One-photon absorption based direct laser writing for fabrication of multi-dimensional photonic and plasmonic nanostructures

Abstract

We have successfully demonstrated a simple and low-cost fabrication technique, called direct laser writing (DLW), for realisation of photonic and plasmonic nanostructures. First, based on low one-photon absorption (LOPA) phenomena in a weakly absorbing photoresist (532 nm laser vs. SU8 or S18 photoresist), this DLW enabled production of submicrometre 2D and 3D photonic structures on demand using a very modest laser power. We also demonstrated that the LOPA based DLW allowed embedding a single nanoparticle (fluorescent, nonlinear, magnetic, or metallic nature) in a desired position of polymeric photonic structures. Second, by using optically induced local thermal effect, the DLW allowed us to directly fabricate plasmonic nanostructures on gold and/or silver films. Different applications of these fabricated photonic and plasmonic structures could be envisioned, and partially realised, such as tunable photonic devices, data storage, bright single photon source, quantum information, plasmonic data storage, and colour nanoprinter.