SFS Meeting Keynotes

Nanostructures from CMOS processing to plastic consumer products

The principles behind nanoimprint lithography (NIL) have been known for centuries, and while it was re-discovered as a high-tech lithography technique in Japan in the 1970s, it is not until in the middle of the 1990s that the potential of a contact lithography technique for sub-100 nm structures was considered a serious contender for CMOS and other high tech applications. The early target applications of hard discs, CMOS and LEDs drove the technology development, and influenced NIL to enter the important International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) it is now twenty years later evident that NIL is not going to revolutionise the CMOS manufacturing, although there are still serious work going on with solid state memory applications, NIL is excellent in other application areas. Today NIL is widely used within biotech, medico, displays, and NILT is pioneering work where NIL is taken out of the flat world and are addressing free form surfaces. In the presentation NIL will be put into a short historic content and the latest work on combining nanoimprint and injection moulding to make novel free form bulk plastic products benefit from nano-structure functionalised surfaces.

Biography

Theodor Nielsen, CEO, Founder, NIL Technology ApS. Mr. Nielsen holds an engineering masters degree from The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) where he has specialized in nanotechnology. Mr. Nielsen has worked with nanoimprint lithography since 2003 where he as part of his studies took part in pioneering the nanoimprint activities in Denmark. Mr. Nielsen is one of the founders of NIL Technology where he has held the position as CEO since 2006. NIL Technology is started from an idea developed during his studies at DTU, and before start-up of the company, the idea was awarded at the Danish national business plan contest, Venture Cup. Since start-up of NIL Technology, Mr. Nielsen has been responsible for attracting investments to NIL Technology and leading the growth of the company to include more than 250 customers worldwide. Mr. Nielsen has also been a driving force in NIL Technology’s engagement in National and EC funded research projects. NIL Technology has 12 full time employees.

Current challenges in manufacturing and application of freeform optics

Freeform optics have the potential to revolutionize the next generation of optical systems. The technical progress in the different  manufacturing technologies in metal and glass optics  will be allowed  to create optical shapes that were never before thought possible. The presentation shows important  application in different markets and the necessary technological challenges.

Well adapted technological platforms from the design to the serial production  will enable a bright and focused future for freeform optics.

Biography

Dr. rer. nat. Ramona received the diploma and Ph.D. degrees in chemistry from the Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena in 1982 and 1987, respectively.  In 1987 she worked as postdoctoral research fellow at the material science and joining technology institute. In 1992 she joined Fraunhofer IOF in Jena, Germany firstly as head of the group assembly of precise optical systems.  Since 2002 she works as the Head of the Department  Precision Engineering IOF in Jena. Her main research interests include scientific and technical aspects of prototyping of innovative opto-mechanical  systems. Ramona Eberhardt  is author of more than 100 papers partly in peer-reviewed journals and an expert in systemintegration for the optics and photonics industry.