Abstract
Colloidal self-assembly holds promise for photonic applications as a solution-based, low-cost alternative to top-down photolithography, if significant control of uniformity and defects can be achieved. Herein we demonstrate a new evaporative co-assembly method for highly-uniform inverse opal thin films that involves the self-assembly of polymer colloids in a solution containing a silicate precursor. Nanoporous inverse opal films can be made crack-free and with highly uniform orientation at the cm scale. The silicate between the colloids appears to increase the strength against cracking. This control of defects makes this method well-suited for the low cost fabrication of such films as sensors and photonic devices.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 72050F |
| Journal | Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering |
| Volume | 7205 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2009 |
| Event | Advanced Fabrication Technologies for Micro/Nano Optics and Photonics II - San Jose, CA, United States Duration: Jan 26 2009 → Jan 28 2009 |
Keywords
- Colloid
- Inverse opal
- Photonic crystal
- Self-assembly
- Silica
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Computer Science Applications
- Applied Mathematics
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering