Abstract: In a method of producing an anti-reflective surface, instead of etching subwavelength structures directly onto the substrate, a thin film layer of topcoat is deposited onto the surface of the substrate, and the anti-reflective surface is created by etching the structures into the topcoat. Because the thin film can be applied to substrates made of a large number of different materials, only common etching recipes need to be developed for a few thin film materials. The present method overcomes the shortcoming that existing methods of etching structures directly on a substrate would require a different etching recipe for each substrate made of a different material.

Abstract: In a method of producing an anti-reflective surface, instead of etching subwavelength structures directly onto the substrate, a thin film layer of topcoat is deposited onto the surface of the substrate, and the anti-reflective surface is created by etching the structures into the topcoat. Because the thin film can be applied to substrates made of a large number of different materials, only common etching recipes need to be developed for a few thin film materials. The present method overcomes the shortcoming that existing methods of etching structures directly on a substrate would require a different etching recipe for each substrate made of a different material.