Simulation of colloidal particle packing for photonic bandgap crystals

We study the packing history and packing structures of photonic bandgap crystals consisting of mono-sized SiO2 particles. Simulations with combined actions of Brownian motion, inter-particle interactions, and imposed external fields are considered. Numerical tactics to support modeling of Brownian particle agglomerations and consolidation and drying processing are developed. Our results suggest that the desired close-packed patterns on the surface are propagated from those at the bottom layer during consolidation. The driving forces for this pattern formation and growth are the coupling between inter-particle interactions and constraints from imposed external fields.