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Photonic structures in biology

A Corrigendum to this article was published on 10 June 2004

Abstract

Millions of years before we began to manipulate the flow of light using synthetic structures, biological systems were using nanometre-scale architectures to produce striking optical effects. An astonishing variety of natural photonic structures exists: a species of Brittlestar uses photonic elements composed of calcite to collect light, Morpho butterflies use multiple layers of cuticle and air to produce their striking blue colour and some insects use arrays of elements, known as nipple arrays, to reduce reflectivity in their compound eyes. Natural photonic structures are providing inspiration for technological applications.

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Figure 1: Peripheral layer of ophiocomid brittlestars.
Figure 2: Iridescent setae from polychaete worms.
Figure 3: Iridescence in the butterfly Morpho rhetenor.
Figure 4: Iridiscence in Papilo palinurus.
Figure 5: Structural colour in flora.
Figure 6: The green colour of Parides sesostris is created by a photonic crystal.
Figure 7: Anti-reflective nipple arrays.

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Correspondence to Pete Vukusic.

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Vukusic, P., Sambles, J. Photonic structures in biology. Nature 424, 852–855 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature01941

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