Fast fabrication of integrated surface-relief and particle-diffusing plastic diffuser by use of a hybrid extrusion roller embossing process

Most plastic diffusers are either of surface-relief or particle-diffusing types, based on different principles and fabrication methods. This paper reports an innovative extrusion roller embossing process, which enables the fabrication of diffusers with both surface-relief and particle-diffusing functions. An extruder with die is employed to fabricate the thin film of PC/bead composite; the roller micro-embossing process is used to replicate the microstructure onto the surface of PC composite film. A metallic roller mold with microstructures is fabricated using turning process. During the extrusion rolling embossing process, the extruded film of PC with diffusion beads is immediately pressed against the surface of the roller mold. Under the proper processing parameters, the plastic diffusers integrating surface-relief and particle-diffusing functions have been successfully fabricated. The shape, uniformity, and optical properties of fabricated diffuser have been verified. This method shows the great potential for continuous fabrication of high-performance plastic diffusers integrating surface-relief and particle-diffusing functions with high throughput. (c) 2008 Optical Society of America.