Rotation-Selective Moiré Magnification of Structural Color Pattern Arrays

When a microlens array is aligned and overlaid on an array of patterns with similar periodicity, a highly magnified image of the patterns is observed. This effect, known as moiré magnification, is used to reveal micropatterns that are unresolvable by the naked eye. These patterns are typically limited by print resolution to single color patterns. Here, we demonstrate the potential to selectively reveal more than one set of color patterns. By rotating a microlens array relative to a print containing three overlapping arrays of structural color patterns in 10° steps, each pattern array can be distinctly revealed with minimal crosstalk. This rotation-selective effect of moiré magnification is not seen in conventional microscopy. An advantage is that the moiré images are observable by the naked eye under incoherent illumination. We leverage nanoscale three-dimensional printing by using the two-photon lithography process to produce structural color pattern arrays in a single lithographic step with precisely aligned color pixels. We believe that this work can have applications in precise rotational-alignment tools, covert security documents, and information multiplexing devices.