Opto-thermal modulation in biological photonic crystals

Structural Color Materials from Natural Polymers

“…Nature provides clues of structural‐functional relationship that guides material synthesis. [ 87–89 ] Inspired by living creatures that show structural colors, a large number of synthetic structural color materials and devices have emerged in recent years. [ 90–92 ] Photonic devices based on inorganic materials and synthetic polymers have proved their potential for mass production because of their widely tunable physicochemical features.…”

“…Nature provides clues of structural-functional relationship that guides material synthesis. [87][88][89] Inspired by living creatures that show structural colors, a large number of synthetic structural color materials and devices have emerged in recent years. [90][91][92] Photonic devices based on inorganic materials and [9] Copyright 2015, Springer Nature) and b) the feathers of mallard Anas platyrhynchos constructed by melanin (Reproduced with permission.…”

Multifunctional Microelectro-Opto-mechanical Platform Based on Phase-Transition Materials

“…Dynamic functionalities in hybrid electronic–photonic systems are being widely pursued to further improve the system-level performance in optical communication and data processing. , While waveguide-based modulators are widely used in integrated silicon photonics, optical modulators working in free space are also essential for practical optical applications, such as free-space optical communication, beam diffraction, interchip connection, and light harvesting . Free-space optical signal modulations have been realized by various mechanisms, including acousto-optic, thermo-optic, magneto-optic, liquid-crystal, electro-optic, and micromechanical methods. − Among them, micro- and nanoelectro-opto-mechanical systems (MEOMS and NEOMS) have drawn tremendous attraction in recent years due to their reconfigurability, potential for further miniaturization, and great reliability , and thus endow novel and conventional materials with tunable or switchable functionalities. Currently, most MEOMS and NEOMS rely on electromagnetic forces (Coulomb, Ampere, Lorentz, and optical force) to reconfigure the shape of optical-units and utilize elastic forces for restoration. − Conventional MEOMS are mostly micromirrors and -lenses with feature sizes much larger than their working wavelengths, which limit subwavelength miniaturization, thus making them not suitable for high-integration applications .…”

“…1,2 While waveguide-based modulators are widely used in integrated silicon photonics, 3 optical modulators working in free space are also essential for practical optical applications, such as free-space optical communication, 4 beam diffraction, 5 interchip connection, 6 and light harvesting. 7 Freespace optical signal modulations have been realized by various mechanisms, including acousto-optic, 5 thermo-optic, 8 magnetooptic, 9 liquid-crystal, electro-optic, and micromechanical methods. 10−12 Among them, micro-and nanoelectro-optomechanical systems (MEOMS and NEOMS) have drawn tremendous attraction in recent years due to their reconfigurability, potential for further miniaturization, and great reliability 12,13 and thus endow novel and conventional materials with tunable or switchable functionalities.…”