Retrieval of the relevant parameters of natural multilayer systems

DEMETRIO MACÍAS; ANA LUNA; DIANA SKIGIN; ALEXANDRE VIAL; MARINA INCHAUSSANDAGUE

Proceedings of the Advanced Electromagnetics Symposium

AES

Año: 2012 p. 335 - 340

2119-0275

Ceroglossus suturalis beetles show iridescent colorationproduced by multiple reflections from the epicuticle of theirelytra, which is a multilayer that alternates materials of differentoptical density. By means of scanning and transmissionelectron microscopy techniques we obtain the significantgeometrical parameters such as the number of layersand their thicknesses. We investigate the reflected responseof the Ceroglossus suturalis beetle, and apply evolutionstrategies to retrieve the real and imaginary parts of therefraction index of the materials comprising the multilayersystem. We show that this kind of algorithms have a greatpotential as a tool to investigate natural photonic structures.