Abstract
This review concerns the recently emerged class of composite colloidal photonic crystals (PCs), in which gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are included in the photonic structure. The use of composites allows achieving a strong modification of the optical properties of photonic crystals by involving the light scattering with electronic excitations of the gold component (surface plasmon resonance, SPR) realizing a combination of absorption bands with the diffraction resonances occurring in the body of the photonic crystals. Considering different preparations of composite plasmonic-photonic crystals, based on 3D-PCs in presence of AuNPs, different resonance phenomena determine the optical response of hybrid crystals leading to a broadly tunable functionality of these crystals. Several chemical methods for fabrication of opals and inverse opals are presented together with preparations of composites plasmonic-photonic crystals: the influence of SPR on the optical properties of PCs is also discussed. Main applications of this new class of composite materials are illustrated with the aim to offer the reader an overview of the recent advances in this field.
Highlights
Photonic crystals (PCs) are a class of optical media represented by natural or artificial structures with periodic modulation of the refractive index
The material is a complete photonic band gap (CPBG) material, if the stop band is present in all directions, or else, it is a pseudo band gap material
The stop band positions depend largely on three factors: the refractive index contrast between the periodic components and the surrounding phase, the lattice constant and the filling [1]. Any one of these parameters in the photonic structures that is stimuli-responsive can be used for the creation of responsive PCs: PCs optical properties are related to the changeable photonic band gap characteristics through the application of chemical stimuli, temperature, mechanical forces, electrical/magnetic fields, or light
Summary
Photonic crystals (PCs) are a class of optical media represented by natural or artificial structures with periodic modulation of the refractive index. The period of refractive index repetition must be comparable to the wavelength of the light for intended application This characteristic of PCs guides to a range of frequency being allowed in transmission, while blocking others. The stop band positions depend largely on three factors: the refractive index contrast between the periodic components and the surrounding phase, the lattice constant and the filling [1]. Any one of these parameters in the photonic structures that is stimuli-responsive can be used for the creation of responsive PCs: PCs optical properties are related to the changeable photonic band gap characteristics through the application of chemical stimuli, temperature, mechanical forces, electrical/magnetic fields, or light.
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