A new and simple procedure for producing highly ordered three-dimensional colloidal crystalline template was developed, which employs latexes containing highly charged polystyrene spheres. The water on the surface of the latex was evaporated, causing the formation of close-packed colloidal crystals on the surface. The driving forces for the formation of close-packed crystal involve electrostatic interaction and lateral capillary force, and the ion diffusion during the evaporation is considered to be an important factor for the successful assembly of ordered structure on the latex surface. Then the sol−gel solution was infiltrated into the interstitial space of the prepared colloidal crystals through capillary effect, and ordered inverse opals were obtained by calcining the polystyrene beads. The inverse opal thus prepared has long-range ordering with its defect-free area extending to over 10 micrometers and covering thousands of pores.

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Regular lattices of polystyrene (PS) microspheres formed by self-assembly processes were used for single-shot fabrication of large regular arrays of nanoparticles or nanobumps or nanoholes on Si surfaces. The morphologies of created nanofeatures were characterized by an atomic force microscope (AFM) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The near-field enhancements under the absorptive PS microsphere were studied and calculated. The ablation and thermal processes induced both by laser irradiation of the top surface of the PS microspheres and by the near-field enhancements underneath the microspheres were investigated. When the laser fluence was at a low value of 40 mJ cm−2, periodic PS nanoparticle arrays were produced. With a laser fluence in the range of 100–170 mJ cm−2, regular conical and circular-crater-shaped Si nanobump arrays were fabricated. When the laser fluence was high, up to 200 mJ cm−2, hole arrays were formed in the Si substrate. The mechanisms of this nanofabrication are discussed. Experimental results are explained and are consistent with those of theoretical calculations.

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Based on the vacuum preloading combined electro-osmotic consolidation method, a site comparison trial of vacuum preloading and vacuum preloading in combination with electro-osmotic consolidation was performed on Li Island, Hubei Province. The performance and drainage effects of electric vertical drains were evaluated. The problems were analyzed by monitoring test results. Test results from the field showed that the water content of the dredger fill was greatly reduced and the physico-mechanical properties and bearing capacity were improved significantly after 28 days of treatment by vacuum preloading in combination with electroosmotic consolidation. Compared with the vacuum preloading method, vacuum preloading in combination with the electro-osmotic consolidation method using electric vertical drains reduced the construction time, saved energy, and achieved an ideal reinforcement effect.