Study of natural photonic crystals in beetle scales and their conversion into inorganic structures via a sol–gel bio-templating route†
Abstract
The origin of the structural colors from several different examples of the weevil and longhorn families (Curculionidae and Cerambycidae, respectively) was investigated by structural and optical characterization techniques. A range of interesting three-dimensional photonic crystal structures operating at visible wavelengths was discovered, including both disordered and ordered non-close-packed lattices of cuticular spheres and bicontinuous
- This article is part of the themed collection: Emerging investigators