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Colouration by total internal reflection and interference at microscale concave interfaces.

Amy E Goodling1, Sara Nagelberg2, Bryan Kaehr3

  • 1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.

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|March 1, 2019
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A new optical mechanism creates iridescent structural color through light interference at concave interfaces. This phenomenon, observable in simple water drops, offers controllable color generation for advanced applications.

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Area of Science:

  • Optics and Photonics
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Physical phenomena like absorption, dispersion, and interference create color.
  • Spherical droplets exhibit scattering, diffraction, and interference, contributing to atmospheric optical effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe a novel mechanism for generating iridescent structural color with significant angular spectral separation.
  • To demonstrate the applicability of this phenomenon in various systems and validate theoretical predictions.

Main Methods:

  • Investigated light interference from total internal reflection at concave optical interfaces.
  • Observed the phenomenon in simple systems like water drops and complex systems including multiphase droplets and patterned surfaces.
  • Developed theoretical predictions to match experimental observations.

Main Results:

  • Discovered a new mechanism for iridescent structural color based on total internal reflection at concave interfaces.
  • Demonstrated brilliant color patterns generated at interfaces significantly larger than the wavelength of visible light.
  • Achieved controllable structural coloration in diverse microscale systems.

Conclusions:

  • The newly identified optical mechanism provides a method for creating iridescent structural color with large angular spectral separation.
  • This phenomenon is readily observable in simple systems and controllable in complex ones.
  • The findings have potential applications in functional materials, displays, and sensors.