A photonic device, a method of making the device and a nano-scale antireflector employ a bramble of nanowires. The photonic device and the method include a first layer of a microcrystalline material provided on a substrate surface and a second layer of a microcrystalline material provided on the substrate surface horizontally spaced from the first layer by a gap. The photonic device and the method further include, and the nano-scale antireflector includes, the bramble of nanowires formed between the first layer and the second layer. The nanowires have first ends integral to crystallites in each of the first layer and the second layer. The nanowires of the bramble extend into the gap from each of the first layer and the second layer.