Open AccessElectrically switchable photonic crystals based on liquid-crystal-infiltrated TiO2-inverse opals
Author(s) -
Ying Zhang,
Ké Li,
Fengyu Su,
Zhongyu Cai,
Jianxun Liu,
Xiaowen Wu,
Huilin He,
Zhang Yin,
Lihong Wang,
Bing Wang,
Yanqing Tian,
Dan Luo,
Xiao Wei Sun,
Yan Jun Liu
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.27.015391
Subject(s) - materials science , photonic crystal , liquid crystal , electric field , refractive index , fabrication , optics , optoelectronics , colloidal crystal , photonics , transmittance , anatase , colloid , chemical engineering , medicine , biochemistry , chemistry , physics , alternative medicine , pathology , quantum mechanics , photocatalysis , engineering , catalysis
Electrically switchable photonic crystals are demonstrated based on TiO 2 inverse opals infiltrated with liquid crystals. Macroporous anatase TiO 2 inverse opals are fabricated from polystyrene opal templates through a sandwich vacuum backfilled method and followed by calcination. Upon liquid crystal infiltration, the optical properties of the hybrid organic/inorganic structure are characterized by reflectance measurements of the Bragg peak, the position of which can be switched using an external electric field. The physical mechanism underlying this switchable behavior is the reorientation of the liquid crystal molecules inside the spherical voids by the applied electric field, resulting in a significant change of the refractive index contrast between the liquid crystal and the TiO 2 inverse opal. With advantageous features of cost-effective fabrication, easy integration, and electric control, such TiO 2 inverse opals infiltrated with liquid crystals could play an important role in future development of active photonic devices.