Substrates having an antireflection layer and methods of forming an antireflection layer

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for methods of making substrates having an antireflective layer, substrates having an antireflective layer, devices including a substrate having an antireflective layer, and the like.

We claim at least the following: 
     
         1 . A structure comprising:
 a coated substrate having a front side and a back side, wherein the front side and the back side have a monolayer of silica nanoparticles disposed on the surface of the substrate, wherein the light reflected is about 0.5 to 4% over a wavelength of about 400 nm to 800 nm for the coated substrate, wherein the light transmission is about 99% or more over a wavelength of about 500 to 650 nm for the coated substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the light reflected is about 14% for a wavelength of about 550 nm. 
     
     
         3 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the silica nanoparticles have a diameter of about 100 to 200 nm. 
     
     
         4 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of: a silicon substrate, a gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrate, a gallium antimonide (GaSb) substrate, indium phosphide (InP), and gallium nitride (GaN). 
     
     
         5 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a silica substrate. 
     
     
         6 . A structure, comprising: a substrate having an antireflective layer that has a total specular reflection of about 2% or less for the entire visible wavelength at an incident angle of about 0° to 90°. 
     
     
         7 . The structure of  claim 6 , wherein the antireflective layer has a height of about 500 nm to 2000 nm, wherein the antireflective layer includes a plurality of pillars that have a spacing of about 10 nm to 300 nm between a pair of pillars as measured from the pillar base to pillar base, wherein the pillars have a length or height of about 100 to 2000 nm. 
     
     
         8 . The structure of  claim 6 , wherein the pillars have a diameter at the base of about 50 to 300 nm. 
     
     
         9 . The structure of  claim 6 , wherein the pillars have different diameters along the length of the pillar. 
     
     
         10 . The structure of  claim 9 , wherein the pillar tapers from the base to the top of the pillar, where the diameter of the pillar at the midpoint of the length of the pillar is about 50 nm to 300 nm. 
     
     
         11 . A structure formed from the process comprising: disposing a substrate in a solution, wherein the front side and back side of the substrate are functionalized to have a net positive charge, wherein the solution includes silica nanoparticles; exposing the solution to shaking; and forming, simultaneously, a uniform monolayer of silica nanoparticles on the front side and the back side of the substrate through electrostatic attraction of the silica nanoparticles and the functionalized surfaces of the substrate. 
     
     
         12 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein the solution includes about 90% by volume ethanol and about 10% by volume of water, and wherein the solution includes a mass fraction of about 1% to 5% of silica nanoparticles, wherein the silica nanoparticles have a diameter of about 100 to 200 nm, and wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of: a silicon substrate, a gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrate, a gallium antimonide (GaSb) substrate, indium phosphide (InP), and gallium nitride (GaN).