R. GRASSI

Three-dimensional artificial opals showing photonic crystals properties are grown by self-assembly of polystyrene nanospheres. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of opal surfaces show domains with regular triangular and squared packing of the spheres separated by cracks whose relative fraction depends on the sample quality. The energy...

Artificial opal films have been prepared by sedimentation of monodisperse silica spheres in water suspension. Atomic force microscope images show a triangular packing of the spheres at the surface of the films. The presence and the energy position of an optical pseudo gap in incidence-angle-dependent transmittance and reflectance spectra is...