Bright-White Beetle Scales Optimise Multiple Scattering of Light
Name
Burresi-2014-Bright-white beetle.pdf
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894.78 KB
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Checksum (MD5)
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Author(s)
Burresi, Matteo
Cortese, Lorenzo
Pattelli, Lorenzo
Kolle, Mathias
Vukusic, Peter
Wiersma, Diederik S.
Steiner, Ullrich
Vignolini, Silvia
Date Issued
August 2014
Journal
Scientific Reports
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
Citation
Burresi, Matteo, Lorenzo Cortese, Lorenzo Pattelli, Mathias Kolle, Peter Vukusic, Diederik S. Wiersma, Ullrich Steiner, and Silvia Vignolini. “Bright-White Beetle Scales Optimise Multiple Scattering of Light.” Sci. Rep. 4 (August 15, 2014).
Version
Final published version
Abstract
Whiteness arises from diffuse and broadband reflection of light typically achieved through optical scattering in randomly structured media. In contrast to structural colour due to coherent scattering, white appearance generally requires a relatively thick system comprising randomly positioned high refractive-index scattering centres. Here, we show that the exceptionally bright white appearance of Cyphochilus and Lepidiota stigma beetles arises from a remarkably optimised anisotropy of intra-scale chitin networks, which act as a dense scattering media. Using time-resolved measurements, we show that light propagating in the scales of the beetles undergoes pronounced multiple scattering that is associated with the lowest transport mean free path reported to date for low-refractive-index systems. Our light transport investigation unveil high level of optimisation that achieves high-brightness white in a thin low-mass-per-unit-area anisotropic disordered nanostructure.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
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Creative Commons Attribution
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DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1038/srep06075
