Moth's eye inspired multiscale ommatidial arrays offer multifunctional properties of great significance in optoelectronic devices. However, a major challenge remains in fabricating these arrays on large-area substrates using a simple and scalable technique. Here we present the fabrication of these multiscale ommatidial arrays over large areas by a distinct approach called sacrificial layer mediated nanoimprinting, which involves nanoimprinting aided by a sacrificial layer. The fabricated arrays exhibited excellent pattern uniformity over the entire patterned area. Optimum dimensions of the multiscale ommatidial arrays determined by the finite-difference time domain simulations served as the design parameters for replicating the arrays on glass. A broadband suppression of reflectance to a minimum of ∼1.4% and omnidirectional antireflection for highly oblique angles of incidence up to 70° were achieved. In addition, superhydrophobicity and superior antifogging characteristics enabled the retention of optical properties even in wet and humid conditions, suggesting reliable optical performance in practical outdoor conditions. We anticipate that these properties could potentially enhance the performance of optoelectronic devices and minimize the influence of in-service conditions. Additionally, as our technique is solely nanoimprinting-based, it may enable scalable and high-throughput fabrication of multiscale ommatidial arrays.
Fluorescence excitation enhancement by plasmonic nanostructures such as gold nanohole arrays has been a hot topic in biosensing and bioimaging in recent years. However, the high throughput and high yield fabrication of precisely designed metal nanostructures for optimized fluorescence excitation remains a challenge. Our work is the first report combining nanopattern nickel mould fabrication and UV imprinting for gold nanostructure mass fabrication in high yield. We report our successful gold nanohole array mass fabrication on a 4'' glass wafer, by first fabricating a high fidelity nickel mould, then using the mould for UV nanoimprinting on a polymer coated on the glass, evaporating the gold film on the glass wafer, and lifting off the polymer to obtain a gold nanohole array on the glass. Our optimized process for wafer fabrication can achieve almost 100% yield from nanoimprinting to gold lift-off, while the fabricated nickel mould has >70% defect-free area with the rest having a few scattered defects. In our work, the size and pitch of the gold nanohole array are designed to enhance the fluorescent dye Alexa 647. When the fabricated gold nanohole array is used for prostate specific antigen (PSA) detection by establishing a sandwiched fluorescence assay on the gold surface, a detection limit of 100 pg ml(-1) is achieved, while with a same thickness of gold film, only 1 ng ml(-1) is detected.
Control of photonic crystal resonances in conjunction with large spectral shifting is critical in achieving reconfigurable photonic crystal devices. We propose a simple approach to achieve nano-mechanical control of photonic crystal resonances within a compact integrated on-chip approach. Three different tip designs utilizing an in-plane nano-mechanical tuning approach are shown to achieve reversible and low-loss resonance control on a one-dimensional photonic crystal nanocavity. The proposed nano-mechanical approach driven by a sub-micron micro-electromechanical system integrated on low loss suspended feeding nanowire waveguide, achieved relatively large resonance spectral shifts of up to 18 nm at a driving voltage of 25 V. Such designs may potentially be used as tunable optical filters or switches.
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