Solvent-Free Epoxy Resin for Optical Waveguide Cladding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical waveguide cladding materials for flexible printed boards face challenges in achieving higher curing sensitivity, flexibility, and lower refractive index, while also requiring reduced process steps and costs, particularly in roll-to-roll production and wet processes, where solvent drying steps increase costs and optical waveguide losses.
Innovation Solution
An optical waveguide forming epoxy resin composition comprising a liquid epoxy resin and a photoacid generator, without a diluent component, is developed, with the liquid epoxy resin being a major component in a specific proportion, ensuring higher glass transition temperature and flexibility, and allowing for the omission of the solvent drying step, thereby reducing production costs and process complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a higher boiling point solvent is used to increase surface smoothness, then surface smoothness is improved, but resin infiltration occurs and optical waveguide loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the solvent component from the coating material formulation. By using a solvent-free epoxy resin composition, the patent eliminates the solvent drying step entirely, preventing resin infiltration into the under-cladding layer while maintaining surface smoothness through the photolithography process alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state parameter of the coating material from solvent-containing liquid to solvent-free viscous liquid. This parameter change allows the material to maintain adequate fluidity for coating while eliminating the harmful solvent drying effect that causes resin infiltration and optical loss.
2Shape
If a solvent drying step is included in the production process, then surface smoothness is improved, but production costs and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the solvent drying step from the production process. By formulating a solvent-free epoxy resin composition, the patent eliminates the need for separate solvent drying equipment and process steps, simplifying the overall production workflow while maintaining coating quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables continuous production by eliminating the intermittent solvent drying step. The solvent-free composition allows the coating process to flow directly into photolithography and curing operations without interruption, improving production efficiency and reducing process complexity.
3Ease of operation
If long-chain bi-functional aliphatic epoxy resin is increased to improve flexibility, then flexibility is improved, but glass transition temperature decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical structure parameters of the epoxy resin by incorporating cyclic aliphatic structures and specific molecular architectures. This structural modification allows the material to maintain low glass transition temperature and high flexibility simultaneously, resolving the trade-off between these two properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite resin system combining multiple epoxy resin components with different molecular structures. By blending cyclic aliphatic epoxy resin with other compatible resins in specific ratios, the formulation achieves both flexibility and appropriate glass transition temperature characteristics.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition achieves higher glass transition temperature and flexibility, reduces optical waveguide losses, and simplifies the production process by eliminating the solvent drying step, resulting in cost-effective and efficient production of optical waveguides with improved performance.
Implementation Method 1
an optical waveguide forming epoxy resin composition which is free from a diluent component irrelevant to a curing reaction and comprises: (A) a liquid epoxy resin; and (B) a photoacid generator
Data Source
AI summary
An optical waveguide forming epoxy resin composition is free from a diluent component irrelevant to a curing reaction, and comprises:(A) a liquid epoxy resin; and(B) a photoacid generator;wherein the liquid epoxy resin (A) comprises a liquid epoxy resin represented by the following general formula (1) in a proportion of 40 to 75 wt % based on the overall amount of a resin component:wherein R1 and R2 are each a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R3 to R6 are each a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, a chlorine atom or a bromine atom; X is a C2 to C15 alkylene group, an ethyleneoxy group, a di(ethyleneoxy) group, a tri(ethyleneoxy) group, a propyleneoxy group, a propyleneoxypropyl group, a di(propyleneoxy)propyl group or a tri(propyleneoxy)propyl group; and n is a natural number and has an average value of 1.2 to 5.