title: Gleaming and dull surface textures from photonic-crystal-type nanostructures in the butterfly Cyanophrys remus.
abstract: Photonic-crystal-type nanostructures occurring in the scales of the butterfly Cyanophrys remus were investigated by optical and electron microscopy (scanning and transmission electron microscopy), reflectance measurements (specular, integrated, and goniometric), by fast Fourier transform analysis of micrographs, by modeling, and by numerical simulation of the measured reflectance data. By evaluating the collected data in a cross-correlated way, we show that the metallic blue dorsal coloration originates from scales which individually are photonic single crystals of 50 x 120 microm2 , while the matt pea-green coloration of the ventral side arises from the cumulative effect of randomly arranged, bright photonic crystallites (blue, green, and yellow) with typical diameters in the 3-10-mum range. Both structures are based on a very moderate refractive index contrast between air and chitin. Using a bleached specimen in which the pigment has decayed with time, we investigated the role of pigment in photonic-crystal material in the process of color generation. The possible biologic utility of the metallic blue (single-crystal) and dull green (polycrystal) textures both achieved with photonic crystals are briefly discussed. Potential applications in the field of colorants, flat panel displays, smart textiles, and smart papers are surveyed.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Technical Physics and Materials Science, PO Box 49, H-1525 Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Krisztián
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kertész
authors.forename: Zsolt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bálint
authors.forename: Zofia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Vértesy
authors.forename: Géza I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Márk
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lousse
authors.forename: Jean Pol
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Vigneron
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rassart
authors.forename: László P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Biró
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002080:Butterflies / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*; D003116:Color; D003198:Computer Simulation; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008954:Models, Biological; D008956:Models, Chemical; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012031:Refractometry; D013499:Surface Properties; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*