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Published on: June 3, 2019
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Plasmonic colors in titanium nitride for robust and covert security features.
Optics Express
|July 16, 2021
Summary
This study presents a durable metasurface using titanium nitride (TiN) for plasmonic colors. The robust TiN structures offer a scalable and cost-effective solution for advanced nanoscale security features.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Optics
Background:
- Metasurfaces offer tunable optical properties through nanostructure design.
- Plasmonic materials like gold are widely used but can lack mechanical robustness.
- Need for durable and scalable solutions for nanoscale optical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and fabricate a mechanically robust metasurface for plasmonic colors.
- To investigate the optical properties and durability of titanium nitride (TiN) based metasurfaces.
- To assess the suitability of these metasurfaces for nanoscale security features.
Main Methods:
- Thin TiN films (41 nm) deposited via plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (ALD).
- Patterning of sub-wavelength apertures (75-150 nm radii) with hexagonal periodicity.
- Characterization of optical transmission and mechanical stress testing (14.5 kPa load).
Main Results:
- Metasurface exhibits plasmonic colors across visible and near-IR spectrum (550-1040 nm).
- TiN structures demonstrated high mechanical robustness against rubbing, unlike gold counterparts.
- Extraordinary optical transmission observed, accessible by Si CCD detectors.
Conclusions:
- Mechanically robust TiN metasurfaces provide stable plasmonic color generation.
- ALD enables scalable, cost-effective fabrication suitable for industrial applications.
- These durable metasurfaces are ideal for security features on frequently handled objects.
