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Anisotropic Light Transport in White Beetle Scales
Author(s) -
Cortese Lorenzo,
Pattelli Lorenzo,
Utel Francesco,
Vignolini Silvia,
Burresi Matteo,
Wiersma Diederik S.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
advanced optical materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.89
H-Index - 91
ISSN - 2195-1071
DOI - 10.1002/adom.201500173
Subject(s) - materials science , anisotropy , white (mutation) , white light , optics , condensed matter physics , engineering physics , optoelectronics , physics , biology , biochemistry , gene
The extremely brilliant whiteness shown by the Cyphochilus beetle is generated by multiple scattering of light inside the ultrathin scales that cover its body, whose interior is characterized by an anisotropic nanostructured network of chitin filaments. It is demonstrated that the structural anisotropy of the network is crucial in order to achieve high broadband reflectance from such a thin, low‐refractive‐index system.