Broad wavelength range tunable photonic materials

Abstract

The present invention provides polymeric materials arranged as photonic crystals, or portions of photonic crystals, having properties which can be easily tuned over a large range of wavelengths upon exposure to an external stimulus. In some embodiments, the photonic crystals comprise at least one portion which can undergo a change in a physical, chemical, dielectric, or other property upon exposure to an altering stimulus, resulting in a change in a diffracted wavelength of electromagnetic radiation (e.g, light) by the photonic crystal. Embodiments of the invention may advantageously exhibit large stop band tunability and rapid response times. Photonic crystals of the invention may be useful in a wide variety of applications, such as colorimetric sensors, active components of simple display devices, electrically controlled tunable optically pumped laser, photonic switches, multiband filters, and the like.

1 . A photonic material, comprising:
 a polymeric article including a periodic structure of a plurality of periodically occurring separate domains able to interact with and affect electromagnetic radiation, with at least a first and a second domain each having an electromagnetic radiation-affecting dimension of at least 5 nm, and each having dielectric constant such that the domains define a dielectric constant ratio of at least about 1.01 for at least one range of continuous wavelengths lying within a range of from about 10 nm to about 10 microns wherein, in the presence of an altering stimulus, the dielectric constant and/or the electromagnetic radiation-affecting dimension of one of the domains changes relative to that of the other such that a diffracted wavelength of electromagnetic radiation changes by at least 45% at a set point of observation relative to the photonic material.   
     
     
         2 . A photonic material as in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the polymeric article comprises a gel or polyelectrolyte. 
     
     
         3 . A photonic material as in  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric article comprises a block copolymer. 
     
     
         4 . A photonic material as in  claim 3 , wherein the block copolymer comprises at least one domain comprising a gel or polyelectrolyte. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A photonic material as in  claim 1 , wherein the altering stimulus is a temperature change, pH change, a fluid, electromagnetic radiation, electric field, magnetic field, a chemical agent, or pressure. 
     
     
         7 - 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . A method, comprising:
 providing a composition comprising a block copolymer arranged in a periodic structure of periodically occurring separate domains, with at least a first and a second domain, each having an electromagnetic radiation-affecting dimension and able to interact with and affect electromagnetic radiation, and each having a dielectric constant such that the domains define a dielectric constant ratio of at least about 1.01 for at least one range of continuous wavelengths lying within a range of from about 10 nm to about 10 microns, and wherein, in the presence of an altering stimulus, the block copolymer is capable of undergoing a change in dielectric constant and/or an electromagnetic radiation-affecting dimension in the absence of a hydrogen-bonding additive associated with the block copolymer;   exposing the composition to an altering stimulus such that the dielectric constant and/or the electromagnetic radiation-affecting dimension of at least one of the domains changes relative to that of the other, at a set point of observation relative to the material; and   observing the change in the electromagnetic radiation-affecting dimension.   
     
     
         41 . A method as in  claim 40 , wherein at least one domain comprises a gel or polyelectrolyte. 
     
     
         42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . A method as in  claim 40 , wherein the altering stimulus is a temperature change, pH change, a fluid, electromagnetic radiation, electric field, magnetic field, a chemical agent, or pressure. 
     
     
         44 . A method as in  claim 40 , wherein the act of observing comprises observing a diffracted wavelength of electromagnetic radiation change by at least 45% at a set point of observation relative to the composition. 
     
     
         45 . A method as in  claim 40 , wherein the act of observing comprises observing a diffracted wavelength of electromagnetic radiation, having a diffracted wavelength greater than 700 nm, change by at least 10 nm at a set point of observation relative to the composition. 
     
     
         46 . A method, comprising:
 providing a composition consisting essentially of a block copolymer arranged in a periodic structure of periodically occurring separate domains, with at least a first and a second domain, each having an electromagnetic radiation-affecting dimension and able to interact with and affect electromagnetic radiation, and each having a dielectric constant such that the domains define a dielectric constant ratio of at least about 1.01 for at least one range of continuous wavelengths lying within a range of from about 10 nm to about 10 microns;   exposing the composition to an altering stimulus such that the dielectric constant and/or the electromagnetic radiation-affecting dimension of at least one of the domains changes relative to that of the other, at a set point of observation relative to the material; and   observing the change in the electromagnetic radiation-affecting dimension.   
     
     
         47 . A method as in  claim 46 , wherein at least one domain comprises a gel or polyelectrolyte. 
     
