Development of Polymer/Air-Bragg Optical Microstructure Configurations for Nanophotonic Applications

Dielectric and semiconductor distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) are structures widely used in nanophotonic applications. They offer high-reflectivity photonic stop bands and tailored optical features in microcavity configurations, such as high-quality-factor resonator modes. Conventional microcavities utilize DBRs with stacked semiconductor layer pairs in order to reach a reflectivity of nearly unity, enabling both strong optical confinement and light-matter interaction (LMI) studies. Here, we demonstrate the development and fabrication of 3D-nanoprinted polymer/air Bragg-type microstructures with up to 14 DBR mirror pairs. Designs for telecom-region Bragg-design wavelengths of 1550 nm have up to 95% reflectivity, and those for the near-infrared around 900 nm feature up to 85% reflectivity. These light-weight, porous and stable mirror structures made of photoresist are achieved by the two-photon-lithography technique, promising the development of customized printed, spectrally adjustable, environmentally sensitive optical devices that can benefit many LMI experiments, such as with quantum dots, molecules or 2D quantum materials as active medium.