Inverse opals with large connection pores were fabricated by infiltrating sintered polystyrene opal templates using low-temperature atomic layer deposition of $\mathrm{Ti}{\mathrm{O}}_2$ and subsequently dissolving the polystyrene in toluene. The dielectric lattice, consisting of overlapping air spheres in a $\mathrm{Ti}{\mathrm{O}}_2$ matrix, was then infiltrated with nematic liquid crystal, with some samples having received a prior hydrophobic surface treatment. The specular reflectance is shown to depend not only on electric-field amplitude, but also on film structure. In the hydrophobic-treated sample, a $20\mathrm{nm}$ shift of the Bragg peak was observed for an applied electric field of $50\mathrm{kV}∕\mathrm{cm}$.

• Received 13 September 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.72.233105