Optical properties and gel characteristics in inverse opals made from poly(3-alkylthiophene) and photopolymer

Inverse opals of conducting polymer and photopolymer have been fabricated by infiltrating polymers into SiO 2 opal and subsequently removing SiO 2 particles with a chemical treatment. The reflection spectrum change upon heating and electrochemically doping has been demonstrated in the conducting polymer inverse opals, which originates from the refractive index change due to the change in electronic states in conducting polymer. The gel characteristics have also been observed in a photopolymer inverse opal. The inverse opal swells depending on a kind of solvents infiltrated into the inverse opal.