Color effects from scattering on random surface structures in dielectrics

We show that cheap large area color filters, based on surface scattering, can be fabricated in dielectric materials by replication of random structures in silicon. The specular transmittance of three different types of structures, corresponding to three different colors, have been characterized. The angle resolved scattering has been measured and compared to predictions based on the measured surface topography and by the use of non-paraxial scalar diffraction theory.

From this it is shown that the color of the transmitted light can be predicted from the topography of the randomly textured surfaces.