%0 Journal Article %J Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. %D 2014 %T Bioinspired micrograting arrays mimicking the reverse color diffraction elements evolved by the butterfly Pierella luna %A G. England %A Kolle, M. %A Kim, P. %A Khan, M. %A P. Munoz %A E. Mazur %A Aizenberg, J. %X

Recently, diffraction elements that reverse the color sequence normally observed in planar diffraction gratings have been found in the wing scales of the butterfly Pierella luna. Here, we describe the creation of an artificial photonic material mimicking this re- verse color-order diffraction effect. The bioinspired system con- sists of ordered arrays of vertically oriented microdiffraction gratings. We present a detailed analysis and modeling of the cou- pling of diffraction resulting from individual structural compo- nents and demonstrate its strong dependence on the orientation of the individual miniature gratings. This photonic material could provide a basis for novel developments in biosensing, anticoun- terfeiting, and efficient light management in photovoltaic systems and light-emitting diodes.

%B Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. %V 111 %P 15630–15634 %G eng %U http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:27417440 %N 44 %R 10.1073/pnas.1412240111