Special CPM Seminar

Nanostructured Stealth Surfaces for Visible and Near-Infrared Light

Zhaolu Diao

Max Planck Institute for Medical Research

Moth-eye inspired subwavelength nanostructures are frequently used to reduce reflection and improve transmission or absorption of various optical interfaces. In particular, there is a high demand for optical materials that offer perfect transmission and antireflection properties or, equivalently, minimum absorption in the visible to near-infrared wavelength range. We have created fused silica sufaces with nanopillars on both sides that achieve nearly perfect transmittance and ultrabroad near-zero reflectance by combining block copolymer micelle lithography, electroless deposition, and refined reactive ion etching methods. After further theoretical and experimental work, this method has the potential to be applied to other materials, such as optical glasses with a high refractive index, CaF₂, or even sapphire. This method is useful for numerous applications in optical systems, especially in the near-infrared range.