Recent progress in antireflection and self-cleaning technology – From surface engineering to functional surfaces

Recently, antireflective coatings (ARCs) with self-cleaning properties have attracted significant attention for both their fundamental aspects and wide practical applications. In the current review, the basic principles of antireflection and self-cleaning are briefly discussed first. Then, fabrication strategies with particular emphasis on silicon and silica substrates are reviewed in detail. Meanwhile, ARCs and self-cleaning coatings on polymer and metal foil are also briefly described. Afterwards, progresses in antireflective self-cleaning coatings and some multifunctional ARCs in the latest five years are presented in detail. The applications of ARCs are discussed in terms of architectural glasses, solar collectors, photovoltaic modules, and display devices. Finally, current challenges faced in practical applications and the trend of future development are presented and discussed to facilitate a universal understanding of ARCs and self-cleaning coatings.