Fabrication of semiconductor-and polymer-based photonic crystals using nanoimprint lithography

Abstract

The technology of fabricating photonic crystals with the use of nanoimprint lithography is described. One-and two-dimensional photonic crystals are produced by direct extrusion of polymethyl methacrylate by Si moulds obtained via interference lithography and reactive ion etching. The period of 2D photonic crystals, which present a square array of holes, ranges from 270 to 700 nm; the aperture diameter amounts to the half-period of the structure. The holes are round-shaped with even edges. One-dimensional GaAs-based photonic crystals are fabricated by reactive ion etching of GaAs to a depth of 1 μm through a mask formed using nanoimprint lithography. The resulting crystals have a period of 800 nm, a ridge width of 200 nm, and smooth nearly vertical side walls.