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Title: Designing optical anisotropy in low-index nanolattices
This research investigates the optical anisotropy and structure-induced birefringence in low-index nanolattices. By designing the unit-cell geometry using 3-dimentional (3D) colloidal lithography, nanolattices can exhibit different refractive indices along orthogonal directions due to the structure geometry. The out-of-plane and in-plane indices are characterized using spectroscopic ellipsometry and agree well with the anisotropic Cauchy material model. Exhibit positive-uniaxial birefringence, the nanolattices can have up to Δn = 0.003 for nanolattices with low indices that range from 1.04 to 1.12. The birefringence is modeled using the finite-difference-time-domain (FDTD) method, where the reflectance of an anisotropic film is calculated to iteratively solve for the indices. The theoretical model and experimental data indicate that the birefringence can be controlled by the unit-cell geometry based on the relative length scale of the particle diameter to the exposure wavelength. This work demonstrates that it is possible to precisely design optical birefringence in 3D nanolattices, which can find applications in polarizing optics, nanophotonics, and wearable electronics.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2343526 2314268
PAR ID:
10585487
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Publisher / Repository:
Optica
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Optics Express
Volume:
33
Issue:
7
ISSN:
1094-4087
Page Range / eLocation ID:
15304
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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