THREE DIMENSIONALLY PERIODIC STRUCTURAL ASSEMBLIES ON NANOMETER AND LONGER SCALES

摘要

This invention relates to processes for the assembly of three-dimensionalstructures havingperiodicities on the scale of optical wavelengths, and at both smaller andlarger dimensions, aswell as compositions and applications therefore. Invention embodiments involvethe selfassembly of three-dimensionally periodic arrays of spherical particles, theprocessing of thesearrays so that both infiltration and extraction processes can occur, one ormore infiltration stepsfor these periodic arrays, and, in some instances, extraction steps. Theproduct articles are three-dimensionally periodic on a scale where conventional processing methods cannotbe used.Articles and materials made by these processes are useful as thermoelectricsand thermionics,electrochromic display elements, low dielectric constant electronic substratematerials, electronemitters (particularly for displays), piezoelectric sensors and actuators,electrostrictive actuators,piezochromic rubbers, gas storage materials, chromatographic separationmaterials, catalystsupport materials, photonic bandgap materials for optical circuitry, andopalescent colorants forthe ultraviolet, visible, and infrared regions.