The Nearly Perfect Optical Filter Composed of [SiO2/ZrO2] Stacks using One-Dimensional Photonic Crystals

In this paper, a one-dimensional photonic crystal (PhC) composed of [SiO2/ZrO2] stacks is designed to act as an optical filter. These types of filters have been extensively used in safety glasses working in the wavelength of 355 nm. Here, theoretical calculations are carried out in MATLAB software based on the transfer matrix method (TMM). Simulations showed that the structure of Quartz/[SiO2/ZrO2]20 can block the wavelength of 355 nm, reducing the transmittance ratio to 1.29×10-5%. By forming 16 stacks, the optical density (OD) reaches 5, completely protecting the user’s eyes from laser beams with incident angles ranging from 0 to 22 degrees. For higher incident angles up to 38 degrees, 20 stacks of [SiO2/ZrO2] are needed to reach OD = 5. The visible light can pass through this filter about 70%, being sufficient for the user’s vision. Finally, the distribution of the electric field is simulated to confirm the performance of the resulting structures.