Beat the diffraction limit in 3D direct laser writing in photosensitive glass.
Three-dimensional (3D) femtosecond laser direct structuring in transparent materials is widely used for photonic applications. However, the structure size is limited by the optical diffraction. Here we report on a direct laser writing technique that produces subwavelength nanostructures independently of the experimental limiting factors. We demonstrate 3D nanostructures of arbitrary patterns with feature sizes down to 80 nm, less than one tenth of the laser processing wavelength. Its ease of implementation for novel nanostructuring, with its accompanying high precision will open new opportunities for the fabrication of nanostructures for plasmonic and photonic devices and for applications in metamaterials.
Bellec
Matthieu
M
Centre de Physique Moléculaire Optique et Hertzienne, Université de Bordeaux, Talence, France. m.bellec@cpmoh.u-bordeaux1.fr
Royon
Arnaud
A
Bousquet
Bruno
B
Bourhis
Kevin
K
Treguer
Mona
M
Cardinal
Thierry
T
Richardson
Martin
M
Canioni
Lionel
L
D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D007834:Lasers; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity