Ultra-thin films with highly absorbent porous media fine-tunable for coloration and enhanced color purity

Abstract

We demonstrate ultra-thin, fine-tunable optical coatings with enhanced color purity based on highly absorbent porous media on a metal substrate. We show that the color range provided by these ultra-thin film coatings can be extended by making the absorptive dielectric layer porous. Oblique angle deposition (OAD) of a thin (10-25 nm) germanium (Ge) film by e-beam evaporation onto a thick gold substrate yields controlled porosity. Reflectance spectra and color representations from both calculations and experiments verify the enhancement of resonance tunability and color purity in the nano-tailored coatings. Angle independent reflection properties, and the applicability of such porous Ge on various metal substrates, indicate the strength of these concepts. © 2017 The Royal Society of Chemistry.