Etching of nanostructures on soda-lime glass

Nanostructures were created on the surface of optical glass using nanosphere lithography. The substrates were etched with vapor-phase hydrofluoric (HF) acid. The etching rate was studied and compared with existing results of wet and dry HF etching. An empirical etching rate formula is found for etching depth up to 300 nm. The subsequent artificial material layer demonstrated enhanced transmittance in optical wavelengths.