Bioinspired antireflective flexible films with optimized mechanical resistance fabricated by roll to roll thermal nanoimprint

This work describes the fabrication process of moth eye antireflective poly (methyl methacrylate) transparent films via roll to roll thermal nanoimprint lithography. The process parameters are investigated and adjusted in order to obtain from a single moth-eye structured mold, a range of antireflective topographies that gradually vary their geometry from protruding to intruding nanocones. A correlation between the process parameters with the optical and mechanical properties of the films is established to illustrate the influence of the processing parameters and serve as guideline to produce antireflective flexible films with balanced properties and optimized performance adequate to the application environment. A finite element model is described predicting the mechanical behavior of the moth-eye PMMA imprinted nanostructures.