Multiple Bragg diffraction in low-contrast photonic crystals based on synthetic opals

The phenomenon of multiple Bragg diffraction in low-contrast photonic crystals based on synthetic opals has been studied both experimentally and theoretically. The transmission and reflection spectra of opal films near the K point of the Brillouin zone of the face-centered cubic lattice in s-polarization exhibit the effect of anticrossing of dispersion curves corresponding to the (111) and (`1]11)(\bar 111) photonic stop bands. The effect of quasi-Brewster suppression of stop bands is clearly pronounced in p-polarization. The experimental data are analyzed using the calculation of the band structure of opal with the inclusion of the polarization of incident light.