Generation of highly integrated multiple vivid colours using a three-dimensional broadband perfect absorber

Abstract

The colour printing technology based on interactions between geometric structures and light has various advantages over the pigment-based colour technology in terms of nontoxicity and ultrasmall pixel size. The asymmetric Fabry–Perot (F–P) cavity absorber is the simplest light-interacting structure, which can easily represent and control the colour by the thickness of the dielectric layer. However, for practical applications, an advanced manufacturing technique for the simultaneous generation of multiple reflective colours is required. In this study, we demonstrate F–P cavity absorbers with micropixels by overcoming the difficulties of multi-level pattern fabrication using a nanoimprinting approach. Our asymmetric F–P cavity absorber exhibited a high absorption (approximately 99%) in a wide visible light range upon the incorporation of lossy metallic materials, yielding vivid colours. A high-resolution image of eight different reflective colours was obtained by a one-step process. This demonstrates the potential of this technology for device applications such as high-resolution colour displays and colour patterns used for security functions.

Nanophotonic Structural Colors

“…Constructive and destructive interferences happen as a result of light reflected off the top and bottom interfaces of the cavity. The thickness of the cavity needs to be adjusted to fit integer multiples of half wavelengths for constructive interference, leading to peaks in transmittance or absorptance. − …”

Design of multispectral remote sensing filter film and research on film thickness monitoring technology

“…[5][6][7][8][9] According to the Fabry-Perot (F-P) cavity structure, preparation methods by adjusting the spacer layer include combination coating, combination etching, and nanoimprinting, which can be used for the preparation of micro multispectral array filter films with a large number of channels. [10][11][12] In 2019, Kim et al 13 from South Korea used nanoimprinting technology to prepare eight-channel filters. The measured spectral curves were significantly different from the design, and the colors presented were relatively similar.…”

“…The measured spectral curves were significantly different from the design, and the colors presented were relatively similar. 13 In 2020, Duan 14 used a combination coating method to prepare 10 × 10 array multispectral filter films in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) bands. The average peak transmittance in the visible band was greater than 92%, and the peak transmittance in the 1000-to 1700-nm band was 88.6%, using nanoimprinting technology to prepare a multispectral filter film with a peak transmittance of 30% to 60% in the visible light band.…”

Centimeter scale color printing with grayscale lithography

“…Compared with most of the plasmonic and dielectric metasurface devices, colors generated from the F–P cavity usually have less crosstalk. For color printing applications, the reflection 23 – 28 or transmission-type 29 – 31 F–P cavities with spatially variant spacer thickness have been widely investigated. In previous works, the fabrication of pixelated F–P cavities mainly relies on electron beam lithography (EBL) and related processes.…”