Encapsulated subwavelength grating as a quasi-monolithic resonant reflector

authored by: Frank Brückner, Daniel Friedrich, Michael Britzger, Tina Clausnitzer, Oliver Burmeister, Ernst Bernhard Kley, Karsten Danzmann, Andreas Tünnermann, Roman Schnabel
Abstract: For a variety of laser interferometric experiments, the thermal noise of high-reflectivity multilayer dielectric coatings limits the measurement sensitivity. Recently, monolithic high-reflection waveguide mirrors with nanostructured surfaces have been proposed to reduce the thermal noise in interferometric measurements. Drawbacks of this approach are a highly complicated fabrication process and the high susceptibility of the nanostructured surfaces to damage and pollution. Here, we propose and demonstrate a novel quasi-monolithic resonant surface reflector that also avoids the thick dielectric stack of conventional mirrors but has a flat and robust surface. Our reflector is an encapsulated subwavelength grating that is based on silicon. We measured a high reflectivity of 93 % for a wavelength of λ = 1.55 μm under normal incidence. Perfect reflectivities are possible in theory.
Organisation(s): Institute of Gravitation Physics
External Organisation(s): Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute)
Type: Article
Journal: Optics express
Volume: 17
Pages: 24334-24341
No. of pages: 8
ISSN: 1094-4087
Publication date: 21.12.2009
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.17.024334 (Access: Open)

BibTeX

@article{735e4fc8b2bb4c73a36f4a7f6cee2428,
title = "Encapsulated subwavelength grating as a quasi-monolithic resonant reflector",
abstract = "For a variety of laser interferometric experiments, the thermal noise of high-reflectivity multilayer dielectric coatings limits the measurement sensitivity. Recently, monolithic high-reflection waveguide mirrors with nanostructured surfaces have been proposed to reduce the thermal noise in interferometric measurements. Drawbacks of this approach are a highly complicated fabrication process and the high susceptibility of the nanostructured surfaces to damage and pollution. Here, we propose and demonstrate a novel quasi-monolithic resonant surface reflector that also avoids the thick dielectric stack of conventional mirrors but has a flat and robust surface. Our reflector is an encapsulated subwavelength grating that is based on silicon. We measured a high reflectivity of 93 % for a wavelength of λ = 1.55 μm under normal incidence. Perfect reflectivities are possible in theory.",
author = "Frank Br{\"u}ckner and Daniel Friedrich and Michael Britzger and Tina Clausnitzer and Oliver Burmeister and Kley, {Ernst Bernhard} and Karsten Danzmann and Andreas T{\"u}nnermann and Roman Schnabel",
year = "2009",
month = dec,
day = "21",
doi = "10.1364/OE.17.024334",
language = "English",
volume = "17",
pages = "24334--24341",
journal = "Optics express",
issn = "1094-4087",
publisher = "OSA - The Optical Society",
number = "26",
}