Themed collection Photonics
Recent developments in photonic, plasmonic and hybrid nanowire waveguides
This review summarizes recent advances in dielectric and plasmonic nanowire waveguides and their hybridization towards better device performance.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 11795-11816
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TC02981D
Multifunctional cellulose-paper for light harvesting and smart sensing applications
Opto-electronics on/with paper is fostering a novel generation of flexible and recyclable devices for sunlight harvesting and intelligent optical sensing.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 3143-3181
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TC05271E
Flexible mechanochromic photonic crystals: routes to visual sensors and their mechanical properties
This review summarizes the recent developments in flexible mechanochromic photonic crystals, including the inspirations of the material from nature, principles for fabrication, characterizations of mechanical properties, as well as applications in smart strain-colour sensing.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 3182-3199
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TC00202A
An overview of metamaterials and their achievements in wireless power transfer
The schematic of metamaterials applied in wireless power transfer.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 2925-2943
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TC03384B
THz photonics in two dimensional materials and metamaterials: properties, devices and prospects
Terahertz radiation refers to a broad electromagnetic spectrum range between microwave and infrared waves, which is also known as the terahertz gap due to inadequate materials and technologies for its generation and manipulation.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 1291-1306
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TC05460B
Environmentally friendly and earth-abundant colloidal chalcogenide nanocrystals for photovoltaic applications
A review of recent advances in the synthesis of environmentally friendly and earth-abundant colloidal chalcogenide nanocrystals for solar cells.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 414-445
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TC04952H
Mid- to far-infrared sensing: SrTiO3, a novel optical material
SrTiO3 as a disruptive technological solution to the inflated expectations of plasmonics, targeting the mid and far infrared wavelengths.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 7851-7857
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9TC01753D
Protection against a wide UV wavelength range by Bragg reflection from polycrystalline colloidal photonic crystals
Polycrystalline colloidal crystals can block ultraviolet light of 290–400 nm, regardless of the incident angle, while maintaining transparency in the visible light region.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 7512-7515
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9TC00680J
Liquid crystalline block copolymers as adaptive agents for compatibility between CdSe/ZnS quantum dots and low-molecular-weight liquid crystals
Liquid crystalline (LC) triblock copolymers were used either as (i) a nematic matrix, which can be loaded with 10 wt% of CdSe/ZnS QDs, or (ii) a compatibilizer, which allows more than 1 wt% of QDs to be introduced in low-molecular-weight cholesteric LCs.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 4326-4331
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9TC00610A
Elastic sheath–liquid crystal core fibres achieved by microfluidic wet spinning
Highly stretchable liquid crystal core–elastomer sheath fibres are spun using a microfluidic wet spinning approach.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 11588-11596
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9TC03836A
Solution-processable Yb/Er 2D-layered metallorganic frameworks with high NIR-emission quantum yields
2D-layered Yb/Er homo- and heterometallic MOFs with the chlorocyananilate linker display long-lived NIR emission and high total quantum yields upon ligand excitation over the whole UV-visible spectrum.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 11207-11214
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9TC03698A
Coherent optical coupling of plasmonic dipoles in metallic nanoislands with random sizes and shapes
Coherent coupling of plasmonic dipoles of metallic nanoislands with random sizes and generation of surface lattice resonances via photonic lattices.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 9678-9685
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9TC03351C
Terahertz spectroscopic characterization of Ge2Sb2Te5 phase change materials for photonics applications
Ge–Sb–Te (GST) phase change materials exhibit a metal-to-insulator transition and therefore are expected to be useful for a variety of terahertz wave applications in addition to their primary application in optical and electrical memory devices.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 8209-8215
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9TC01456J
Optical characterization of a two-dimensional BODIPY-based polymer material and its related chromophores
Elucidating the ultrafast photoevents happening in an excited BODIPY 2-D-material and its parent units: relevance of intramolecular-charge transfer and interunit interactions to their photoresponse.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 7872-7884
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9TC02137J
Paintable temperature-responsive cholesteric liquid crystal reflectors encapsulated on a single flexible polymer substrate
Temperature-responsive photonic cholesteric liquid crystal reflectors deposited on flexible single substrates, encapsulated by protective polymer layers generated by photo-enforced stratification.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 7395-7398
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9TC02011J
An enhanced energy migration strategy in upconverting nanocrystals: color-tuning with high quantum yield
An innovative energy migration strategy is described for efficient color-control in upconverting nanocrystals through the modification of geometrical parameters only.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 7371-7377
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9TC01567A
Dual-colour generation from layered colloidal photonic crystals harnessing “core hatching” in double emulsions
Spontaneous core-hatching process is introduced to double emulsion droplets for implementing further structural tunability and optical responsiveness in colloidal photonic crystals.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 6924-6931
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9TC01055F
Refractive index modulation in metal oxides arising from chemically induced free carriers and its application in gas sensing
Metal oxide PhCs are used as active optical materials for chemical sensing by connecting optical to electrical gas response.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 6752-6758
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9TC01612K
Tetrathiafulvalene–oligofluorene star-shaped systems: new semiconductor materials for fluorescent moisture indicators
Increased emission through the oxidation of tetrathiafulvalene redox-active centres in star-shaped oligofluorene structures.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 6582-6591
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9TC00845D
Lightwave trapping in thin film solar cells with improved photonic-structured front contacts
Solar cell patterned with photonic elements on the front transparent contact. The photocurrent generated is boosted in a wide spectral incidence range.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 6456-6464
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TC06092D
Wide-angle lasing from photonic crystal nanostructures of a liquid-crystalline blue phase
