Chemical Routes to Inverse Opals for 3D Photonic Crystals

摘要

The Chemical routes to inverse opals for three-dementional (3D) photonic crystals (PCs) are reviewed with the emphasis on the manufacturing methods following the order of preparation processes. So far silica, polystyrene (PS), and poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) microspheres have been successfully used to prepare opal templates. There are several methods for the preparation of opal templates, including gravity sedimentation, electrophoretic deposition, centrifugation, filtration, vertical deposition and shear alignment. Before infiltration and solidification, the opal templates usually need to be strengthened by heat treatment to minimize cracking or disintegration. Infiltration and solidification techniques include sol-gel method, polymerization, electrodeposition, electroless deposition, chemical bath deposition, chemical vapor deposition, chemical precipitation and conversion, nanocrystal deposition, and so on. The above processes and some challenge and prospect are discussed in detail.