Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways01:22

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category, whereas...
The Wave Nature of Light02:12

The Wave Nature of Light

The nature of light has been a subject of inquiry since antiquity. In the seventeenth century, Isaac Newton performed experiments with lenses and prisms and was able to demonstrate that white light consists of the individual colors of the rainbow combined together. Newton explained his optics findings in terms of a "corpuscular" view of light, in which light was composed of streams of extremely tiny particles traveling at high speeds according to Newton's laws of motion.
Channel Rhodopsins01:11

Channel Rhodopsins

Most organisms use photoreceptors to sense and respond to light. Examples of photoreceptors include bacteriorhodopsins and bacteriophytochromes in some bacteria, phytochromes in plants, and rhodopsins in the photoreceptor cells of the vertebral retina. The light-sensitive property of these receptors is because of the bound chromophores, such as bilin in the phytochromes and retinal in the rhodopsins.
Rhodopsins belong to the family of cell surface proteins called G-protein coupled receptors,...
Ultraviolet and Visible (UV–Vis) Spectroscopy: Overview01:02

Ultraviolet and Visible (UV–Vis) Spectroscopy: Overview

Ultraviolet–visible (UV–visible or UV–Vis) spectroscopy is an analytical technique that investigates the interaction between matter and UV–Vis light within the electromagnetic spectrum. This method is widely used for its versatility, simplicity, and relatively quick data acquisition, making it valuable for both qualitative and quantitative analysis. When UV–Vis radiation passes through a material,  molecules absorb light depending on the energy required for electronic transitions. As a result...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Periodic pixelated structure for electro-optically and orientationally programmable asymmetric electromagnetic transmission.

Applied optics·2026
Same author

Non-chevronic periodic columnar thin-film bilayer with a central defect layer: experiment and theory.

Applied optics·2026
Same author

Antithrombotic agents for secondary ischemic stroke prevention in cancer patients with atrial fibrillation: A tertiary medical center retrospective study.

Medicine·2026
Same author

Enhanced Emission and Polarization Control of Green GaN-Based Resonant Cavity LEDs with Porous Distributed Bragg Reflectors.

ACS omega·2026
Same author

Polarization-state independence of backscattering efficiency of an isotropic chiral sphere.

Journal of the Optical Society of America. A, Optics, image science, and vision·2025
Same author

Understanding the Reaction-to-Fire Properties of Biomass and Their Respective Biochars.

ACS omega·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

Fabrication of Ultra-thin Color Films with Highly Absorbing Media Using Oblique Angle Deposition
06:30

Fabrication of Ultra-thin Color Films with Highly Absorbing Media Using Oblique Angle Deposition

Published on: August 29, 2017

Biologically inspired achromatic waveplates for visible light.

Yi-Jun Jen1, Akhlesh Lakhtakia, Ching-Wei Yu

  • 1Department of Electro-Optical Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 106, Taiwan. jyjun@ntut.edu.tw

Nature Communications
|June 23, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed novel achromatic waveplates inspired by stomatopod crustacean eyes. These nanorod-based structures effectively control light polarization across the visible spectrum, overcoming limitations of traditional waveplates.

More Related Videos

Fabrication of Zero Mode Waveguides for High Concentration Single Molecule Microscopy
08:01

Fabrication of Zero Mode Waveguides for High Concentration Single Molecule Microscopy

Published on: May 12, 2020

A Photonic System for Generating Unconditional Polarization-Entangled Photons Based on Multiple Quantum Interference
07:56

A Photonic System for Generating Unconditional Polarization-Entangled Photons Based on Multiple Quantum Interference

Published on: September 5, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 31, 2026

Fabrication of Ultra-thin Color Films with Highly Absorbing Media Using Oblique Angle Deposition
06:30

Fabrication of Ultra-thin Color Films with Highly Absorbing Media Using Oblique Angle Deposition

Published on: August 29, 2017

Fabrication of Zero Mode Waveguides for High Concentration Single Molecule Microscopy
08:01

Fabrication of Zero Mode Waveguides for High Concentration Single Molecule Microscopy

Published on: May 12, 2020

A Photonic System for Generating Unconditional Polarization-Entangled Photons Based on Multiple Quantum Interference
07:56

A Photonic System for Generating Unconditional Polarization-Entangled Photons Based on Multiple Quantum Interference

Published on: September 5, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Optics and Optoelectronics
  • Materials Science
  • Biomimetic Design

Background:

  • Waveplates are optical components that alter light polarization.
  • Conventional waveplates made from anisotropic materials lack achromatic performance in the visible spectrum.
  • The microvillar structures in stomatopod crustacean eyes act as polarization converters.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To design and fabricate novel achromatic waveplates.
  • To mimic the polarization-converting microvillar structure of R8 cells found in stomatopod eyes.
  • To achieve achromatic waveplate performance across the visible light spectrum.

Main Methods:

  • Conceived and designed periodically multilayered structures composed of two distinct nanorod arrays.
  • Fabricated the designed nanorod structures.
  • Tested the fabricated structures for their waveplate performance, specifically focusing on achromatic properties.

Main Results:

  • Successfully created periodically multilayered nanorod structures analogous to biological microvillar cells.
  • Demonstrated that these structures function as achromatic waveplates.
  • Achieved consistent polarization control across the visible light regime.

Conclusions:

  • Periodically multilayered nanorod structures inspired by stomatopod eye R8 cells can serve as achromatic waveplates.
  • This biomimetic approach overcomes the spectral limitations of traditional anisotropic waveplates.
  • The developed structures offer a promising solution for polarization control in visible light applications.