Plasma-etched nanostructures are useful to provide antireflective properties to glass and plastic substrates. Organic compounds were deposited on glass substrates by thermal evaporation and etched by plasma emitted from an ion plasma source. A self-organized formation of surface structures takes place during etching of a layer of 1,3,5-Triazine-2,4,6-triamine (melamine). On the other hand, the surface of N,N´-di(1-naphthyl)-N,N´-diphenyl benzidine (NPB) remained smooth after etching. In this case, the structure formation was initiated by depositing a thin oxide layer on to the organic layer prior to the etching step. For both materials the etching process can be tailored to achieve antireflective properties over a desired wavelength range.

© 2011 OSA

1. A. Macleod, Thin-Film Optical Filters, 3rd edition (Institute of Physics Publishing, 2001).
2. J. A. Dobrowolski, D. Poitras, P. Ma, H. Vakil, and M. Acree, “Toward perfect antireflection coatings: numerical investigation,” Appl. Opt. 41(16), 3075–3083 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
3. P. B. Clapham and M. C. Hutley, “Reduction of lens reflexion by the “Moth Eye” principle,” Nature 244(5414), 281–282 (1973). [CrossRef]
4. M. Chen, H. C. Chang, A. S. P. Chang, S.-Y. Lin, J.-Q. Xi, and E. F. Schubert, “Design of optical path for wide-angle gradient-index antireflection coatings,” Appl. Opt. 46(26), 6533–6538 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
5. M. Minot, “The angular reflectance of single-layer gradient refractive-index films,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. 67(8), 1046–1050 (1977). [CrossRef]
6. A. Gombert, W. Glaubitt, K. Rose, J. Dreibholz, B. Bläsi, A. Heinzel, D. Sporn, W. Döll, and V. Wittwer, “Subwavelength-structured antireflective surfaces on glass,” Thin Solid Films 351(1-2), 73–78 (1999). [CrossRef]
7. S. Walheim, E. Schäffer, J. Mlynek, and U. Steiner, “Nanophase-separated polymer films as high-performance antireflection coatings, ” Science 283(5401), 520–522 (1999). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
8. G. Wu, Z. Denga, B. Fanb, D. Zhoub, and F. Zhang, “A novel route to control refractive index of sol-gel derived nano-porous silica films used as broadband antireflective coatings,” Mater. Sci. Eng. B 78(2-3), 135–139 (2000). [CrossRef]
9. A. Kaless, P. Munzert, U. Schulz, and N. Kaiser, “Nano-motheye antireflection pattern by plasma treatment of polymers,” Surf. Coat. Tech. 20, 58–61 (2004).
10. U. Schulz, P. Munzert, R. Leitel, I. Wendling, N. Kaiser, and A. Tünnermann, “Antireflection of transparent polymers by advanced plasma etching procedures,” Opt. Express 15(20), 13108–13113 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
11. M. Irimia-Vladu, N. Marjanovic, M. Bodea, G. Hernandez-Sosa, A. M. Ramil, R. Schwödiauer, S. Bauer, N. S. Sariciftci, and F. Nüesch, “Small-molecule vacuum processed melamine-C60, organic field-effect transistors,” Org. Electron. 10(3), 408–415 (2009). [CrossRef]
12. S. Jahromi and U. Moosheimer, “Oxygen barrier coatings based on supramolecular assembly of melamine,” Macromolecules 33(20), 7582–7587 (2000). [CrossRef]
13. S. A. Van Slyke, C. H. Chen, and C. W. Tang, “Organic electrolumi- nescent devices with improved stability,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 69(15), 2160–2162 (1996). [CrossRef]
14. S. Pongratz and A. Zöller, “Plasma ion assisted deposition: A promising technique for optical coatings,” J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 10(4), 1897–1904 (1992). [CrossRef]
15. S. Wilbrandt, O. Stenzel, N. Kaiser, M. K. Trubetskov, and A. V. Tikhonravov, “In situ optical characterization and reengineering of interference coatings,” Appl. Opt. 47(13), C49–C54 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
16. OptiChar software, http://www.optilayer.com
17. U. Schulz, C. Präfke, C. Gödeker, N. Kaiser, and A. Tünnermann, “Plasma-etched organic layers for antireflection purposes,” Appl. Opt. 50(9), C31–C35 (2011). [CrossRef]

Appl. Opt.

