Brilliant iridescence of Morpho butterfly wing scales is due to both a thin film lower lamina and a multilayered upper lamina

AbstractThis work explores an alternative vapor sensing mechanism through analyzing dynamic desorption process from butterfly wings for the differentiation of both individual and mixed vapors quantitatively. Morpho butterfly wings have been used in differentiating individual vapors, but it is challenging to use them for the differentiation of mixed vapor quantitatively. This paper demonstrates the use of Morpho butterfly wings for the sensitive and selective detection of closely related vapors in mixtures. Principal components analysis (PCA) is used to process the reflectance spectra of the wing scales during dynamic desorption of different vapors. With the desorption-based detection mechanism, individual vapors with different concentrations and mixed vapors with different mixing ratios can be differentiated using the butterfly wing based sensors. Both the original butterfly wings and butterfly wings with surface modification show the capability in distinguishing vapors in mixtures, which may offer a guideline for further improving selectivity and sensitivity of bioinspired sensors.

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Microscale Radiative Effects in Complex Microstructures of Iridescent Butterfly Wing Scales

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-489-173 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 489 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Haruna Tada ◽

Seth E. Mann ◽

Ioannis N. Miaoulis ◽

Peter Y. Wong

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Numerical Modeling ◽

Experimental Investigations ◽

Butterfly Wing ◽

Radiative Effects ◽

Cellular Microstructure ◽

Cellular Development ◽

Optical Phenomena ◽

Thin Film Interference ◽

Wing Scales

AbstractThe cellular microstructure of insect scales can be detailed intricately with threedimensional structures and multiple thin-film layers. In butterflies, iridescent scales can reflect bright colors through thin-film interference and other optical phenomena; the balance of radiation is absorbed for thermoregulatory purposes. Results of numerical and experimental investigations into the function, properties, and structure of these scales are presented. Of particular interest are the numerical modeling of the microscale radiative effects in the scales, determining the optical properties of the biological material, and the cellular development of thin-film structures.

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Light guidance in photonic structures of Morpho butterfly wing scales

Applied Physics A ◽

10.1007/s00339-020-03948-x ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 126 (10) ◽

Author(s):

Magali Thomé ◽

Elodie Richalot ◽

Serge Berthier

Keyword(s):

Butterfly Wing ◽

Photonic Structures ◽

Morpho Butterfly ◽

Light Guidance ◽

Wing Scales

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Development of a digital holographic microscope for observation of Morpho butterfly wing scales

10.1109/telfor52709.2021.9653260 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Maja Zivic ◽

Petar Atanasijevic ◽

Marko Barjaktarovic

Keyword(s):

Butterfly Wing ◽

Morpho Butterfly ◽

Wing Scales

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The morphology of moth and butterfly wing scales which exhibit reflective diffraction phenomena

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100129681 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 50 (2) ◽

pp. 1010-1011

Author(s):

M.E. Lee ◽

E.O. de Neijs

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Diffraction Grating ◽

Grating Period ◽

Butterfly Wing ◽

First Order ◽

Transmission Grating ◽

Order Diffraction ◽

Layer Structures ◽

Optical Effects ◽

Wing Scales

The butterfly and moth families illustrate how nature has used diffractive micro-relief structures to achieve unique optical effects. Whereas the majority of insects use pigments (absorption) or occasionally thin film multi-layer structures (interference) to create colour, the wings of many families of butterfly and moth have complex 2-D or 3-D arrangements of submicron grating structures which produce zero and higher order diffraction conditions.The special properties of a diffraction grating can be understood by light incident perpendicularly on a transmission grating. The light is diffracted into a number of grating orders at angles θn given by the grating equation sin θn = n λ/d where λ is the wavelength of the light, n = 0, ± 1, --- and d is the grating period. The same conditions are valid for reflective diffraction structures. If the grating period is finer than the wavelength ie. d < λ, no first order diffraction exists for normal illumination.

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