Fabrication of photonic crystals for infrared applications

We report on the two-dimensional photonic crystals in polymer membranes for photonic applications in infrared spectra. The photonic crystals with arrays of pores were fabricated by hot embossing lithography. The silicon stamp for embossing was fabricated by an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) etcher with the etch gases of SF6, O2 and Cl2. The hot embossing process was conducted in a vacuum chamber at a temperature of 90–110 °C which was higher than the glass transition temperature of the polymer. The embossing pressure was controlled at 380 psi and the embossing time was kept at 150 s. The reliable stamp and hot embossing processes realize the infrared photonic crystals.