Transmission and diffraction by photonic colloidal crystals

We have performed optical transmission and synchrotron small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments on colloidal crystals with optical refractive index ratios as large as possible over a wide range of volume fractions. These conditions push colloidal crystals into the regime where strong coupling of photonic crystals with light occurs. The optical transmission spectra reveal minima corresponding to stop gaps on the edges of the Brillouin zone of the photonic band structures. The positions of the optically measured stop gaps agree well with lattice spacings measured by SAXS. The stop gap in the 111 direction of crystals of polystyrene in water has a width of up to 5% of the gap frequency as a function of volume fraction, in agreement with theoretical band-structure calculations. A maximum of the relative width confirms the notion that the strength of the interaction between photonic crystals and light has an optimum as a function of volume fraction. The detailed structural information from SAXS data greatly assists in the interpretation of optical experiments on photonic crystals.