Free-standing guided-mode resonance band-pass filters: from 1D to 2D structures

We study experimentally and theoretically band-pass filters based on guided-mode resonances in free-standing metal-dielectric structures with subwavelength gratings. A variety of filters are obtained: polarizing filters with 1D gratings, and unpolarized or selective filters with 2D gratings, which are shown to behave as two crossed-1D structures. In either case, a high transmission (up to approximate to 79 %) is demonstrated, which represents an eight-fold enhancement compared to the geometrical transmission of the grating. We also show that the angular sensitivity strongly depends on the rotation axis of the sample. This behavior is explained with a detailed description of the guided-mode transmission mechanism. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America