High-aspect-ratio ZnSe microstructure generated by spatially shaped femtosecond laser writing assisted with wet chemical etching

Abstract A high-aspect-ratio microstructure in polycrystalline Zinc selenide (ZnSe) is important for waveguides and photonic crystals application. In this work, we demonstrated a successful approach for fabricating microstructure with Bessel beam inscription and etching using a mixed solution of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ammonia hydroxide (NH4OH). The microstructure inscribed using the femtosecond laser back-side fabrication and selective etching, has a longitudinal length of 140 μm and a width of 12 μm. The aspect ratio of microstructures is ∼ 11.2. To showcase the potential of this technique, a rib waveguide with a longitudinal length and width of 60 μm was prepared and the rib waveguides supported a well confined mode at 1.55 μm. This process makes it possible to produce three-dimensional microstructures inside polycrystalline ZnSe, and thus offers a pathway for expanding the photonic crystal structure to the mid-to-far infrared field.