Face centered cubic photonic bandgap materials based on opal-semiconductorcomposites

We discuss photonic crystal properties of semiconductor-opal composites and explore the possibility of using these structures as photonic bandgap (PBG ) materials in the visible and near-infrared region of the spectrum, Integr ated reflectance in the optical region is used to show that the photonic cr ystal behavior of InP-opal is enhanced with respect to the bare matrix as a result of the new refractive index contrast. Order-N band structure and tr ansfer matrix calculations have proved to be in good agreement with the exp eriments. In addition, a strong coupling effect has been observed between C dS photoluminescence and the photonic structure, which leads to a partial i nhibition of the spontaneous emission.