Colloidal photonic crystals properties

Fig. 3 illustrates transport properties of NIMs. The light source was produced directly inside ID colloidal photonic crystal by means of excitation of luminescence in several dye doped globules. Each consecutive sphere acts as a micro-lens and focus light of arbitrary spectrum in a highly distorted and laterally squeezed photonic nanojet [6] at its shadow side close to the intersphere contact point. At these locations the intensity maxima appear in Fig. 3b. 

In spite of its simplicity, the long response time of the hydrogel photonic crystal materials has limited their utility as sensors. This is because of the slow diffusion of analytes in the hydrogel to influence the optical properties. New fabrication procedures of these hydrogel photonic crystal sensors were used to improve the response time. The Lee Group [96] demonstrated a mechanically robust and fast responsive photonic crystal pH sensor, which was fabricated by templated photopolymerization of hydrogel monomers within the interstitial space of a self-assembled colloidal photonic crystal, as shown in Fig. 25. 

Gonzalez-Urbina L, Baert K, Kolaric B, Perez-Moreno J, Clays K (2012) Linear and nonlinear optical properties of colloidal photonic crystals. Chem Rev 112 2268-2285... 

Metal containing polyynes are multifunctional materials which combine the properties of organic polymers with those of metal centers coordinated to the organic moiety and are able to form nanotemplates, colloidal photonic crystals, multilayer capsules and hollow vesicles [127, 128], An example of a rod-like polymetallayne self-assembly in hollow nanorods has been recently reported [129] the computer simulations of the nanostructure show that the polymer chains are ordered in parallel lines that give rise to a tubular morphology rather unusual for these materials, but promising for sensor devices applications. 

Nelson, E.C., Garcia-Santamaria, F., and Braun, P.V. (2008) Lattice-registered two-photon polymerized features within colloidal photonic crystals and their optical properties. Adv. Funct. Mat.,... 

Subramania G., Constant K., Biswas R., Sigalas M.M., Ho K.M. Inverse face-centered cubic thin film photonic crystals. Adv. Mater. 2001 13 443-446 Sun H.B., Matsuo S., Misawa H. Three-dimensional photonic crystal structures achieved with two-photon-absorption photopolymerization of resin. Appl. Phys. Lett. 1999 74 786-788 Sun H.B., Song I., Xu Y., Matsuo S., Misawa H., Du G., Liu S. Growth and property characterizations of photonic crystal structures consisting of colloidal microparticles. J. Opt. Soc. Am. 2000a 17 476-480... 

Diffraction of light in photonic crystals has also been used to enhance the photo-luminescent properties of fluorophores (17,99], and by loading the interstitial voids of polymer opals with highly fluorescent dyes, stimulated emission can be enhanced [134,135]. For more complex opal structures the dye must be loaded into the colloid matrix by using water-soluble dyes [136] or by modified emulsion polymerization reactions for non-water soluble dyes (137, 138]. 

An ordered arrangement of particles, colloidal crystals, is found in a wide range of scales. Opal is a typical colloidal crystal with an ordered arrangement of silica particles." Photonic crystals have been developed for the control of optical properties." A variety of supercrystals and superlattices consisting of nanoparticles are fabricated through self-assembly." When the unit particles are an amorphous material and the crystal lattices of each unit particle are not oriented, the colloidal assembly is not regarded as a mesocrystal (Fig. Ig). In contrast, colloidal crystals... 

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