• J. A. Dobrowolski, D. Poitras, P. Ma, H. Vakil, and M. Acree, “Toward perfect antireflection coatings: numerical investigation,” Appl. Opt. 41(16), 3075–3083 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. Chen, H. C. Chang, A. S. P. Chang, S.-Y. Lin, J.-Q. Xi, and E. F. Schubert, “Design of optical path for wide-angle gradient-index antireflection coatings,” Appl. Opt. 46(26), 6533–6538 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• S. Wilbrandt, O. Stenzel, N. Kaiser, M. K. Trubetskov, and A. V. Tikhonravov, “In situ optical characterization and reengineering of interference coatings,” Appl. Opt. 47(13), C49–C54 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• U. Schulz, C. Präfke, C. Gödeker, N. Kaiser, and A. Tünnermann, “Plasma-etched organic layers for antireflection purposes,” Appl. Opt. 50(9), C31–C35 (2011). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• S. A. Van Slyke, C. H. Chen, and C. W. Tang, “Organic electrolumi- nescent devices with improved stability,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 69(15), 2160–2162 (1996). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. Soc. Am.

• M. Minot, “The angular reflectance of single-layer gradient refractive-index films,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. 67(8), 1046–1050 (1977). [CrossRef]

J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A

• S. Pongratz and A. Zöller, “Plasma ion assisted deposition: A promising technique for optical coatings,” J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 10(4), 1897–1904 (1992). [CrossRef]

Macromolecules

• S. Jahromi and U. Moosheimer, “Oxygen barrier coatings based on supramolecular assembly of melamine,” Macromolecules 33(20), 7582–7587 (2000). [CrossRef]

Mater. Sci. Eng. B

• G. Wu, Z. Denga, B. Fanb, D. Zhoub, and F. Zhang, “A novel route to control refractive index of sol-gel derived nano-porous silica films used as broadband antireflective coatings,” Mater. Sci. Eng. B 78(2-3), 135–139 (2000). [CrossRef]

Nature

• P. B. Clapham and M. C. Hutley, “Reduction of lens reflexion by the “Moth Eye” principle,” Nature 244(5414), 281–282 (1973). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• U. Schulz, P. Munzert, R. Leitel, I. Wendling, N. Kaiser, and A. Tünnermann, “Antireflection of transparent polymers by advanced plasma etching procedures,” Opt. Express 15(20), 13108–13113 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Org. Electron.

• M. Irimia-Vladu, N. Marjanovic, M. Bodea, G. Hernandez-Sosa, A. M. Ramil, R. Schwödiauer, S. Bauer, N. S. Sariciftci, and F. Nüesch, “Small-molecule vacuum processed melamine-C60, organic field-effect transistors,” Org. Electron. 10(3), 408–415 (2009). [CrossRef]

Science

• S. Walheim, E. Schäffer, J. Mlynek, and U. Steiner, “Nanophase-separated polymer films as high-performance antireflection coatings, ” Science 283(5401), 520–522 (1999). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Surf. Coat. Tech.

• A. Kaless, P. Munzert, U. Schulz, and N. Kaiser, “Nano-motheye antireflection pattern by plasma treatment of polymers,” Surf. Coat. Tech. 20, 58–61 (2004).

Thin Solid Films

• A. Gombert, W. Glaubitt, K. Rose, J. Dreibholz, B. Bläsi, A. Heinzel, D. Sporn, W. Döll, and V. Wittwer, “Subwavelength-structured antireflective surfaces on glass,” Thin Solid Films 351(1-2), 73–78 (1999). [CrossRef]

Other

• A. Macleod, Thin-Film Optical Filters, 3rd edition (Institute of Physics Publishing, 2001).
• OptiChar software, http://www.optilayer.com

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