Self-assembled 3d photonic crystals for applications in optical communications

Nanotechnology has arisen as one of the most important fields in recent scientific research.\nIn this thesis work, the activity is mainly focused on the synthesis of nanocomposites for the fabrication of three-dimensional photonic crystals. The 3D inverse opal structures are considered very promising for their peculiar periodic properties in the confinement and propagation of light.\nTo obtain such structures, an innovative method of co-assembly has been tested, based on the self-assembly of polystyrene microspheres, in a suspension containing the infiltrating material, through a mechanism of evaporation.\nThe introduction of rare-earth ions in this ordered lattice has the purpose of studying a possible increase in light emission efficiency, due to the effect of the photonic band gap. \nIn the present study, the enhancement of the erbium emission at 1.54 microns assumes considerable importance, for future applications in optoelectronics (laser in the IR) and optical communications.