Robust polymer colloidal crystal photonic bandgap structures

New polymeric matrices are presented that embed organic colloidal crystalli ne arrays (CCA's) into mechanically stable photonic bandgap structures. We achieved these new matrices either by dispersing polystyrene CCA's with hig h molecular weight hydrophilic polymer [poly(ethylene glycol); (PEG)] or th rough in situ polymerization of hydrophilic monomers (acrylamide and acryla te functional PEG variants) about the CCA. CCA-dispersed PEG matrices exhib ited strong red opalescence with a narrow peak at 614 nm and were sufficien tly rigid to withstand repeated mechanical deformation. Visible photonic ba ndgaps also were observed hom freestanding CCA composites with cross-linked poly(N, N-dimethylacrylamide) matrices. The results demonstrate the techno logical potential for robust organic photonic crystals. (C) 2000 Optical So ciety of America OCIS codes: 160.4670, 160.4760, 166.4890.