Positive-tone Nanolithography of Antimony Trisulfide with Femtosecond Laser Wet-etching

Abstract: Antimony trisulfide ($Sb_{2}S_{3}$), as an emerging material for integrated photonic devices, has attracted significant attention due to its high index, low loss, and phase-changing property in the optical regime. However, conventional lithography-based fabrication methods involve complex, time-consuming, multistep processes, rendering the photonic application of $Sb_{2}S_{3}$ challenging. Here, we demonstrate that positive-tone fabrication of $Sb_{2}S_{3}$ nanostructures using wet-etch femtosecond laser processing, a straightforward technique for the engraving of micro- and nanoscale structures, can address major fabrication challenges. The patterning mechanism and factors influencing resolution of $Sb_{2}S_{3}$ thin film structures deposited on quartz (transmissive) and gold (reflective) substrates are experimentally investigated and supported by theoretical modelling. Using this approach, the smallest linewidth fabricated is measured at 178 nm. Consequently, multiple test patterns are demonstrated showing versatile functionalities. Functional Fresnel Zone Plates (FZPs) with varying focal length are fabricated and characterized. This study provides a significantly simplified approach for realizing $Sb_{2}S_{3}$ based integrated photonic devices.