Nano- and microengineering: Three-dimensional colloidal photonic crystals prepared from submicrometer-sized polystyrene latex spheres pre-coated with luminescent polyelectrolyte/nanocrystal shells

Abstract

Colloidal photonic crystals doped with luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals were prepared by a layer-by-layer deposition technique. This method involves the consecutive electrostatic adsorption of polyelectrolyte and nanocrystals such as CdTe onto submicrometer-sized polystyrene latex globules. This method is also described as being very versatile and can be extended to the fabrication of either optically active or passive shells of different thickness.