Photonic Crystals: Optically Bistable Macroporous Photonic Crystals Enabled by Thermoresponsive Shape Memory Polymers

Macroporous photonic crystals with optically bistable states are fabricated by P. Jiang and co-workers using thermoresponsive shape memory polymers. On page 1509, the reversible transition between an ordered permanent state and a disordered temporary state during the shape memory "programming" and "recovery" processes results in tremendous changes in the appearance and optical properties of the photonic crystal membranes.