Enhancing fluorescence of tricolor fluorescent powders by silica inverse opals

Silica inverse opal photonic crystals (PCs) were fabricated by using a sacrificial polymer template method, and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and reflection spectra. The fluorescence of tricolor fluorescent powders has been enhanced obviously by silica inverse opals as the emission wavelengths of the tricolor fluorescent powders are in the range of stop bands of the inverse opal PCs, which demonstrates that the PCs will be efficient and selective reflection mirrors. A promising application of the strategy would be in novel effective lighting devices. PACS 42.70.Qs; 78.55.-m; 78.55.Mb; 78.68.+m; 78.67.-n An erratum to this article can be found at