Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
25
Photonic
S
tructuresinNature
PeterVukusicandJosephNoyes
SchoolofPhysics,UniversityofExeter,Exeter,UnitedKingdom
CONTENTS
25.1. Simple.Structures,.One-Dimensional.Periodicity........................................................ 498
25.1.1.
Chrysochroa raja
................................................................................................... 498
25.1.2.
Papilio palinurus
and
Papilio ulysses
................................................................... 500
25.1.3.
Morpho Rhetnor
and
Morpho didius
................................................................... 501
25.1.4.
Ancyluris meliboeus
and
Hypolimnas bolina
....................................................... 502
25.1.5.
Papilio zalmoxis
and
Papilio nireus
—Nature's.OLEDs..................................... 503
25.2. Three-Dimensional.Crystals........................................................................................... 504
25.2.1.
Eupholus magniicus
and
Eupholus schoenherri pettiti
....................................... 505
25.2.2.
Parides sesostris
.................................................................................................... 508
25.2.3. Whiteness............................................................................................................ 509
25.3. Two-Dimensional.Structures.......................................................................................... 510
25.3.1. Marine.Diatoms.................................................................................................. 510
References..................................................................................................................................... 515
For. hundreds. of. years,. humans. have. been. drawing. inspiration. from. the. natural. world,.
from. the. hook-and-loop. design. in. Velcro. to. the. examination. of. the. wing. tips. of. eagles.
for. a. method. to. improve. wing. eficiencies.. As. we. often. consider. photonic. structures. to.
require. careful. manufacture. within. sterile. environments,. it. is. easy. to. ignore. examples.
within.nature.as.a.source.for.inspiration.when.creating.new.designs..The.diversity.evident.
within.even.a.small.number.of.organisms.demonstrates.methods.applicable.to.enhancing.
the. quality. of. diffuse. white. relection,. emission. from. OLEDs,. and. the. creation. of. three-
dimensional.(3D).photonic.crystals..The.earliest.example.of.their.inspiration.is.the.obser-
vations.of.relection.from.a.series.of.iridescent.natural.samples.in.the.late.1800s.and.early.
1900s.that.led.to.developments.in.the.understanding.of.how.electromagnetic.waves.inter-
act.with.thin.ilms.
1,2
Despite.the.constant.examination.of.a.variety.of.natural.samples.since.this.time,.and.the.
application.of.transmission.electron.microscopy.to.natural.samples.in.the.1940s,.it.is.still.
possible.to.observe.new.and.unique.structures.in.studies.conducted.today,.or.to.further.
our.understanding.by.applying.new.techniques..In.this.chapter.we.aim.to.provide.a.small.
insight.into.the.ield.of.natural.photonics,.and.thereby.demonstrate.its.relevance.to.future.
developments.within.the.ield.of.photonics.
497
