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Science 18 November 2005:
Vol. 310. no. 5751, p. 1151
DOI: 10.1126/science.1116612
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Brevia

Directionally Controlled Fluorescence Emission in Butterflies

Pete Vukusic* and Ian Hooper

Recently developed, high-efficiency, light-emitting diodes use two-dimensional photonic crystals to enhance the extraction of otherwise internally trapped light and multilayer reflectors to control the direction of light emission. This work describes the characterization of a naturally evolved light-extraction system on the wing scales of a small group of Papilio butterflies. The efficient extraction of fluorescence from these scales is facilitated by a two-dimensional photonic crystal slab that uses a multilayer to help control emission direction. Its light-extraction function is analogous to that of the light-emitting diode.

School of Physics, Exeter University, Exeter EX4 4QL, UK.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: p.vukusic{at}ex.ac.uk

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