A comparative study of inverted-opal titania photonic crystals made from polymer and silica colloidal crystal templates

Photonic crystals with an inverted-opal structure using polymer and silica colloidal crystal templates were prepared and compared. We show that the behaviors of the template during the removal process and heat treatment are determinant factors on the crystal formation. While both templates result in ordered macroporous structures, the optical quality in each case is quite different. The removal of the polymer template by sintering causes a large shrinkage of the inverted framework and produces a high density of cracks in the sample. With a silica template, sintering actually improves the quality of the inverted structure by enhancing the template’s mechanical stability, helping increase the filling fraction, and consolidating the titania framework. The role of the other important factors such as preheating and multiple infiltrations is also investigated.