Open AccessAn interference coating of metamaterial as an ultrathin light absorber in the violet-to-infrared regime
Author(s) -
YiJun Jen,
MengJu Lin,
Hsien-Shun Wu,
Hung-Sheng Liao,
Jihong Dai
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.21.010259
Subject(s) - materials science , optics , refractive index , infrared , metamaterial , absorption (acoustics) , optoelectronics , polarization (electrochemistry) , nanorod , metamaterial absorber , visible spectrum , transmittance , physics , nanotechnology , tunable metamaterials , chemistry
A metamaterial with brief and ultrathin structure performs high efficiency in light absorption. An upright aluminum nanorod array (Al NRA) is obliquely deposited, measured, and analyzed its optical property. The Al NRA performs high efficiency of light absorption and low reflectance simultaneously. Based on the measured refractive index and impedances, the wave propagation through the Al NRA is traced to demonstrate the destructive interference that leads to antireflection. According to the analysis of wave tracing, an Al semicontinuous film with thickness of 15nm is introduced under an Al NRA with thickness of only 245nm as a brief and thin two-layered structure. The broadband and polarization-independent light absorption is measured over the violet-to-infrared regime.