Photonic Crystal Composites with Reversible High‐Frequency Stop Band Shifts

Abstract
The fabrication of photonic crystal composites composed of encapsulated electrostatically stabilized colloidal arrays with tailorable thermomechanical properties is introduced. Composites with sub‐ambient Tg exhibited reversible mechanochromic characteristics and a 172 nm stop‐band tuning range, and could be modulated up to frequencies of 200 Hz. The Figure shows reflective characteristics of the composites at different strain levels (see also inside front cover).