Polarizing Natural Nanostructures

Abstract

The first part of this chapter gives a brief description of the polarizing environment we are living in and the possibilities for some animals to detect this polarization. This is followed by a presentation of how animals and plants generate polarized light, usually through reflection from micro- and nanostructures. Special attention is made to scarab beetles reflecting light with a high degree of circular polarization. The use of Mueller matrix spectroscopic ellipsometry to obtain optical and structural properties of the beetle cuticle are demonstrated. Finally some comments on the biological aspects of polarization are made.