Maskless fabrication of broadband antireflection nanostructures on glass surfaces

In order to reduce reflection losses at the surface of glass optical components, we have developed a plasma-etching fabrication method in which a CaF2 mask is self-assembled on the glass surface, generating nanostructures of around 100 nm in size, fabricated with an approximate etching rate of 10 nm per minute, and with controllable height, depending on the process time. By treating glasses with different compositions, it was found that the nanostructures can be successfully fabricated in a glass composed mainly of SiO2, but with 10% CaO content. In addition to the high aspect ratio and tapered geometry of the nanostructures, through crosssection composition analysis, graded Si and O compositions were also found within the nanostructures. The combined contribution of the geometrical and graded composition effects resulted in broadband 96% and over 99% transmittance on one-side and both-side treated glass substrates, respectively.