Ascendant bioinspired antireflective materials: Opportunities and challenges coexist

Han, Zhiwu; Jiao, Zhibin; Niu, Shichao; Liu, Ren

doi:10.1016/j.pmatsci.2019.01.004

Cited by 108 publications

(88 citation statements)

References 384 publications

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“…Through evolution over millions of years, elaborate biophotonic microstructures existing in creatures have been fascinating tools to efficiently control the light propagation, leading to tremendous advances in design of modern biomimetic materials and devices . Structural whiteness (i.e., broadband reflection) is one of the intriguing phenomena, which prevalently appears in insects, aquatic organisms, mammals, and avifaunae, providing ponderable ideas for applications ranging from displays to energy‐efficient thermal controlled materials and devices .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bright Silver Brilliancy from Irregular Microstructures in Butterfly Curetis acuta Moore

Liu

Wang

Yang

et al. 2019

Advanced Optical Materials

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Structural whiteness in nature is one of the useful optical phenomena contributed by refined microstructures and serves important biological functions. However, whiteness residing in wings, antennae, and bodies of butterflies often draws less attention, with undetected physical mechanisms and applications. Here, it is discovered that bright silver scales on the ventral side of butterfly Curetis acuta Moore have enhanced broadband reflection with particular angle dependency, which is dominated by the irregularity of scales. The broadband reflection is the result of color mixing effect caused by laminated scales with irregular layer space and thickness. The special angle dependency suggests that the reflection intensity changes with azimuth angles but remains unvaried at different viewing angles along given direction. This is the consequence of diffraction caused by ridges and irregular holes on the scales, which generates the shining effect and extends the viewing angle of broadband reflection. The characteristic reflection property is speculated to be used for intraspecific communication. Furthermore, it is found that the broadband reflection property of the silver scales is helpful to lower the body temperature under direct sunshine. These findings for light and thermo controlling would offer a potential strategy to design bioinspired advanced materials for low‐energy, reflectance‐based applications.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bright Silver Brilliancy from Irregular Microstructures in Butterfly Curetis acuta Moore

Liu

Wang

Yang

et al. 2019

Advanced Optical Materials

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“…The simulations were carried out using a multilayer model simulating the graded refractive index layers going from the top of the nipples to their base (Figure 1). The effective refractive index was calculated using effective medium theory and the calculated volume fraction [17,18]. Effective medium theory (EMT) is a method commonly used to represent a repeating structure with sub-wavelength dimensions as a homogeneous medium [17] (Figure 1c–f).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The effective refractive index was calculated using effective medium theory and the calculated volume fraction [17,18]. Effective medium theory (EMT) is a method commonly used to represent a repeating structure with sub-wavelength dimensions as a homogeneous medium [17] (Figure 1c–f). Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) is a more robust method of analyzing many properties of nanostructures but requires far more computational power and time.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This method allows monte-carlo-based optical modelling (Breaults ASAP in this study) to be used, which drastically reduces computation time for complex models and allows large areas of nanopatterns to be analyzed. This style of modelling has been used elsewhere for predictions of effective refractive index and reflectance from nanostructures [17,18].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The most popular is that nipples reduce reflection [9] and, therefore, provide increased light transmittance by potentially increasing visual efficiency through increased photon capture for a given stimulus condition [16]. The anti-reflective structures of moth and butterfly eyes have bio-inspired engineering applications (e.g., in the photovoltaic and optical industries [17]). Another theory [18] suggests that corneal nipples mainly function to reduce the eye glare of moths that are inactive during the day, so to make them less visible for predators.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Optical Modelling and Phylogenetic Analysis Provide Clues to the Likely Function of Corneal Nipple Arrays in Butterflies and Moths

Spalding

Shanks

Bennie

et al. 2019

Insects

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The lenses in compound eyes of butterflies and moths contain an array of nipple-shaped protuberances, or corneal nipples. Previous work has suggested that these nipples increase light transmittance and reduce the eye glare of moths that are inactive during the day. This work builds on but goes further than earlier analyses suggesting a functional role for these structures including, for the first time, an explanation of why moths are attracted to UV light. Using a phylogenetic approach and 3D optical modelling, we show empirically that these arrays have been independently lost from different groups of moths and butterflies and vary within families. We find differences in the shape of nipples between nocturnal and diurnal species, and that anti-glow reflectance levels are different at different wave-lengths, a result thereby contradicting the currently accepted theory of eye glow for predator avoidance. We find that there is reduced reflectance, and hence greater photon absorption, at UV light, which is probably a reason why moths are attracted to UV. We note that the effective refractive index at the end of the nipples is very close to the refractive index of water, allowing almost all the species with nipples to see without distortion when the eye is partially or completely wet and providing the potential to keep eyes dry. These observations provide a functional explanation for these arrays. Of special interest is the finding that their repeated and independent loss across lepidopteran phylogeny is inconsistent with the explanation that they are being lost in the ‘higher’, more active butterflies.

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Transparent Antireflective (AR) Surfaces Inspired by Cicada Wings

2022

Nature‐Inspired Structured Functional Surfaces

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Ascendant bioinspired antireflective materials: Opportunities and challenges coexist

Cited by 108 publications

References 384 publications

Bright Silver Brilliancy from Irregular Microstructures in Butterfly Curetis acuta Moore

Bright Silver Brilliancy from Irregular Microstructures in Butterfly Curetis acuta Moore

Optical Modelling and Phylogenetic Analysis Provide Clues to the Likely Function of Corneal Nipple Arrays in Butterflies and Moths

Transparent Antireflective (AR) Surfaces Inspired by Cicada Wings

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