Low-Cost Production of Photonic Bandgap Materials Through Bubbling

Abstract

Photonic bandgap materials (PBGMs) prevent the propagation of electromagnetic waves across certain wavelengths the so-called bandgap. This behavior is the result of periodic variations in the material's dielectric constant, with the location of the bandgap as a function of the spacing between dielectric features. PBGMs show great promise in optoelectronics as waveguides and in sensors. Unfortunately, the large-scale production of PBGMs is difficult. This report proposes a simple low-cost method for PBGM production. A device has been constructed that produces micrometer-sized, monodisperse bubbles that can be assembled into a crystal lattice by surface tension. The bubble crystals can be solidified and preserved using an aqueous acrylamide monomer solution as the medium for bubbling.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2007
Accession Number
ADA474079

Entities

People

  • Daniel J. O'brien
  • Eric D. Wetzel

Organizations

  • United States Army Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Crystal Lattices
  • Crystal Structure
  • Crystals
  • Dielectric Properties
  • Materials
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Processing
  • Materials Science
  • Optical Properties
  • Periodic Variations
  • Photonic Crystals
  • Polymeric Films
  • Refractive Index
  • Surface Tension
  • Three Dimensional

Readers

  • Microwave Engineering.
  • Semiconductor Device Technology
  • Surface Coatings Technology.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Space