Replica Molding: Complex Optics at Lower Costs

George M. Whitesides and Younan Xia, Harvard University

Researchers at Harvard’s Chemistry Department are exploring new ways of fabricating complex, optically functional surfaces, components and devices using elastomers as starting materials. Organic polymers in elastomeric molds show promise because they can create complex surfaces that would be otherwise difficult to generate. Polymer shrinkage and mold distortion could be a problem, but generally, this technology shows great promise for the future…