Assembly of quasicrystalline photonic heterostructures

Abstract

A method and system for assembling a quasicrystalline heterostructure. A plurality of particles is provided with desirable predetermined character. The particles are suspended in a medium, and holographic optical traps are used to position the particles in a way to achieve an arrangement which provides a desired property.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for assembling a heterostructure having selectable properties, comprising:
 providing a plurality of particles of predetermined character selected from the group of size, shape, biological property or chemical property;   providing a particle movement force to establish a particular quasicrystalline arrangement, the particle movement force selected from the group of self assembly forces, photonic based methodologies, controlled electrical field forces and controlled magnetic field forces;   arranging the plurality of particles into a three dimensional form of the quasicrystalline arrangement using the particle movement force to establish a quasicrystalline arrangement of the particles.   
     
     
         2 . The method as defined in  claim 1  further including at least one of the steps of establishing a defect state in the quasicrystalline arrangement, replacing at least one of the plurality of particles with a particle of different size or shape or property, establishing a different quasicrystalline domain within the quasicrystalline arrangement, mixing in a crystalline domain with the quasicrystalline arrangement and arranging the plurality of particles by self assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The method as defined in  claim 1  further including the step of forming the particular quasicrystalline arrangement of the plurality of particles with a preselected symmetry unachievable by crystalline materials. 
     
     
         4 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the step of providing the plurality of particles comprises using at least one of microparticles, nanoparticles, large molecules, and biological cells. 
     
     
         5 . The method as defined in  claim 1  further including the step of forming the quasicrystalline arrangement and establishing a selected one of a photonic band gap, a chemical functionality, an electrical conductivity attribute, a biological attribute and a magnetic attribute. 
     
     
         6 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the chemical functionality comprises catalytic activity, the electrical conductivity attribute is selected from the group of metallic, semiconducting and superconducting; the magnetic attribute comprises a high magnetic flux exhibited by the plurality of particles, a first one of the chemical functionality comprises a preselected changed chemical property and a second one of the chemical functionality comprises a change in a property over a corresponding crystalline structure composed of same chemical composition. 
     
     
         7 . The method as defined in  claim 1  further including the step of dynamically altering the particular arrangement for achieving different ones of the selectable properties for a selected application. 
     
     
         8 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the selected application comprises at least one of changing a quasicrystalline property selected from the group consisting of mechanical properties, electrical properties, chemical properties, magnetic properties and biological functionality. 
     
     
         9 . The method as defined in  claim 1  further including the step of applying at least one of an electromagnetic field, an electrical field and a magnetic field to further modify properties of the quasicrystalline arrangement. 
     
     
         10 . A method of assembling a heterostructure having selectable properties, comprising:
 providing a plurality of particles of predetermined character selected from the group of size, shape, biological property or chemical property;   providing a particle movement force to establish a particular quasicrystalline arrangement; and   arranging the plurality of particles into a three dimensional arrangement by using the particle movement force to establish a quasicrystalline three dimensional arrangement of the particles.   
     
     
         11 . The method as defined in  claim 10  further including at least one of the steps of establishing a defect state in the quasicrystalline arrangement, replacing at least one of the plurality of particles with a particle of different size or shape or property, establishing a different quasicrystalline domain within the quasicrystalline arrangement, mixing in a crystalline domain with the quasicrystalline arrangement and arranging the plurality of particles by self assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The method as defined in  claim 10  further including the step of forming the particular quasicrystalline arrangement of the plurality of particles with a preselected symmetry unachievable by crystalline materials. 
     
     
         13 . The method as defined in  claim 10  wherein the step of providing the plurality of particles comprises using at least one of microparticles, nanoparticles, large molecules, and biological cells. 
     
     
         14 . The method as defined in  claim 10  further including the step of forming the quasicrystalline arrangement and establishing a selected one of a photonic band gap, a chemical functionality, an electrical conductivity attribute, a biological attribute and a magnetic attribute. 
     
     
         15 . The method as defined in  claim 10  wherein the chemical functionality comprises catalytic activity, the electrical conductivity attribute is selected from the group of metallic, semiconducting and superconducting; the magnetic attribute comprises a high magnetic flux exhibited by the plurality of particles, a first one of the chemical functionality comprises a preselected changed chemical property and a second one of the chemical functionality comprises a change in a property over a corresponding crystalline structure composed of same chemical composition. 
     
     
         16 . The method as defined in  claim 10  further including the step of dynamically altering the particular arrangement for achieving different ones of the selectable properties for a selected application. 
     
     
         17 . The method as defined in  claim 10  wherein the selected application comprises at least one of changing a quasicrystalline property selected from the group consisting of mechanical properties, electrical properties, chemical properties, magnetic properties and biological functionality. 
     
     
         18 . The method as defined in  claim 10  further including the step of applying at least one of an electromagnetic field, an electrical field and a magnetic field to further modify properties of the quasicrystalline arrangement.