Université de Fribourg

Thin-film structural coloration from simple fused scales in moths

Kilchoer, Cédric ; Steiner, Ullrich ; Wilts, Bodo D.

In: Interface Focus, 2019, vol. 9, no. 1, p. 20180044

The metallic colouration of insects often originates from diverse nanostructures ranging from simple thin films to complex three-dimensional photonic crystals. In Lepidoptera, structural colouration is widely present and seems to be abundant in extant species. However, even some basal moths exhibit metallic colouration. Here, we have investigated the origin of the vivid metallic colours of...