Synthesis And Study Of PMMA Colloidal Crystals And Photonic Crystals Film

In this article, We firstly report combination use of the two initiators for synthesizing monodispersed poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microspheres. Under gravity and surface tension or centrifuge field, the PMMA microspheres were self-organized into an ordered structure-photonic crystals film or colloidal crystals. Result from that, the ratio of refractive index and limitation in photonic crystals can influence the location of photonic gap. The PMMA photonic crystals made of larger spheres tend to display red shift, which is in accord with Bragg-Snell law λ max=2(2/3)¹/2 a(n_a²-sinΦ²)¹/2. Also We report the deviation of photonic gap (difference of about 10%) was observed between the experimental value and the theoretical value which was caculated by Translight software based on the Transfer Matrix method (TMM).In order to increase the ratio of refractive index, we attempted to fill PbS or ZnS into the PMMA colloidal crystals, but failed with the disordered colloidal crystals.We also got the PMMA/ TiO₂ photonic crystals by filling TiO₂ nanocrystals into the PMMA photonic crystals. Due to the larger ratio of refractive index, the photonic gap display red shift, too.