High efficiency solution infiltration routes to thin films with photonic properties

Abstract

A chemical bath deposition (CBD) method has been developed to prepare three-dimensionally-ordered macroporous films of CdS and TiO2, using colloidal crystals as templates. A series of sequential, short infill/rinse/anneal steps are employed to effect complete infiltration of SiO2 (opal) thin films with CdS or TiO2. Removal of templates allows fabrication of macroporous inverse replica structures that exhibit periodic modulation of dielectric behaviour and have potential for use in photonic applications. A study of the photonic properties of films indicates that the multi-step CBD method is a useful approach for infiltration of opal interstices. © 2006, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.