Directed energy assisted in vacuo micro embossing
First Claim
1. Optical media and optical element web structures comprising a micro embossing refractive or diffractive relief surface on a single substrate surface coated with optical functioning metal, semiconductor, dielectric, dye, polymer and other materials plus a mechanical protective layer, wherein said micro embossing and surface coating(s) are performed entirely in vacuum.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various configurations of a directed energy assisted micro embossing machine/station in a vacuum chamber utilized in a continuous manufacturing process and the web structure products made by that process (optical disks, cards, tapes, holographic reflectors, diffusers, binary optical elements, etc.) are disclosed. The configurations can include a single machine roll to roll system for embossing optical features on the surface of a single substrate and applying appropriate metallic, dielectric, semiconductor, polymer and other coatings all in a vacuum chamber.
25 Citations
22 Claims
- 1. Optical media and optical element web structures comprising a micro embossing refractive or diffractive relief surface on a single substrate surface coated with optical functioning metal, semiconductor, dielectric, dye, polymer and other materials plus a mechanical protective layer, wherein said micro embossing and surface coating(s) are performed entirely in vacuum.
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3. A continuous process for manufacturing optical storage media and/or optical elements from a continuous film substrate comprising the steps of:
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evacuating the local environment, within said local environment, embossing of the substrate, and within said local environment, coating the embossed substrate. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. Apparatus for manufacturing optical storage media and optical elements from a continuous substrate comprising:
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a vacuum chamber, and within said vacuum chamber, means for embossing the substrate, and means for coating the embossed substrate. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A continuous process for manufacturing optical storage media and/or optical elements from a continuous substrate comprising the steps of:
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intimately contacting the substrate along a first portion of an embossing tool, continuing the contacting of the substrate and the tool in a cross web linear fashion until the entire tool has impressed the substrate, and conditioning that part of the substrate immediately prior to or at the contact point. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification