High-efficiency embedded transmission grating

Stephan Ratzsch; Ernst-Bernhard Kley; Andreas Tünnermann; Adriana Szeghalmi

doi:10.1117/12.2191223

23 September 2015 High-efficiency embedded transmission grating

Stephan Ratzsch, Ernst-Bernhard Kley, Andreas Tünnermann, Adriana Szeghalmi

Proceedings Volume 9627, Optical Systems Design 2015: Advances in Optical Thin Films V; 96271G (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2191223
Event: SPIE Optical Systems Design, 2015, Jena, Germany

Abstract

In this study, we present high efficiency embedded gratings produced by atomic layer deposition (ALD). The chosen embedding material is a nanolaminate, which consists of alternating arranged titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and alumina (Al₂O₃) layers, where the TiO₂layers are by a factor of 25 thicker than the Al₂O₃ layers. Consequently, the refractive index nearly equal to the refractive index of pure TiO₂ layers. Titanium dioxide has one of the highest refractive index among dielectrics and no absorption at the operating wavelength.

A pinhole free embedding of the grating is essential, since even tiny air pockets will reduce the efficiency of the diffraction optic. This has been successfully realized. However, the ALD coating produces indentations on the surface of the embedded grating. The method to remove the indentations in the excess layer on the embedded grating is discussed. The planarization is done by ion beam etching and the oxygen depletion of the top TiO₂ component is fixed by thermal treatment in O₂ atmosphere.

Finally, we developed an embedded grating with transmission efficiency higher than 97.0 % at 1030 nm wavelength. The experimentally measured efficiency is in excellent agreement with the theoretical value obtained by rigorous coupled wave analysis. In contrast, a conventional, binary grating with the same period reaches only a maximum theoretical efficiency of 92.3 % at the same wavelength in Littrow-configuration.

Citation Download Citation

Stephan Ratzsch, Ernst-Bernhard Kley, Andreas Tünnermann, and Adriana Szeghalmi "High-efficiency embedded transmission grating", Proc. SPIE 9627, Optical Systems Design 2015: Advances in Optical Thin Films V, 96271G (23 September 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2191223

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