Silica photonic colloidal crystals on a flat glass substrate have been grown using the depletion attraction induced by nonadsorbing polymers. The dried samples have been characterised with high-resolution synchrotron small-angle X-ray diffraction and their surface topography has been studied by atomic force microscopy. The presence of long-range ordered crystals with a thickness as large as 90 planes is demonstrated. However, on some places the films are polycrystalline and contain disordered regions.
Materials by design for sustainable solutions in the energy, medical, transport, and engineering sectors
