Abstract
We have applied the electrorheological (ER) effect to produce
three-dimensional (3-D) photonic crystals for laser applications. When
polyester resin is in a strong electric field, bubbles are generated
as a result of a chemical reaction. Because the resin has much high
dielectric constant and conductivity than that of the bubbles, the
bubbles are negatively polarized. Strong dipolar interactions force
the bubbles align in the field direction to form chains and aggregate
into a body-centered tetragonal lattice. This crystallization process
can be controlled by varying the electric field strength, temperature,
and amount of hardener. The final product, a 3-D photonic crystal, has
good optical properties for laser applications.