title: Opal shell structures: direct assembly versus inversion approach.
abstract: Opal shell structures can be fabricated in two ways: By direct assembly from hollow spheres (hs-opal) or by infiltration of precursors into opal templates and inversion. The resulting lattice disturbances were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy, and transmission spectra. The hs-opal system shows much lower disturbances, for example, a lower number of cracks and lattice deformations. The strong suppression of crack formation in one of these inverse opal structures can be considered as promising candidates for the fabrication of more perfect photonic crystals.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr (Germany). dengts@pku.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Tian-Song
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Parvin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharifi
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marlow
keywords: direct assembly; hollow silica shells; inverse opal; opaline systems; shell structures