Tunable photonic crystals offer an interesting possibility to adjust the
photonic band gap (PBG) as per requirement. Various methods of achieving
this have been tried that include polarization of liquid crystals,
thermal effects and more. Chromogenic devices provided in accordance with
the present invention include combinations and subcombinations of
electrochromic, photochromic, thermochromic devices featuring TMO based
inverse opals having tunable photonic band gaps (PBG) for certain
frequencies. Electrochromic (EC) materials in which a reversible optical
property change can be induced with the application of a small electric
field offer a novel possibility to tune the PBG in a controlled and
reversible way. The reversible chemical change and the ensuing change of
optical constants in these periodically arranged EC materials make the
PBG tunability possible. In a recent work we have demonstrated for the
first time the PBG tunability of EC materials deposited in the form of
periodic inverse opals. This earlier work was carried out with the well
known Tungsten Trioxide (WO.sub.3) EC thin films into which lithium
intercalation was done by a dry lithiation method. In the present work we
report on the fabrication of a simple tunable photonic crystal device
based on electrochemical insertion/extraction of lithium based on
WO.sub.3 inverse opals.