Femtosecond laser direct writing of large-area two-dimensional metallic photonic crystal structures on tungsten surfaces.

Metallic photonic crystals (MPCs) and metamaterials operating in the visible spectrum are required for high-temperature nanophotonics, but they are often difficult to construct. This study demonstrates a new approach to directly write two-dimensional (2D) MPCs on tungsten surfaces through the cylindrical focusing of two collinear femtosecond laser beams with certain temporal delays and orthogonal linear polarizations. Results are physically attributed to the laser-induced transient crossed temperature grating patterns and tempo-spatial thermal correlations. Optical properties of the fabricated MPCs are characterized. Such a simple and efficient technique can be used to fabricate large-area, 2D microstructures on metal surfaces for potential applications. (C) 2015 Optical Society of America