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Light Transport: Anisotropic Light Transport in White Beetle Scales (Advanced Optical Materials 10/2015)
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.201570061
Subject(s) - materials science , white light , anisotropy , optoelectronics , optics , physics
The nanostructured complex chitin network inside Cyphochilus white beetle scales is responsible for their exceptional bright whiteness. On page 1337, L. Cortese, D. S. Wiersma, and co‐workers show how, despite their low refractive index and extremely low thickness (around 7 micrometers), the scales reflect diffusively more than 70% of incident light. Such high reflectance is obtained by taking advantage of the optimized structural anisotropy of the chitin network. In this image a particular of the interior of two dissected scales is shown.