Photonic crystals can be considered the optical analogues of
electronic semiconductor materials. Their photonic bandgap can be
engineered similar to impurity doping. Colloidal nanoparticles allow for
a convenient three-dimensional photonic crystal platform. We have
demonstrated different approaches towards bandgap engineering, enhanced
energy transfer and lasing in such self-assembled photonic crystals. Our
lecture will focus on the inexpensive bottom-up approach to 3D photonic
crystals offered from a physical chemistry viewpoint (in contrast to the
top-down physical approach offered by lithography and etching).
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