Performance Analysis of Reflection Reduction in Submicrometer Structures Using Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis

The broadband antireflective (AR) properties of submicrometer structures (SMSs) have attracted considerable attention in recent years as a means to reduce the surface reflectance of optical and optoelectronic devices. This study employed polystyrene sphere lithography in conjunction with dry etching to fabricate SMSs on an Si substrate. We fabricated an array of conical structures 600 nm in diameter and 760 nm in height. Experimental results demonstrate that SMSs suppress the average reflectance to below 1% across a spectral range of 300-1200 nm. The AR performance of SMSs was then simulated using rigorous coupled wave analysis, the results of which are very close to those obtained in the experiment. To investigate the mechanism underlying the AR properties of SMSs, we calculated the reflectance spectra using structures of various heights, diameters, and refractive indices.