Gianluc Romulus Lui

In photonic crystals, the propagation of light is governed by their photonic band structure, an ensemble of propagating states grouped into bands, separated by photonic band gaps. Due to discrete symmetries in spatially strictly periodic dielectric structures their photonic band structure is intrinsically anisotropic. However, for many applications, such as manufacturing artificial structural color materials or developing photonic computing devices, but also for the fundamental understanding of light-matter interactions, it is of major interest to seek materials with long range nonperiodic dielectric structures which allow the formation of isotropic photonic band gaps. Here, we report the first ever 3D isotropic photonic band gap for an optimized disordered stealthy hyperuniform structure for microwaves. The transmission spectra are directly compared to a diamond pattern and an amorphous structure with similar node density. The band structure is measured experimentally for all three microwave structures, manufactured by 3D laser printing for metamaterials with refractive index up to n=2.1⁠. Results agree well with finite-difference-time-domain numerical investigations and a priori calculations of the band gap for the hyperuniform structure: the diamond structure shows gaps but being anisotropic as expected, the stealthy hyperuniform pattern shows an isotropic gap of very similar magnitude, while the amorphous structure does not show a gap at all. Since they are more easily manufactured, prototyping centimeter scaled microwave structures may help optimizing structures in the technologically very interesting region of infrared.

In photonic crystals the propagation of light is governed by their photonic band structure, an ensemble of propagating states grouped into bands, separated by photonic band gaps. Due to discrete symmetries in spatially strictly periodic dielectric structures their photonic band structure is intrinsically anisotropic. However, for many applications, such as manufacturing artificial structural color materials or developing photonic computing devices, but also for the fundamental understanding of light-matter interactions, it is of major interest to seek materials with long range non-periodic dielectric structures which allow the formation of {\it isotropic} photonic band gaps. Here, we report the first ever 3D isotropic photonic band gap for an optimized disordered stealthy hyperuniform structure for microwaves. The transmission spectra are directly compared to a diamond pattern and an amorphous structure with similar node density. The band structure is measured experimentally for all three microwave structures, manufactured by 3D-Laser-printing for meta-materials with refractive index up to $n=2.1$. Results agree well with finite-difference-time-domain numerical investigations and a priori calculations of the band-gap for the hyperuniform structure: the diamond structure shows gaps but being anisotropic as expected, the stealthy hyperuniform pattern shows an isotropic gap of very similar magnitude, while the amorphous structure does not show a gap at all. The centimeter scaled microwave structures may serve as prototypes for micrometer scaled structures with bandgaps in the technologically very interesting region of infrared (IR).

Solid foams with micrometric pores are used in different fields (filtering, 3D cell culture, etc.), but today, controlling their foam geometry at the pore level, their internal structure, and the monodispersity, along with their mechanical properties, is still a challenge. Existing attempts to create such foams suffer either from slow speed or size limitations (above 80 μm). In this work, by using a temperature-regulated microfluidic process, 3D solid foams with highly monodisperse open pores (PDI lower than 5%), with sizes ranging from 5 to 400 μm and stiffnesses spanning 2 orders of magnitude, are created for the first time. These features open the way for exciting applications, in cell culture, filtering, optics, etc. Here, the focus is set on photonics. Numerically, these foams are shown to open a 3D complete photonic bandgap, with a critical index of 2.80, thus compatible with the use of rutile TiO2. In the field of photonics, such structures represent the first physically realizable self-assembled FCC (face-centered cubic) structure that possesses this functionality.

The porosity and inhomogeneity of 3D printed polymer samples were examined using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy, and the effects of 3D printer settings were analysed. A set of PETG samples were 3D printed by systematically varying the printer parameters, including layer thickness, nozzle diameter, filament (line) thickness, extrusion, and printing pattern. Their effective refractive indices and loss coefficients were measured and compared with those of solid PETG. Porosity was calculated from the refractive index. A diffraction feature was observed in the loss spectrum of all 3D printed samples and was used as an indication of inhomogeneity. A “sweet spot” of printer settings was found, where porosity and inhomogeneity were minimised.