Millimeter-wave broadband antireflection coatings using laser ablation of subwavelength structures

We report on the first use of laser ablation to make submillimeter, broadband, antireflection coatings (ARCs) based on subwavelength structures (SWSs) on alumina and sapphire. We used a 515 nm laser to produce pyramid-shaped structures with a pitch of about 320 μm and a total height of near 800 μm. Transmission measurements between 70 and 140 GHz are in agreement with simulations using electromagnetic propagation software. The simulations indicate that SWS-ARCs with the fabricated shape should have a fractional bandwidth response of Δν/ν_center=0.55 centered on 235 GHz for which reflections are below 3%. Extension of the bandwidth to both lower and higher frequencies, between a few tens of gigahertz and a few terahertz, should be straightforward with appropriate adjustment of laser ablation parameters.