Heterostructures of Polymer Photonic Crystal Films

Abstract

This paper describes ways to multilayer opaline films (opaline heterostructures) composed from functional opal layers of spheres with different lattice constants. At first various monodisperse colloidsboth cross-linked and un-cross-linkedwere prepared from methyl methacrylate, methyl α-chloroacrylate, and methyl α-bromoacrylate. These colloids can be crystallized into large, well-oriented opaline films with the help of a “drawing apparatus” by the method of crystallization in a moving meniscus. After annealing, a second opaline film can be crystallized on top of these films and so on. Electron microscopy inspection shows a sharp borderline between the sublayers and no disorder on both sides although the lattice constants in both films can be incommensurable. Transmission and reflection measurements prove the high quality of the films. The use of a combination of thermolabile and thermostable colloids opens the possibility to prepare functional opaline heterostructures.

Morphological memory of polymeric bodies

“…All the examined bodies had the hierarchical microrelief available for the morphological characterization, wherein this microrelief was similar to that presented in the publications on polystyrene (e.g., in [21][22][23]) and other polymers (e.g., [24][25][26]). …”

Three-dimensionally ordered photonic crystal heterostructures with a double photonic stop band

“…In addition, the optical features presented here are better resolved compared to the optical properties of the PhC hetrostructures fabricated using other methods. 1,2,4,6,7 We show in this paper that the surface roughness of the initial PhC will play a major role in deciding the final optical quality of the PhC heterostructures. We have used colloidal spheres made of polystyrene ͑PS͒ and polymethyl methacrylate ͑PMMA͒ with different diameters in making the PhC heterostructure.…”

“…Photonic crystal ͑PhC͒ heterostructures have been fabricated in the past using convective self-assembling, [1][2][3] Langmuir-Blodgett ͑LB͒, 4,5 and controlled dip-coating 6 methods. Double photonic stop band is obtained in transmission/reflection for opal PhC partially filled with semiconductor materials.…”

Optical transmission in triple-film hetero-opals

“…10 New functions can be achieved by incorporation of deterministic artificial defects in opal-based PhCs. Taking into account the limited flexibility of self-assembly, the first step can be the preparation of hetero-opals [11][12][13][14][15] incorporating planar defects. 16,17 A natural way of understanding new features is to compare the PBG properties in hetero-opals to those of the single-film opals over a wide spectral range including highorder PBGs.…”