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Growth of Large Colloidal Crystals with Their (100) Planes Orientated Parallel to the Surfaces of Supporting Substrates
Author(s) -
Yin Y.,
Xia Y.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/1521-4095(20020418)14:8<605::aid-adma605>3.0.co;2-n
Subject(s) - materials science , colloidal crystal , photonic crystal , polystyrene , wafer , colloid , photonics , nanotechnology , square (algebra) , structural coloration , porosity , range (aeronautics) , optoelectronics , optics , polymer , chemical engineering , composite material , geometry , mathematics , physics , engineering
Templating against two‐dimensional (2D) regular arrays of square pyramidal pits etched in Si(100) wafers has been exploited to fabricate colloidal crystals with their (100) planes oriented parallel to the substrates (see Figure for an SEM image). The capability and feasibility of this method have been demonstrated by crystallizing 1.0, 0.48, and 0.25 μm polystyrene beads into 3D opaline lattices having such an orientation over areas as large as several square centimeters. Like their (111)‐oriented cousins, these long‐range ordered lattices of spherical colloids are useful in many areas such as photonics and porous materials. In particular, the ability to generate large colloidal crystals with adjustable spatial orientations will allow one to systematically investigate their photonic band structures in an effort to elucidate the structure–property relationship.