Electrodeposition of 3D ordered macroporous germanium from ionic liquids: a feasible method to make photonic crystals with a high dielectric constant.

A promising method for the production of germanium photonic crystals consists of electrodeposition of Ge from GeCl(4)-containing ionic liquids inside templates of polystyrene colloidal crystals and subsequent removal of the template. This room-temperature method gives rise to the fabrication of a three-dimensional highly ordered macroporous germanium nanostructure (see picture; scale: 2 microm) as a prototype of a photonic crystal.