New plasma processes for antireflective structures on plastics

A new technology based on plasma etching has been developed to produce antireflective surface structures. By choosing thin initial layers and variable plasma conditions, a broad range of nanostructures can be obtained on various polymers. A broadband antireflective effect can be achieved that is less sensitive to the incident angle of light compared to multilayer interference coatings. Thin layers of silica help in mechanical protection, especially if the structured surface is nearly enclosed by the protection layer. In addition, surfaces that show both antireflective properties and an antifoggling effect have been prepared. Combinations of SiO2 and fluorine-containing layers were found to be useful in obtaining super-hydrophobic behavior. This advanced plasma etching is not limited to a special plasma source and the suitability of different plasma sources is discussed.