIC ELECTRONICS —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*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.
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 the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE)
The Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) is a research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). The Institute has capabilities in materials analysis & characterisation, design & growth, patterning & fabrication, and synthesis & integration. We house a range of state-of-the-art equipment for materials research including development, processing and characterisation. IMRE conducts a wide range of research, which includes novel materials for organic solar cells, photovoltaics, printed electronics, catalysis, bio-mimetics, microfluidics, quantum dots, heterostructures, sustainable materials, atom technology, etc. We collaborate actively with other research institutes, universities, public bodies, and a wide spectrum of industrial companies, both globally and locally. For more information about IMRE, please visit www.imre.a-star.edu.sg.
About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is the lead agency for fostering world-class scientific research and talent for a vibrant knowledge-based and innovation-driven Singapore. A*STAR oversees 14 biomedical sciences and physical sciences and engineering research institutes, and six consortia & centres, located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis as well as their immediate vicinity.
A*STAR supports Singapore’s key economic clusters by providing intellectual, human and industrial capital to its partners in industry. It also supports extramural research in the universities, and with other local and international partners. For more information about A*STAR, please visit www.a-star.edu.sg.
About EV Group (EVG)
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 atwww.EVGroup.com.
