Fabrication of Aluminum Nano-Scale Structures using Direct-Embossing with a Nickel Template

Al plate was patterned by a direct embossing process. An electroformed Ni plate with a nano-sized surface protrusion pattern was used as an embossing mold. The Ni stamp with a nano-sized surface protrusion pattern was pressed onto an electro-polished Al plate; thus, a reversed Al nano-pattern was formed on the Al surface by the localized plastic deformation of Al. The Al plate was softened by annealing at 400 degrees C for 5 min; thus, high-fidelity pattern transfer was achieved at a low embossing pressure.