Reflective and magnetic properties of photonic polymer composite materials based on porous silicon and magnetite nanoparticles.

Photonic polymer composite materials exhibiting both reflective and magnetic properties were prepared by the replication of rugate porous silicon (PS) using polystyrene and magnetite nanoparticle (Fe3O4). Rugate PS prepared by applying a computer-generated pseudo-sinusoidal current waveform resulted in a mirror with high reflectivity in a specific narrow spectral region and served as a template for replicating its nanostructure with polystyrene containing the magnetic nanoparticles of magnetite. The composite films replicated a sharp photonic resonance with full-width at half maximum (FWHM) of 20 nm from rugate PS in the reflectivity spectrum as well as displayed a magnetic property of magnetite nanoparticles in SQUID magnetometry. Optical characteristics of composite films indicated that the surface of polymer film had a negative structure of rugate PS. The composite films were stable in aqueous solutions for several days without any degradation.