Reflectance spectra of metal-dielectric photonic crystals from gold nanoshells

Abstract

The light reflectance in 3-dimensional metal-dielectric photonic crystals, assembled from polyelectrolyte-coated latex spheres and infiltrated after opal crystallisation with gold nanoparticles, has been studied. Development of the surface plasmon resonance bands of Au nanoshells along the increase of the Au nanoparticle concentration has also been observed, along with deviation of the diffraction resonance dispersion and formation of the specific excitation, which combines photonic crystal optical mode with surface plasmon resonance. For heavy nanoparticle loadings, the reentrant dielectric type behaviour of the metal-dielectric photonic crystal has been seen.