Color Filter Based on a Sub-wavelength Patterned Metal Grating

A color filter was demonstrated incorporating a patterned metal grating in a quartz substrate. The filter is created in a metal layer perforated with a symmetric two-dimensional array of circular holes, with the pitch smaller than the wavelength of the visible light. A finite-difference time-domain simulation was performed to analyze the device by investigating the effect of structural parameters like the grating height, the period, the hole size, and the refractive index of the hole-filling material on its performance. The device performance was especially optimized by controlling the refractive index of the material comprising the holes of the grating. And two different devices were fabricated by means of the e-beam direct writing with the following design parameters: the grating height of 50 nm, the two pitches of 340 nm for the red color and 260 nm for the green color. For the prepared device with the period of 340 nm, the center wavelength was 680 nm and the peak transmission 57%. And for the other device with the pitch of 260 nm, the center wavelength was 550 nm and the peak transmission was 50%. The filling of the hole with a material whose refractive index is matched to that of the substrate has led to an increase of 15% in the transmission efficiency.