NOVELTY - Production of a photonic crystal comprises producing a first beam of coherent light, and generating second and third beams of coherent light. The beams of coherent light are aligned to form an evanescent light interference pattern grid on a substrate having a first electrostatic charge. A substance having a second electrostatic charge is introduced to the evanescent light interference pattern grid.    USE - The method is used for the production of photonic crystals. Photonic crystals are used in the fields of optoelectronics and photonics, including providing for zero threshold laser based on the crystals ability to inhibit spontaneous emissions. The crystals are also used as single-mode light emitting diodes, high Q frequency selective filters, angular filters and polarizers. The crystals are used in planar antenna substrates, solar cells, and in waveguides in the optical domain.    ADVANTAGE - The method may be used to fabricate in a controlled manner comparatively large-sized photonic crystals with a complexity equivalent to those manufactured with microlithographic techniques, at reduced cost.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The production of a photonic crystal comprises producing a first beam of coherent light. Second and third beams of coherent light are generated in a fixed phase relationship with the first beam. The beams of coherent light are aligned to form a fixed relative angle of incidence between each pair of beams, and to form an evanescent light interference pattern grid on a substrate having a first electrostatic charge. A substance having a second electrostatic charge of an attractive nature to the first electrostatic charge is introduced to the evanescent light interference pattern grid. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for the following:    (a) a method for introducing a controlled local variation into a photonic crystal produced by the positioning of material comprising the photonic crystal in a planned manner using an evanescent light interference pattern grid, comprising employing a coherent light beam to block out certain point in the evanescent light interference pattern grid when the photonic material is positioned to inhibit deposition of the photonic crystal material at such points, and introducing an impurity other than the photonic crystal into the photonic crystal at the points; and    (b) a method for generating a photonic crystal, comprising applying a photonically-active anionic material to a substrate to form a positively charged substrate, generating a light interference pattern grid on the substrate, positioning a photonically-active anionic material on the substrate using the light interference pattern grid to form a photonic crystal.