Evolution of High Symmetry Points of Photonic Alumina Superlattices in a Lithography-Free Approach

Ceaselessly increasing demands for elaborate nanostructures prompt advanced structure fabrication with good practicability, especially, subwavelength ordered structures in simple lattices even in superlattices over a large area, namely, large-scale photonic lattices, in which lattice arrangement, geometry, and components of unit cells are key factors for their macroscopic optical properties. Moreover, exciting properties always occur at high symmetry points of the lattice; therefore, straightforward modulation of symmetry points over a large area is very important for the investigation and application of photonic lattices. Here, this work establishes a lithography-free approach of undervoltage oxidation (UVO) for regulating high symmetry points in the reciprocal space of a dielectric alumina superlattice. Embedding subunit cells at high symmetry points G (M) result in the degenerate energy changing from 1.34 eV (924.6 nm) to 1.87 eV (662.6 nm) under normal excitation at the G point, and the degeneracy lifting under off-normal excitation along the G-X high symmetry orientation. Furthermore, systematic characterizations of the alumina membrane are presented to learn its dynamic evolution of the morphology on a centimeter scale, and the pore array changes from a hierarchical period to a form of hexagonal close packing, especially at G and M points of the square lattice. Therefore, the reported lithography-free alumina-based nanofabrication offers an ability for varying the spatial structure at high symmetry points of photonic lattices, which is of great significance in the fields of nanomanufacturing and has great potential to bring about preferable performances in nanodevices.

Automated summary

This work introduces a lithography-free approach of undervoltage oxidation (UVO) to regulate high symmetry points in the reciprocal space of a dielectric alumina superlattice. Embedding subunit cells at high symmetry points results in degenerate energy changes under normal and off-normal excitations. Systematic characterizations of the alumina membrane's dynamic evolution are presented, along with changes in the pore array structure.