End milling methods for manufacturing microstructures, tools including microstructures, and microstructures

摘要

The present disclosure relates to end milling methods for making microstructures, and to articles comprising microstructures. The end milling process rotates the end mill 1410r such that the end mill 1410r moves along an inclined path 1411 with respect to the work surface 1407 or along the reference plane from which the work surface 1407 extends. Rotating about 1409 and translating the rotary end mill 1410r within the working surface 1407 to form a first recess 1420. The method forms flat faces 1441a and 1441b that meet along the rounded edge 1451, and the edge 1451 is inclined with respect to the reference plane. Both truncated cube corner elements (see, eg, FIGS. 47 and 48) and full cube corner elements (see, eg, FIG. 56A), transfer substrates 4705, 4805, and 5605 to rotating end mills 1410r. It can be fabricated within substrates 4705, 4805, 5605 by cutting to form at least a portion of the optical face of cube corner elements 4780, 4880, 5680.