Replication of Papilio maackii Ménétriés butterfly scale structural color using a magnetron sputtering method

Abstract

The natural butterfly Papilio maackii Ménétriés scales were found, through scanning and transmission electron microscopy, to comprise stacks of thin layers. Replicated scales were then fabricated on a silicon substrate using a magnetron sputtering (MS) method with ITO (In2O3(90%)+SnO2(10%)) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Finally, the optical effects of the replicated scale were examined by a spectrometer. The results showed that the replicated and natural scales have the similar characteristics in structural colors. As a result, it can be concluded that the MS method reported in this paper is a feasible method for fabricating an artificial biological structural color or other optical elements. © 2012 The Author(s).