Large three-dimensional photonic crystals based on monocrystalline liquid crystal blue phases

Chun-Wei Chen, Chien-Tsung Hou, Cheng-Chang Li, Hung-Chang Jau, Chun-Ta Wang, Ching-Lang Hong, Duan-Yi Guo, Cheng-Yu Wang, Sheng-Ping Chiang, Timothy J. Bunning, Iam-Choon Khoo () and Tsung-Hsien Lin ()
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Chun-Wei Chen: National Sun Yat-sen University
Chien-Tsung Hou: National Sun Yat-sen University
Cheng-Chang Li: National Sun Yat-sen University
Hung-Chang Jau: National Sun Yat-sen University
Chun-Ta Wang: National Sun Yat-sen University
Ching-Lang Hong: National Sun Yat-sen University
Duan-Yi Guo: National Sun Yat-sen University
Cheng-Yu Wang: National Sun Yat-sen University
Sheng-Ping Chiang: National Sun Yat-sen University
Timothy J. Bunning: Air Force Research Laboratory
Iam-Choon Khoo: The Pennsylvania State University
Tsung-Hsien Lin: National Sun Yat-sen University

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Although there have been intense efforts to fabricate large three-dimensional photonic crystals in order to realize their full potential, the technologies developed so far are still beset with various material processing and cost issues. Conventional top-down fabrications are costly and time-consuming, whereas natural self-assembly and bottom-up fabrications often result in high defect density and limited dimensions. Here we report the fabrication of extraordinarily large monocrystalline photonic crystals by controlling the self-assembly processes which occur in unique phases of liquid crystals that exhibit three-dimensional photonic-crystalline properties called liquid-crystal blue phases. In particular, we have developed a gradient-temperature technique that enables three-dimensional photonic crystals to grow to lateral dimensions of ~1 cm (~30,000 of unit cells) and thickness of ~100 μm (~ 300 unit cells). These giant single crystals exhibit extraordinarily sharp photonic bandgaps with high reflectivity, long-range periodicity in all dimensions and well-defined lattice orientation.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00822-y

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