Fabrication methods for infrared resonant devices

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Mid-infrared (8-13 μm) photonic metastructures are crucial for advanced optical applications.
• Fabrication techniques for these metastructures, bridging nano- and micro-fabrication, are not well-documented.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present detailed, repeatable fabrication blueprints for mid-infrared photonic metastructures.
• To demonstrate a robust wideband reflector with high reflectance in the mid-infrared spectrum.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a Germanium (Ge) device layer on a Zinc Sulfide (ZnS) substrate.
• Employed a conformal regrowth technique to enhance device performance.
• Fabrication methods are designed for accessibility in standard laboratory settings.

Main Results:

• Achieved a materially robust transverse-magnetic-polarized wideband reflector.
• Demonstrated a ~3 μm wide 90% reflectance band from 8.1 μm to 11.1 μm.
• Obtained a 98% reflectance band spanning 8.7 μm to 10.4 μm.

Conclusions:

• The presented fabrication blueprints offer a reliable method for creating mid-infrared photonic metastructures.
• The developed techniques are generalizable and applicable in most standard fabrication laboratories.
• These advancements facilitate the development of high-performance optical devices in the mid-infrared range.