Wide-angle lasing emitting dye-doped blue-phase liquid crystals (DDBPLCs), which are analogous to photonic crystals, have been demonstrated to selectively reflect visible light.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 6433-6439
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9TC01350D
Self-assembly of Au nano-islands with tuneable organized disorder for highly sensitive SERS
A thermophoretically driven Au aerosol deposition process is used for the self-assembly of thin films consisting of plasmonic nano-islands (NIs) with a controllable and highly reproducible degree of disorder resulting in long-range periodicity with self-similar properties and stochastically distributed hot-spots, benefitting their applications as SERS substrates.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 6308-6316
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9TC01231A
A broadban-tunable photonic bandgap and thermally convertible laser with an ultra-low lasing threshold from a refilled chiral polymer template
This study reports broadband-tunable photonic bandgap and thermally-convertible lasers with ultra-low lasing thresholds based on refilled chiral polymer templates.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 4740-4747
https://doi.org/10.1039/C9TC00194H
Broadband NIR emission from multiple Bi centers in nitridated borogermanate glasses via tailoring local glass structure
The introduction of nitride into Bi-doped multi-component glasses enhances and broadens Bi NIR emission.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 2076-2084
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TC06102E
A bismuthene-based multifunctional all-optical phase and intensity modulator enabled by photothermal effect
Based on the excellent photothermal effect in few-layer bismuthene, an all-optical phase and intensity modulator has been designed and successfully verified with multifunctional properties, including phase shifting, wavelength tuning, intensity modulating and information loading.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 871-878
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TC05513K
All-optical switching in dye-doped DNA nanofibers
Electrospun fibers made of DNA semi-intercalated with a push–pull, luminescent nonlinear pyrazoline derivative are introduced as novel all-optical switches.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2019,7, 170-176
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TC04677H
Ultrasmall 2D NbSe2 based quantum dots used for low threshold ultrafast lasers
Low threshold ultrafast fiber lasers in 1.5 based NbSe2 quantum dots saturable absorbers have been successfully fabricated and investigated.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 12638-12642
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TC04635B
Anodizing with voltage versus optical path length modulation: a new tool for the preparation of photonic structures
Direct control of the optical path length of each layer inside anodic alumina produces a high quality photonic crystal.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 12192-12199
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TC04246B
ortho-Fluorination of azophenols increases the mesophase stability of photoresponsive hydrogen-bonded liquid crystals
We present a photoresponsive supramolecular liquid-crystalline (LC) system with enhanced stability of the LC phase due to ortho-fluorination of the bond-donating hydroxyazobenzene derivative, an important characteristic for their future use in photonics.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 9958-9963
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TC02611D
Persistent luminescence warm-light LEDs based on Ti-doped RE2O2S materials prepared by rapid and energy-saving microwave-assisted synthesis
Persistent luminescence materials based on Ti-doped rare earth oxysulfides were obtained by a rapid, one-step process for application in self-sustained warm-light LEDs.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 8897-8905
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TC01826J
Dendrimer-induced colloids towards robust fluorescent photonic crystal films and high performance WLEDs
We fabricated dendrimer-modified colloids and utilized them to fabricate PC films with good mechanical strength and high performance WLEDs.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 8187-8193
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TC02484G
Simultaneous enhancement of mechanical strength and luminescence performance in double-network supramolecular hydrogels
We observed remarkable simultaneous enhancement of both mechanical strength and luminescence performance in the presented luminescent supramolecular hydrogels, which were obtained by copolymerization of functional lanthanide-containing co-monomers and acrylamide monomers.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 6869-6874
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TC02154F
Enhanced NIR-I emission from water-dispersible NIR-II dye-sensitized core/active shell upconverting nanoparticles
Water-dispersible NIR-II dye (IR-1061) sensitized core/active shell upconversion nanoparticles (800 nm emission of Tm3+ ion).
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 4777-4785
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TC00335A
Photonic hydrogels for the ultratrace sensing of divalent beryllium in seawater
Photonic hydrogel sensing materials functionalized with 9-crown-3 are fabricated by a two-step process for the sensitive and selective detection of ultratrace Be2+ ions in seawater.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 4234-4242
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TC00242H
Photoacid catalyzed organic–inorganic hybrid inks for the manufacturing of inkjet-printed photonic devices
Inkjet printing of photoacid catalyzed organic–inorganic hybrid formulations has been used in the preparation of low-loss optical waveguides.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 3882-3894
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TC05178F
Design, synthesis, and properties of nonlinear optical chromophores based on a verbenone bridge with a novel dendritic acceptor
A polyenic chromophore containing a new dendritic tricyanofuran acceptor has been synthesized for achieving improved polar order in poled polymers.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 2840-2847
https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TC00083B
Porous organic/inorganic hybrid one-dimensional photonic crystals for rapid visual detection of organic solvents
A highly sensitive 1DPC sensor for rapid visual detection of organic solvents was achieved.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 2704-2711
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TC05390H
Flexible latex photonic films with tunable structural colors templated by cellulose nanocrystals
Free-standing latex films were prepared by using CNCs as templates. The structural color of the latex film shows a reversible response to water adsorption and dehydration. The maximum elongation at break of the latex film reaches 34.5%, which is ∼8 times larger than that of the best film reported so far.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 2396-2406
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TC05523D
Microfluidic printing directing photonic crystal bead 2D code patterns
We developed a new microfluidic printing technology for the fabrication of multi-signal 2D code patterns with structural colors and fluorescence properties, which may have potential applications in anti-counterfeiting and optoelectronic fields.
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018,6, 2336-2341
https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TC05355J
About this collection
We have brought together a collection of Journal of Materials Chemistry C articles on the topic of photonics. These articles are free to access until the 25th of November. We hope you enjoy reading them!