Superstructures of Multielement Colloidal Molecules: Efficient Pathways to Construct Reconfigurable Photonic and Phononic Crystals

• DOI: 10.1002/adts.201800198
• Publication Date: 2019-02-05T20:29:14Z
• Authors: Kiumars Aryana; James B. Stahley; Nishan Parvez; Kristin Kim; Mehdi B. Zanjani
• Keywords: Superstructure

Abstract Motivated by recent advances in synthesis and characterization of complex colloidal building blocks, the self‐assembly behavior transport properties novel superstructures multielement molecules are explored with applications areas such as phononics, photonics, photovoltaics. Using an analytical/computational framework, connectivity landscape various shapes is examined to propose new multicomponent superstructure phases that can self‐assemble from binary mixtures these blocks. The identified then investigated terms their tunable photonic/phononic properties. dependence photonic bandgaps on features block size shape studied. Each composed at least four different types elements, which provides a desirable framework obtain reconfigurable metamaterials. calculations show tetrahedral units result sizes large 27% for material compositions dielectric constant difference 15. formed expand existing paradigms particles. This paper also promotes future experimental theoretical work discovering more higher number degrees freedom be utilized engineering desired functional materials.