Plasma photonic crystals with integrated plasmonic arrays in a microtubular frame

A method of reflecting, transmitting, storing, or altering the phase of incident electromagnetic energy, the method comprising steps of:

• generating a periodic array of microplasma in an array of microtubes that define a plasma photonic crystal, wherein at least plurality of the microtubes each separately confine microplasma therein, wherein the array comprises is a spacing and average electron density selected to form a photonic crystal and produce a photonic response to the incident electromagnetic energy, and wherein the microtubes of the array of microtubes are suspended within an active region of the plasma photonic crystal and the active region is free of electrodes;
• and
• interacting the incident electromagnetic energy with the periodic array of microplasma to reflect, transmit and/or trap the incident electromagnetic energy.