Lamination transfer films for forming antireflective structures

Abstract

Transfer films, articles made therewith, and methods of making and using transfer films that include antireflective structures are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A transfer film comprising:
 a carrier film;   a sacrificial template layer disposed on the carrier film and comprising antireflective nanostructure template features;   a thermally stable backfill layer having a first surface conforming to the antireflective nanostructure template features and an opposing planar second surface.   
     
     
         2 . The transfer film according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermally stable molecular species comprises an organosilicon polymer. 
     
     
         3 . The transfer film according to  claim 1 , wherein the antireflective nanostructure template features are capable of being baked out while leaving an antireflective nanostructure thermally stable backfill layer. 
     
     
         4 . The transfer film according to  claim 1 , wherein the antireflective nanostructure template features comprises anisotropic nanoscale features. 
     
     
         5 . The transfer film according to  claim 1 , wherein the antireflective nanostructure template features comprises nanowhisker structures. 
     
     
         6 . The transfer film according to  claim 5 , wherein the nanowhisker structures comprises perylene nanowhiskers. 
     
     
         7 . The transfer film according to  claim 1 , wherein the carrier film comprises a release layer separating the carrier film from the sacrificial template layer. 
     
     
         8 . The transfer film according to  claim 1 , wherein the antireflective nanostructure template features are disposed on microstructure template features of the sacrificial template layer 
     
     
         9 . A method of forming a transfer film, comprising:
 reactive ion etching a layer of sacrificial material to form antireflective nanostructure template features;   coating a thermally stable backfill material on the antireflective nanostructure template features to form a thermally stable backfill layer having a first surface conforming to the antireflective nanostructure template features and an opposing planar second surface, forming a lamination transfer film.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising disposing the layer of sacrificial material on a release surface of a carrier film before the reactive ion etching step. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the reactive ion etching step comprises applying a discontinuous random masking layer on a first surface of the layer of sacrificial material and reactive ion etching portion of the layer of sacrificial material not protected by the masking layer to form the antireflective nanostructure template features. 
     
     
         12 . A method of forming a transfer film, comprising:
 depositing sacrificial material template layer comprising antireflective nanowhisker template features on a release surface of a carrier film;   coating a thermally stable backfill material on the antireflective nanowhisker template features to from a thermally stable backfill layer having a first surface conforming to the antireflective nanowhisker template features and an opposing planar second surface, forming a lamination transfer film.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the antireflective nanowhisker template features are formed of perylene. 
     
     
         14 . A method, comprising:
 laminating the planar second surface of the transfer film according to  claim 1  to a receptor substrate;   baking out the sacrificial template layer to form a thermally stable backfill layer having antireflective nanostructure features.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising removing the carrier film from the sacrificial template layer before the baking out step. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the antireflective nanostructure features are disposed on microstructure features of the thermally stable backfill layer. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the receptor substrate is glass. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the receptor substrate is sapphire. 
     
     
         19 . An optical article comprising:
 a layer of sapphire material;   a thermally stable backfill layer having antireflective nanostructure features fixed to the layer of sapphire material.   
     
     
         20 . An optical article according to  claim 19 , wherein the thermally stable backfill layer comprises an organosilicon polymer. 
     
     
         21 . An optical article according to  claim 20 , wherein the thermally stable backfill layer comprises zirconia, titania, alumina, boron carbide, or silicon carbide. 
     
     
         22 . An optical article according to  claim 19 , wherein the antireflective nanostructure template features comprises anisotropic nanoscale features. 
     
     
         23 . An optical article according to  claim 19 , wherein the antireflective nanostructure features are disposed on microstructure features of the thermally stable backfill layer. 
     
     
         24 . An transfer film according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermally stable backfill layer comprises zirconia, titania, alumina, boron carbide, or silicon carbide.