A process for the fabrication of a photonic crystal (and the crystal produced
thereby)
comprising producing a first beam of coherent light; generating a second and a
third beam of coherent light each in a fixed phase relationship with the first
beam; aligning the beams of coherent light so as to form a fixed relative angle
of incidence between each pair of beams and to form an evanescent light interference
pattern grid on a substrate having a first electrostatic charge; introducing into
the evanescent light interference pattern grid a substance having a second electrostatic
charge of an attractive nature to the first electrostatic charge; positioning the
substance with the second electrostatic charge using the evanescent interference
pattern grid in a planned manner on the substrate so as to form a photonic crystal.
An apparatus for fabricating a photonic crystal is provided comprising a sample
cell having a first electrostatic surface charge; a coherent light source operatively
configured to generate a first beam of coherent light; at least one beam splitter
optically coupled to the coherent light source for generating at least a second
and a third beam of coherent light from the first beam of coherent light; at least
one reflector in alignment with the beam splitter so as to receive the first, second
and third beams of coherent light, said reflector operatively configured to align
said first, second and third beams so as to form a relative angle of incidence
between each pair of beams of approximately 120 degrees and to form an evanescent
light interference pattern grid on said sample cell; which pattern gild can be
used to position particles of a second electrostatic surface charge on the sample cell.
