Hemispherical Brillouin Zone Imaging of a Diamond-type Biological Photonic Crystal

Overview

Journal J R Soc Interface

Specialties Biology
Biomedical Engineering
Biophysics

Date 2011 Dec 23

PMID 22188768

Citations 16

Authors

Bodo D Wilts

Kristel Michielsen

Hans De Raedt

Doekele G Stavenga

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The brilliant structural body colours of many animals are created by three-dimensional biological photonic crystals that act as wavelength-specific reflectors. Here, we report a study on the vividly coloured scales of the diamond weevil, Entimus imperialis. Electron microscopy identified the chitin and air assemblies inside the scales as domains of a single-network diamond (Fd3m) photonic crystal. We visualized the topology of the first Brillouin zone (FBZ) by imaging scatterometry, and we reconstructed the complete photonic band structure diagram (PBSD) of the chitinous photonic crystal from reflectance spectra. Comparison with calculated PBSDs indeed showed a perfect overlap. The unique method of non-invasive hemispherical imaging of the FBZ provides key insights for the investigation of photonic crystals in the visible wavelength range. The characterized extremely large biophotonic nanostructures of E. imperialis are structurally optimized for high reflectance and may thus be well suited for use as a template for producing novel photonic devices, e.g. through biomimicry or direct infiltration from dielectric material.

Citing Articles

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Salvadores Farran N, Wang L, Pirih P, Wilts B Beilstein J Nanotechnol. 2025; 16():1-10.

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Butterfly blues and greens caused by subtractive colour mixing of carotenoids and bile pigments.

Stavenga D J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol. 2023; 210(3):371-380.

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Ultra-dense, curved, grating optics determines peacock spider coloration.

Wilts B, Otto J, Stavenga D Nanoscale Adv. 2022; 2(3):1122-1127.

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Discovery of I-WP minimal-surface-based photonic crystal in the scale of a longhorn beetle.

Kobayashi Y, Ohnuki R, Yoshioka S J R Soc Interface. 2021; 18(184):20210505.

PMID: 34753307 PMC: 8580427. DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0505.

Scale Structure and Reflectance Activity of with Notes on Its Distribution in Mindanao, the Philippines.

Jr R, Abales J, Bajuyo E, Magtulis A, Mendez R, Hinampas R Trop Life Sci Res. 2021; 32(2):121-132.

PMID: 34367518 PMC: 8300948. DOI: 10.21315/tlsr2021.32.2.8.

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