Photonic crystals with a specified bandgap width

A new method is proposed for the production of photonic crystals with a thoroughly controlled photonic bandgap. The method is based on the synthesis of an A_1−x B _x photonic crystal with controlled parameter x based on two isostructural A and B photonic crystals such that the photonic bandgap of the A crystal is smaller and that of the B crystal is greater than the required bandgap. The method is exemplified in a (100 − x) mol % SiO₂−x mol % ZnO inverse opal, in which the relative stop-band width monotonically increases with parameter x.