Functional Photonic Crystal Materials for Biological Interfaces

Abstract Photonic crystal (PhC) materials, intrinsic sensing units derived from nanostructures, show significant potential for biological interfaces. Advances in micro/nanofabrication and materials science enable precise control of PhC periodic structures, enhancing their functionality. This review systematically summarizes controllable preparation strategies for functional PhC materials and their applications in biological-interface sensing and scaffolding. First, the main methods of preparing PhC materials are briefly reviewed, with a focus on the assembly of close-packed/nonclose-packed structures. Next, the construction processes of functional PhC materials and the key challenges involved are analyzed in detail, with a particular focus on achieving multifunctional integration while maintaining high optical response performance. Finally, we discuss the applications and current challenges of functional PhC materials in cutting-edge fields of biological interfaces, such as cell and tissue engineering. As label-free, noninvasive optical sensing platforms, PhC structures functionalized with novel materials hold promise for enabling next-generation intelligent biological interfaces.