Double scattering of light from Biophotonic Nanostructures with short-range order.
We investigate the physical mechanism for color production by isotropic nanostructures with short-range order in bird feather barbs. While the primary peak in optical scattering spectra results from constructive interference of singly-scattered light, many species exhibit secondary peaks with distinct characteristic. Our experimental and numerical studies show that these secondary peaks result from double scattering of light by the correlated structures. Without an analog in periodic or random structures, such a phenomenon is unique for short-range ordered structures, and has been widely used by nature for non-iridescent structural coloration.
Noh
Heeso
H
Department of Applied Physics, Center for Research on Interface Structure and Phenomena, Yale University, New Haven 06511, USA.
Liew
Seng Fatt
SF
Saranathan
Vinodkumar
V
Prum
Richard O
RO
Mochrie
Simon G J
SG
Dufresne
Eric R
ER
Cao
Hui
H
D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D003116:Color; D005241:Feathers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology*; D008027:Light; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D012031:Refractometry; D012542:Scattering, Radiation