Bright-White Beetle Scales Optimise Multiple Scattering of Light
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 r...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en_US |
| Published: |
Nature Publishing Group
2014
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/91218 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7395-8824 |
| _version_ | 1811079660694405120 |
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| author | Burresi, Matteo Cortese, Lorenzo Pattelli, Lorenzo Kolle, Mathias Vukusic, Peter Wiersma, Diederik S. Steiner, Ullrich Vignolini, Silvia |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering Burresi, Matteo Cortese, Lorenzo Pattelli, Lorenzo Kolle, Mathias Vukusic, Peter Wiersma, Diederik S. Steiner, Ullrich Vignolini, Silvia |
| author_sort | Burresi, Matteo |
| collection | MIT |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T11:18:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/91218 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | en_US |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T11:18:39Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/912182022-10-01T02:42:47Z Bright-White Beetle Scales Optimise Multiple Scattering of Light Burresi, Matteo Cortese, Lorenzo Pattelli, Lorenzo Kolle, Mathias Vukusic, Peter Wiersma, Diederik S. Steiner, Ullrich Vignolini, Silvia Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering Kolle, Mathias 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. Seventh Framework Programme (European Commission) (European Research Council (Grant Agreement 291349)) United States. Air Force (Grant FA9550-10-1-0020) 2014-10-29T14:32:08Z 2014-10-29T14:32:08Z 2014-08 2014-01 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 2045-2322 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/91218 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). https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7395-8824 en_US http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep06075 Scientific Reports Creative Commons Attribution http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ application/pdf Nature Publishing Group Nature Publishing Group |
| spellingShingle | Burresi, Matteo Cortese, Lorenzo Pattelli, Lorenzo Kolle, Mathias Vukusic, Peter Wiersma, Diederik S. Steiner, Ullrich Vignolini, Silvia Bright-White Beetle Scales Optimise Multiple Scattering of Light |
| title | Bright-White Beetle Scales Optimise Multiple Scattering of Light |
| title_full | Bright-White Beetle Scales Optimise Multiple Scattering of Light |
| title_fullStr | Bright-White Beetle Scales Optimise Multiple Scattering of Light |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bright-White Beetle Scales Optimise Multiple Scattering of Light |
| title_short | Bright-White Beetle Scales Optimise Multiple Scattering of Light |
| title_sort | bright white beetle scales optimise multiple scattering of light |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/91218 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7395-8824 |
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