Inverse Opal Photonic Crystals: Fabrication and Raman Enhancement Properties

Thin films of inverse opal photonic crystals (PhCs) based on ethoxylate trimethylolpropane triacrylate (ETPTA) were prepared from opal-type templates by photocurable resin polymerization. Methylene blue (MB) dye was introduced into pores of inverse PhCs as a Raman active component. Raman spectra were recorded at different wavelengths and angles of laser light incidence for samples with different positions of the photonic stop band. A pure effect of the stop band on the amplitude of spontaneous Raman scattering peaks were established for inverse opal samples without and with Au nanoparticles (NPs).