Silicon inverse opal -: A platform for photonic bandgap research

This article focuses attention on recent research on the silicon inverse opal, the first self-assembled or bottom-up synthetic photonic crystal to exhibit a complete photonic bandgap (PBG) at 1.5 mum([1]) in accordance with theoretical predictions.([2]) The silicon inverse opal has since proven to be a useful platform for assembling on-chip films([3]) and in-chip patterns,([4]) engineering extrinsic defects,([5]) mapping photon density of states,([6]) switching light with light, and inhibiting spontaneous emission.([7]) Also, new and exciting colloidal-crystal-based structures are being developed based on experimental and theoretical knowledge acquired for the synthesis of inverted silicon photonic crystals.([8-10]) It has also inspired the idea of the silicon inverse opal heterostructure, a theoretical construct that could enable an all-optical microchip for single mode diffractionless waveguiding of light in air throughout a bandwidth of more than 70 nm at 1.5 mum.([11]).