doi: 10.7763/IJET.2026.V18.1369
The Conceptual Design of TiO2/SiO2 Photonic Crystal Heterostructures: Principles for Improved Optical and Photocatalytic Performance
Zichang Chen
*
- Shanghai Guanghua Qidi Colllege, Shanghai, 20433, China
- Manuscript received August 1, 2026
- accepted September 3, 2026
- published October 27, 2026
Abstract
With the growing demand for renewable energy and environmental remediation, there is a need for higher-performance photocatalysts and better light-harvesting strategies. In addition, TiO2 photocatalysts have been widely studied due to their stability, low cost, and non-toxicity. However, their performance is limited by weak light absorption and fast recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. Thus, it is essential to design materials that improve light harvesting and promote charge separation simultaneously. This paper investigates the design, fabrication, and applications of a photonic crystal heterostructure consisting of an ultrathin anatase TiO2 film sandwiched between two thick SiO2 layers. Particular attention is given to the role of self-assembly, photonic bandgap engineering, and interfacial chemical bonding in boosting photocatalytic performance. The results show that the SiO2/TiO2/SiO2 integrates the advantages of both photonic crystals and semiconductor heterojunctions. And this is achieved through the periodic refractive-index contrast between TiO2 and SiO2, which generates tunable photonic bandgaps and slow-light effects, thereby enhancing light confinement and photon absorption. Besides, Ti-O-Si interfacial bonding stabilizes the structure and promotes electron-hole separation, while self-assembly offers a simple, low-cost route to ordered nanostructures.
Keywords
- photonic crystal heterostructure
- Titanium Dioxide (TiO2)
- Silicon Dioxide (SiO2)
- self-assembly
- photocatalysis
How to Cite
Zichang Chen, "The Conceptual Design of TiO2/SiO2 Photonic Crystal Heterostructures: Principles for Improved Optical and Photocatalytic Performance," International Journal of Engineering and Technology, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 186-188, 2026. https://doi.org/ 10.7763/IJET.2026.V18.1369
Copyright & License
Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).