Technology Summary

The inventors modified commercial processes to controllably and economically manufacture two-dimensional and three-dimensional, reproducible patterned surfaces of microstructures to create structural colors at a lower production costs than nanoscale materials. The inventors utilized chemical etching, photolithography, and 3D printing using conventional industrial printing equipment or die molds to create the soft or hard interface master containing the desired plurality of TIR microstructure templates. The interface master can be utilized in a continuous process such as a cast and cure process, and embossing processes for high volume production of the TIR microstructures. Additional post-processing steps may follow, including those involving a second materials – whether solid, liquid or gaseous – to accentuate the TIR, smooth regions of the microstructures and eliminate defects.