The possibilities of practical implementation of physical approaches to the design of metal-dielectric photonic crystal systems based on opals, which allow controlling the propagation of electromagnetic waves, are shown. The implemented approaches are based on the effects of excitation of surface plasmon-polaritons capable of propagating along the metal-dielectric interface in plasmonic-photonic layered heterostructures, and modification of the photonic-energy structure of the nanocomposite as a result of dispersion of silver in the opal matrix. Experimental results are presented indicating the occurrence of extraordinary transmission and absorption of light in plasmonic-photonic heterostructures, as well as the asymmetric shape of curves in the reflection spectra of nanocomposites, which is associated with the Fano resonance.

Direct experimental evidence for the existence of few strengthening mechanisms for polymeric composites modified with single-wall carbon nanotubes was obtained using high-resolution scanning electron microscopy.

An experimental study of the optical properties of two types of metal-dielectric composites based on opal matrices was carried out: 1) layered structures obtained by successive deposition of metal and dielectric films on a monolayer of opal globules, where extraordinary transmission and extraordinary absorption of light were detected due to the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons of various types; 2) "massive" opal samples, which were infilled with metal by electrothermodiffusion, where an asymmetric form of Bragg resonance curves was observed, due to the Fano resonance.

AbstractOptical properties of novel metal–dielectric nanocomposite materials based on opal matrices have been investigated. The position of optical resonances of nanocomposites, obtained by embedding of silver into the opal matrix by the electrothermodiffusion method, is explained by the Bragg diffraction, and an asymmetric form of resonance curves is attributed to the Fano resonance. An anomalous transmission and absorption of light by hybrid plasmon-photonic layered heterostructures, which is apparently associated with excitation of surface plasmon-polaritons, propagating along “metal–dielectric” interfaces, was revealed.

The technique of digital processing of images obtained using a nanotechnological complex on the basis of a Umka-02-E scanning tunnel microscope and Philips XL30 scanning electron microscope is described. It is capable of efficient elimination of factors complicating the analysis, such as weak contrast ratio and background nonuniformity of images. Experimental images of nanocomposite material opal-InSb, which includes nanoparticles of indium antimonide in the porous dielectric matrix of opal, underwent wavelet processing. In addition to enhanced quality of the analyzed images, the technique makes it possible to reduce the aliasing effect (discrete structure of the image being reconstructed) in wavelet processing.

The improvement of the procedure employed for hydrothermal synthesis of aluminophosphates of the AFI type (AlPO 4 ) with the use of triethanolamine as a structure-forming template made it possible to grow large-sized AFI single crystals of high optical quality in the form of hexagonal prisms with a size of up to 2–3 mm along the c axis. The dc electrical conductivity and infrared spectra of the AFI crystals thus obtained were measured.

The spectroscopic methods with angular resolution are used to perform an integrated experimental study of optical phenomena (Bragg's reflection, transmission, and scattering of light) in photonic crystals based on opal films. The anisotropy of optical properties and the influence of the photonic band structure on optical spectra of specimens are detected in all examined cases.