Simulated Performance of Laser-Machined Metamaterial Anti-reflection Coatings

Abstract

Lenslet-coupled antenna arrays have been used in CMB experiments and are the baseline technology for the next-generation satellite missions such as LiteBIRD and PICO. Lenslets are small hemispherical lenses mounted on the focal plane that couple light to the detectors and are typically made of silicon or alumina due to their high focusing power and low absorption loss. To minimize reflection at the vacuum-dielectric interface, lenslets require anti-reflection (AR) coatings. Metamaterials have been used in large microwave optical components because they avoid any mismatch on the thermal expansion between the lens and its coating, but so far they have only been machined on surfaces of comparatively large radius of curvature. As a first step to understand the feasibility of machining metamaterial AR layers in lenslets through laser-etching for the LiteBIRD mission, a model in ANSYS HFSS was developed. The goal of the simulation was to optimize transmission in three frequency bands while meeting assumed laser machinability constraints and optical requirements. Simulation results from flat silicon show that an AR metamaterial coating made under the assumed conditions is feasible, and the baseline parameters for further curved-surface studies are provided.