Physics of Structural Physics of Structural ColorationColoration

Research Center in Physics ofMatter and Radiation (PMR)Life-induced Photonics Group

Académie Royale des Sciences,des Lettres et des Beaux-Arts de BelgiqueFacultés UniversitairesNotre-Dame de la Paix,Namur

Cinnyris prigoginei Prigogine's Sunbird

Jean Pol Vigneron

Chrysina resplendensChrysina resplendens(Cedric Vandenbem)(Cedric Vandenbem)

Infrared mirror

Green mirror

Red mirror

Avoiding iridescence

More on this : see Cedric Vandenbem

Bouligand structure: circular polarization

Cocytia d’UrvilleiCocytia d’Urvillei (Arctiidae) (Arctiidae)

Clear-wingedday-flying moth

Irian-JayaIndonesia

There is, in the island of Java, a moth which succeeds in solving an extraordinarily difficult and important problem : antireflection and self-cleaning (see photovoltaic panels, which should not reflect light and keep clean)

Array of upright cylinderson the wing surfaces.

Purpose ? • (1) Anti-reflection coating • (2) Superhydrophobicity

Clear wings surface structureClear wings surface structure

Natural superhydrophobicityNatural superhydrophobicity

The wings achieve alow light reflectanceAND hydrophobic (self-cleaning) properties with the same optimized structure