Structural color tuning in a Ag/TiO2 nanoparticle one-dimensional photonic crystal induced by electric field

We present the electric field-induced tuning of the light transmission in a photonic crystal device. The device, with alternating layers of Silver and Titanium dioxide nanoparticles, shows a shift of around 10 nm for an applied voltage of 10 V. An accumulation of charges at the Silver/TiO2 interface due to electric field leads to an increase of the number of charges contributing to the plasma frequency in Silver. This results in a blue shift of the Silver plasmon band, with concomitant blue shift of the photonic band gap as a result of the decrease in the Silver dielectric function.