A novel method of fabrication of periodic dielectric composites involving
a flexible computer design stage, rapid growth of a second dielectric
component. Laser stereolithography is used to form the polymer material
layer by layer by photopolymerisation of a liquid. Certain materials
constructed in this fashion exhibit a complete loss-free barrier to
microwave propagation through the material for a desired band of
frequencies and are commonly known as photonic band gap crystals. Such
materials could provide a novel medium for all-angle wide- and
narrow-band blocking filters, narrow-band transmission filters,
reflective and loss-free substrates for planar antennas, and novel
loss-free media for oscillator cavities and waveguides. In addition a
novel crystal structure, particularly suited to the fabrication method
mentioned above and consisting of concatenated polyhedrons, is revealed.