Articles including nanostructured surfaces and enclosed voids, methods of making same, and optical elements

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an article including a layer having a nanostructured first surface including nanofeatures and an opposing second surface, and an inorganic layer including a major surface bonded to a portion of the nanostructured first surface. The nanostructured first surface includes protruding features that are formed of a single composition and/or recessed features. The article includes at least one enclosed void defined in part by the nanostructured first surface. The present disclosure also provides a method of making the article including treating a major surface of an inorganic layer with a coupling agent, contacting a nanostructured surface of a layer with the treated inorganic layer, and securing the two layers together via a bonded coupling agent by bonding at least one of the nanostructured surface or the treated inorganic layer. In addition, the present disclosure provides an optical element including the article. The nanostructured surface of the article is protected from damage and contamination by the inorganic layer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.