Well Defined One-Dimensional Photonic Crystal Templated by Rugate Porous Silicon

Well defined 1-dimentional (1-D) photonic crystals of polystyrene replicas have been successfully obtained by removing the porous silicon from the free-standing rugate porous silicon/phenylmethylpolysiloxane composite film. Rugate porous silicon was prepared by an electrochemical etching of silicon wafer in HF/ethanol mixture solution. Exfoliated rugate porous silicon was obtained by an electropolishing condition. A composite of rugate porous silicon/phenylmethylpolysiloxane composite film was prepared by casting a toluene solution of phenylmethylpolysiloxane onto the top of rugate porous silicon film. After the removal of the template by chemical dissolution, the phenylmethylpolysiloxane castings replicate the photonic features and the nanostructure of the master. The photonic phenylmethylpolysiloxane replicas are robust and flexible in ambient condition and exhibit an excellent reflectivity in their reflective spectra. The photonic band gaps of replicas are narrower than that of typical semiconductor quantum dots.