IP Library Granted Patent US 12,623,901
Granted Patent B2
US 12,623,901 · App. 18/023,178 · Granted May 12, 2026

Hierarchical silicon nanostructures, methods of making, and methods of use

Inventors: Peng Jiang (Gainesville, FL); Zhuxiao Gu (Gainesville, FL); Calen Leverant (Gainesville, FL)
Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, INC.
B81C1/00031G02B1/118B81B2203/0361B81B2207/056B82Y20/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,623,901
App. No.
18/023,178
Granted
May 12, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Described herein are antireflective materials and methods of making antireflective materials. The material can include a plurality of hierarchical nanostructures on abase substrate and a total specular reflection of less than 3% at a wavelength of about 400 nm to about 1100 nm. The material can have an etched polyimide layer disposed on the superior surface of the hierarchical nanostructures. The materials can also have superhydrophobic characteristics.

Claims (20)

1 . A method of making an antireflective material, comprising:

disposing a mask comprising an array of templating nanoparticles on a top surface of a base substrate by removing the base substrate from a solution having colloidal silica nanoparticles disposed on the surface of the solution, wherein as the base substrate is withdrawn from the solution the array of templating nanoparticles is disposed on the top surface of the base substrate;

etching the top surface of the base substrate;

removing the templating nanoparticles, where the removal of the templating nanoparticles forms concave nanoposts;

disposing a polyimide layer on the concave nanoposts; and

etching the polyimide layer to form hierarchical nanocylinders comprising nanocones in concave nanoposts,

wherein the base substrate and hierarchical nanocylinders are made of silicon or black silicon, and wherein the antireflective material has a water contact angle of about 130° to about 165°.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyimide layer comprises poly (4,4′-oxydiphenylene-pyromellitimide) tape.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the templating nanoparticles are silicon nanoparticles.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the templating nanoparticles have a diameter of about 500 nm to 2 mm.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the templating nanoparticles have a diameter of about 700 nm to 1 mm.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the etching is chlorine plasma-assisted reactive ion etching.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the concave nanoposts are not uniformly spaced apart from one another.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the antireflective material has a height of about 200 nm to 3000 nm, wherein the concave nanoposts have a spacing of about 10 nm to 1000 nm between a pair of nanopost bases, wherein each of the nanopost bases have an average diameter of about 70 nm to 2000 nm, wherein each of the nanopost bases have an average height of about 200 nm to 3000 nm, wherein the nanocones inside the concave nanoposts can each have an average height of about 20 nm to 500 nm, and wherein the nanocones can each have a diameter of about 10 nm to 200 nm.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the antireflective material has maximum specular reflection between 400 and 800 nm that is less than 1%.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the antireflective material has a water contact angle of about 130° to about 165°.

11 . A material comprising:

a plurality of hierarchical nanostructures on a base substrate, wherein the hierarchical nanostructures comprise concave nanoposts filled with a plurality of nanocones, wherein the base substrate and the plurality of hierarchical nanostructures are made of is silicon or black silicon, and wherein the material has a maximal specular reflection between 400 and 800 nm that is less than 3% and wherein the material has a water contact angle of about 130° to about 165°.

12 . The material of claim 11 , wherein the material has a height of about 200 nm to 3000 nm, wherein the concave nanoposts have a spacing of about 10 nm to 1000 nm between a pair of nanopost bases, wherein each of the nanopost bases have an average diameter of about 70 nm to 2000 nm, wherein each of the nanopost bases have an average height of about 200 nm to 3000 nm, wherein each of the nanocones inside the concave nanoposts can have an average height of about 20 nm to 500 nm, and wherein each of the nanocones can have a diameter of about 10 nm to 200 nm.

13 . The material of claim 11 , wherein the concave nanoposts are not uniformly spaced apart from one another.

Assignments (3)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded May 14, 2025
From: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
To: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Reel/Frame 071275/0349 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Feb 12, 2025
From: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
To: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Reel/Frame 070188/0730 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 19, 2024
From: JIANG, PENG; GU, ZHUXIAO; LEVERANT, CALEN
To: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 066817/0916 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63071503 · Aug 28, 2020
Related Publication 20230312336A1 · Oct 5, 2023
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