# US 10,370,477 B2 · Broad wavelength range chemically tunable photonic materials > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,477 B2 - Document ID: US10370477B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/150,320 - Filed: 2016-05-09 - Published: 2016-11-10 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2007-09-27 - Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Applicants: Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Inventors: Youngjong Kang; Joseph Walish; Edwin L. Thomas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370477B2 ## CPC - G02F 1/15165: {Polymers} - B82Y 20/00: Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals - C08F 293/00: Macromolecular compounds obtained by polymerisation on to a macromolecule having groups capable of inducing the formation of new polymer chains bound exclusively at one or both ends of the starting macromolecule (on to polymers modified by introduction of unsaturated end groups C08F290/02) - G01K 11/12: using changes in colour, translucency or reflectance - G02B 1/005: {made of photonic crystals or photonic band gap materials (photonic band-gap structures or photonic lattices in integrated optics G02B6/1225; photonic band-gap structures or photonic lattices in optical fibres G02B6/02295)} - G02B 5/20: Filters (polarising elements G02B5/30) - G02F 1/0147: {based on thermo-optic effects (G02F1/132 takes precedence)} - G02F 1/0121: {Operation of devices; Circuit arrangements, not otherwise provided for in this subclass} - G02F 1/061: based on electro-optical organic material (G02F1/07, {G02F1/13} take precedence) - G02F 2001/164: {the electrolyte is made of polymers} - G02F 2202/022: polymeric - G02F 2202/32: Photonic crystals - G02F 2202/36: Micro- or nanomaterials - G02F 2203/023: total internal reflection - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES - C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS - G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract The present invention provides polymeric materials arranged as photonic crystals, or portions of photonic crystals, having properties which can be easily tuned over a large range of wavelengths upon exposure to an external stimulus. In some embodiments, the photonic crystals comprise at least one portion which can undergo a change in a physical, chemical, dielectric, or other property upon exposure to an altering stimulus, resulting in a change in a diffracted wavelength of electromagnetic radiation (e.g, light) by the photonic crystal. Embodiments of the invention may advantageously exhibit large stop band tunability and rapid response times. Photonic crystals of the invention may be useful in a wide variety of applications, such as colorimetric sensors, active components of simple display devices, electrically controlled tunable optically pumped laser, photonic switches, multiband filters, and the like. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A photonic material, comprising: a polymeric article including a periodic structure of a plurality of periodically occurring separate domains able to interact with and affect electromagnetic radiation, with at least a first and a second domain each having an electromagnetic radiation-affecting dimension of at least 5 nm, and each having a dielectric constant such that the domains define a dielectric constant ratio of at least 1.001 for at least one range of continuous wavelengths lying within a range of from 10 nm to 10 microns, wherein, in the presence of an altering stimulus, the electromagnetic radiation-affecting dimension of one of the domains changes relative to that of the other due to swelling and/or de-swelling of at least one of the domains, and a diffracted wavelength of electromagnetic radiation, having a diffracted wavelength greater than 700 nm, changes by at least 10 nm at a set point of observation relative to the photonic material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The photonic material of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the polymeric article comprises a gel or polyelectrolyte. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The photonic material of claim 1, wherein the polymeric article comprises a block copolymer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The photonic material of claim 3, wherein the block copolymer comprises at least one domain comprising a gel or polyelectrolyte. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The photonic material of claim 3, wherein the block copolymer is polystyrene-quaternized-poly-(2-vinyl pyridine). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The photonic material of claim 1, wherein the altering stimulus is a temperature change, a pH change, a fluid, electromagnetic radiation, an electric field, a magnetic field, a chemical agent, or pressure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The photonic material of claim 1, wherein the diffracted wavelength of electromagnetic radiation changes by at least 25 nm at the set point of observation relative to the photonic material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The photonic material of claim 1, wherein the diffracted wavelength of electromagnetic radiation changes by at least 50 nm at the set point of observation relative to the photonic material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The photonic material of claim 1, wherein the diffracted wavelength of electromagnetic radiation changes by at least 100 nm at the set point of observation relative to the photonic material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The photonic material of claim 1, wherein the diffracted wavelength of electromagnetic radiation changes by at least 150 nm at the set point of observation relative to the photonic material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The photonic material of claim 1, wherein the diffracted wavelength of electromagnetic radiation changes by at least 200 nm at the set point of observation relative to the photonic material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The photonic material of claim 1, wherein the diffracted wavelength of electromagnetic radiation changes by at least 250 nm at the set point of observation relative to the photonic material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The photonic material of claim 1, wherein the dielectric constant ratio is at least 1.01. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The photonic material of claim 1, wherein the dielectric constant ratio is at least 1.1. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The photonic material of claim 1, wherein the dielectric constant ratio is at least 1.25. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The photonic material of claim 1, wherein the dielectric constant ratio is at least 1.5. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The photonic material of claim 1, wherein the dielectric constant ratio is at least 1.75. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The photonic material of claim 1, wherein the dielectric constant ratio is at least 2.0.