Abstract

Nature has been microstructuring materials for millions of years, and the optical results are all around us. Butterfly wings, beetle carapaces, peacock feathers and natural opals all divide sunlight into its constituent colours, to often visually stunning effect [1]. A creature that has recently excited wide-spread interest is the sea-mouse (marine worm, genus Aphrodita) [2]. Its hairs are spectacularly iridescent, caused by a highly regular hexagonal close-packed photonic crystal microstructure running along their length.

© 2001 EPS