Influence of the application of von Ka´rma´n-like flows on the colloidal crystallization of polystyrene particles

Self-assembled methods for the preparation of inverted opals is nowadays an important way to obtain 3D photonic crystals, since they offer some advantages as important as reduced costs. The main drawback of these techniques is the domain size achieved. We report a novel method of colloidal particle arrangement which reduces the formation of defects and increases the domain sizes. This method consists of assisting, by a von Ka´rma´n-like flow, the electrophoretic deposition of polystyrene particles. We study the effects caused by the application of such a flow.