Ferroelectric inverse opals with electrically tunable photonic band gap

We present a scheme for tuning the photonic band gap (PBG) by an external electric field in a ferroelectric inverse opal structure. The inverse opals, consisting of ferroelectric $({\mathrm{Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O}}_3$ (PLZT) ceramics, were synthesized by a sol–gel process. Optical reflection spectra show that the PBG of the PLZT inverse opals shifts continuously with the change in the applied electric field. As the photonic crystals (PCs) consist of the high-refractive-index constituent and possess an “all-solid” structure, it should supply a more reliable mode to tune the PBG by the electric field for the superprism effect in PCs. It should be of high interest in device applications.