     
         48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . A method as in  claim 46 , wherein the altering stimulus is a temperature change, pH change, a fluid, electromagnetic radiation, electric field, magnetic field, a chemical agent, or pressure. 
     
     
         50 . A method as in  claim 46 , wherein the act of observing comprises observing a diffracted wavelength of electromagnetic radiation change by at least 45% at a set point of observation relative to the composition. 
     
     
         51 . A method as in  claim 46 , wherein the act of observing comprises observing a diffracted wavelength of electromagnetic radiation, having a diffracted wavelength greater than 700 nm, change by at least 10 nm at a set point of observation relative to the composition. 
     
     
         52 . A method, comprising:
 providing a photonic material comprising a polymeric article including a periodic structure of a plurality of periodically occurring separate domains able to interact with and affect electromagnetic radiation, with at least a first and a second domain each having an electromagnetic radiation-affecting dimension of at least 5 nm, and each having dielectric constant such that the domains define a dielectric constant ratio of at least about 1.01 for at least one range of continuous wavelengths lying within a range of from about 10 nm to about 10 microns; and   exposing the photonic material to an altering stimulus thereby causing the dielectric constant and/or the electromagnetic radiation-affecting dimension of one of the domains to change relative to that of the other such that a diffracted wavelength of electromagnetic radiation changes by at least 45% at a set point of observation relative to the photonic material.   
     
     
         53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . A photonic material, comprising:
 a polymeric article defining a periodic structure of a plurality of periodically occurring separate domains,   wherein the photonic material is able to interact with and affect incident electromagnetic radiation in a way that is dependent upon the level of exposure of the photonic material to an altering stimulus, and   wherein, after exposing the photonic material to a predetermined temperature, the photonic material is irreversibly changed such that the affected electromagnetic radiation is no longer dependent upon the level of exposure of the photonic material to the altering stimulus.   
     
     
         55 . A photonic material as in  claim 54 , wherein at least a portion of the polymeric article comprises a gel or polyelectrolyte. 
     
     
         56 . A photonic material as in  claim 54 , wherein the polymeric article comprises a block copolymer. 
     
     
         57 . A photonic material as in  claim 56 , wherein the polymeric article comprises at least one domain comprising a gel or polyelectrolyte. 
     
     
         58 - 59 . (canceled) 
     
     
         60 . A photonic material as in  claim 54 , wherein the pre-determined temperature is about 0° C. 
     
     
         61 - 63 . (canceled) 
     
     
         64 . A photonic material as in  claim 54 , further comprising a solvent. 
     
     
         65 . A photonic material as in  claim 64 , wherein the solvent comprises an acidic solvent. 
     
     
         66 . A photonic material as in  claim 64 , wherein the solvent comprises a non-acidic solvent. 
     
     
         67 - 71 . (canceled) 
     
     
         72 . A photonic material as in  claim 54 , wherein the altering stimulus is a temperature change, pH change, a fluid, electromagnetic radiation, electric field, magnetic field, a chemical agent, or pressure. 
     
     
         73 - 87 . (canceled) 
     
     
         88 . A method, comprising:
 exposing a temperature sensor to variations in temperature, in a first case above, or in a second case below a predetermined temperature, and determining variations in temperature via the sensor;   exposing the sensor to a temperature in the first case above, or in the second case below the predetermined temperature, at which the sensor loses its ability to signal variations in temperature; and   determining, via the sensor, the predetermined temperature, and determining that the sensor has in the first case been raised above, or in the second case lowered below, the predetermined temperature.   
     
     
         89 . A method as in  claim 88 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation affected by the temperature sensor is no longer dependent upon the level of exposure of the temperature sensory to an altering stimulus after heating the temperature sensor to a temperature at and/or above about 0° C. 
     
     
         90 . (canceled) 
     
     
         91 . A method as in  claim 88 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation affected by the temperature sensor is no longer dependent upon the level of exposure of the temperature sensory to an altering stimulus after heating the temperature sensor to a temperature at and/or above about 20° C. 
     
     
         92 - 97 . (canceled) 
     
     
         98 . A method as in claim  97 , wherein the polymeric article comprises a block copolymer. 
     
     
         99 . (canceled) 
     
     
         100 . A method as in  claim 88 , wherein the temperature sensor comprises a solvent. 
     
     
         101 - 120 . (canceled)