Reproducing the hierarchy of disorder for Morpho-inspired, broad-angle color reflection

Abstract

The scales of Morpho butterflies are covered with intricate, hierarchical ridge structures that produce a bright, blue reflection that remains stable across wide viewing angles. This effect has been researched extensively, and much understanding has been achieved using modeling that has focused on the positional disorder among the identical, multilayered ridges as the critical factor for producing angular independent color. Realizing such positional disorder of identical nanostructures is difficult, which in turn has limited experimental verification of different physical mechanisms that have been proposed. In this paper, we suggest an alternative model of inter-structural disorder that can achieve the same broad-angle color reflection, and is applicable to wafer-scale fabrication using conventional thin film technologies. Fabrication of a thin film that produces pure, stable blue across a viewing angle of more than 120 ° is demonstrated, together with a robust, conformal color coating.

Morpho butterfly-inspired optical diffraction, diffusion, and bio-chemical sensing

“…The internal 'Christmas tree' microscopic structure of the Morpho buttery wing scales has been reported previously. 10,13 Therefore, light reection and diffraction from the 'Christmas tree' structure were modelled at monochromatic light normal illumination. The reected light shows multi-order diffraction patterns.…”

“…Computation modeling of Morpho buttery wing scales has been reported. [36][37][38][39] However, previously reported results were based on broadband light illumination that showed light reection properties. However, computation modeling of the light diffraction effects from Morpho peleides buttery wing scales for monochromatic light illumination has not been reported.…”

“…9 One famous example of structural colour is the blue Morpho-buttery (genus Morpho found in Central and South America), whose wing scales produce blue irradiance. 10 Its structural blue irradiance is due to the alternation between the refractive index (RI) of the air and that of the multi-layered lamina structures or pigments. 11,12 The layered ridges of chitin that cover its wings are also responsible for the blue irradiance.…”

Bio‐Inspired Photonic Materials: Prototypes and Structural Effect Designs for Applications in Solar Energy Manipulation

“…Realizing such complicated nanostructures is rather difficult. Based on the structural modeling with a 2D finite element method (COMSOL), Bokwang Song et al introduced an alternative model of interstructural disorder without positional disorder which was effective to realize the same optical effects …”

Hierarchically Designed Nickel‐Entangled Carbon Sphere with Superior Adsorption Properties

“…Recent advances in hierarchical assembly have enabled the combination of the ability to harness the size‐dependent properties of individual nanocrystals with the possibility to tune collective properties due to interactions between the subunits . As a result, a substantial amount of information is now available on crystallography, self‐assembly, dimensional and morphological controls, structure evolution, and surface properties.…”