Unique light reflectors that mimic the structural colors of tiger beetles

Hiroshi Yabu; Yuta Saito; Masatsugu Shimomura

doi:10.1038/pj.2013.90

Unique light reflectors that mimic the structural colors of tiger beetles

Hiroshi Yabu, Yuta Saito, Masatsugu Shimomura

Materials-Measurement Hybrid Research Center

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this paper, we describe a novel concept for creating multicolor light reflectors by mimicking the surface structures of tiger beetle shells. We prepared dimpled and multilayered films containing thin black layers, which had multi-angle reflectivity, by embossing a silicone microlens array. The surface structuring caused the reflected light to be scattered at multiple angles and thus visible at different viewing angles. This scattering system increases the visibility of the biological surface colors and blends the reflected colors of tiger beetles. These results demonstrate that combining multilayered structures with surface structuring produces unique optical properties.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	212-215
Number of pages	4
Journal	Polymer Journal
Volume	46
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/pj.2013.90
Publication status	Published - 2014 Apr

Keywords

Biomimetics
dimples
microlens arrays
multilayered films
structural colors

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Polymers and Plastics
Materials Chemistry

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10.1038/pj.2013.90

Cite this

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title = "Unique light reflectors that mimic the structural colors of tiger beetles",

abstract = "In this paper, we describe a novel concept for creating multicolor light reflectors by mimicking the surface structures of tiger beetle shells. We prepared dimpled and multilayered films containing thin black layers, which had multi-angle reflectivity, by embossing a silicone microlens array. The surface structuring caused the reflected light to be scattered at multiple angles and thus visible at different viewing angles. This scattering system increases the visibility of the biological surface colors and blends the reflected colors of tiger beetles. These results demonstrate that combining multilayered structures with surface structuring produces unique optical properties.",

keywords = "Biomimetics, dimples, microlens arrays, multilayered films, structural colors",

author = "Hiroshi Yabu and Yuta Saito and Masatsugu Shimomura",

note = "Funding Information: H.Y. gratefully acknowledges Emiko Yamazaki of Tohoku University and Yasutaka Matsuo of Hokkaido University for assisting with the SEM observations and visible light spectroscopy, respectively. H.Y. also acknowledges financial support received through a Grant-in-Aid for Priority Areas {\textquoteleft}Metamaterials{\textquoteright} (No. 23109502), and a Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research (No. 23651100), MEXT, Japan.",

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doi = "10.1038/pj.2013.90",

language = "English",

volume = "46",

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AU - Saito, Yuta

AU - Shimomura, Masatsugu

N1 - Funding Information: H.Y. gratefully acknowledges Emiko Yamazaki of Tohoku University and Yasutaka Matsuo of Hokkaido University for assisting with the SEM observations and visible light spectroscopy, respectively. H.Y. also acknowledges financial support received through a Grant-in-Aid for Priority Areas ‘Metamaterials’ (No. 23109502), and a Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research (No. 23651100), MEXT, Japan.

PY - 2014/4

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AB - In this paper, we describe a novel concept for creating multicolor light reflectors by mimicking the surface structures of tiger beetle shells. We prepared dimpled and multilayered films containing thin black layers, which had multi-angle reflectivity, by embossing a silicone microlens array. The surface structuring caused the reflected light to be scattered at multiple angles and thus visible at different viewing angles. This scattering system increases the visibility of the biological surface colors and blends the reflected colors of tiger beetles. These results demonstrate that combining multilayered structures with surface structuring produces unique optical properties.

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KW - microlens arrays

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KW - structural colors

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Unique light reflectors that mimic the structural colors of tiger beetles

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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