Flexible, angle-independent, structural color reflectors inspired by morpho butterfly wings

Abstract

Thin-film color reflectors inspired by Morpho butterflies are fabricated. Using a combination of directional deposition, silica microspheres with a wide size distribution, and a PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) encasing, a large, flexible reflector is created that actually provides better angle-independent color characteristics than Morpho butterflies and which can even be bent and folded freely without losing its Morpho-mimetic photonic properties. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.