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Boosting luminous efficacy of LuAG:Ce ceramics by >50% using concave microstructures fabricated via NIL-ICP for laser
Abstract:
LuAG:Ce ceramics suffer from total internal reflection (n ≈ 1.8), limiting light extraction. We fabricate periodic microstructures via nanoimprint lithography (NIL) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching. A polymer micropillar array (period 3 μm, height 2.5 μm) is transferred into the ceramic (BCl3/CHF3, 5500 s), forming conical and concave structures. Under 450 nm laser excitation, the concave structure achieves >50% higher luminous efficacy, a broader beam angle (146.6° versus 129.1°), and a lower operating temperature (85.8°C versus 72.8°C versus 65.9°C) than a planar reference. Emission spectra, color temperature, and chromaticity coordinates remain unchanged, confirming that the enhancement originates from improved outcoupling. This NIL-ICP strategy offers a scalable route to boost efficiency and thermal reliability for next-generation laser lighting and displays.
