Open AccessAutomated spray coating process for the fabrication of large-area artificial opals on textured substrates
Author(s) -
Alexander Sprafke,
Daniela Schneevoigt,
Sophie Seidel,
Stefan L. Schweizer,
Ralf B. Wehrspohn
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.21.00a528
Subject(s) - fabrication , materials science , coating , suspension (topology) , photonic crystal , nanotechnology , optics , photonics , optoelectronics , medicine , alternative medicine , mathematics , physics , pathology , homotopy , pure mathematics
3D photonic crystals, such as opals, have been shown to have a high potential to increase the efficiency of solar cells by enabling advanced light management concepts. However, methods which comply with the demands of the photovoltaic industry for integration of these structures, i. e. the fabrication in a low-cost, fast, and large-scale manner, are missing up to now. In this work, we present the spray coating of a colloidal suspension on textured substrates and subsequent drying. We fabricated opaline films of much larger lateral dimensions and in much shorter times than what is possible using conventional opal fabrication methods.