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Science 19 January 2007:
Vol. 315. no. 5810, p. 348
DOI: 10.1126/science.1134666
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Brevia

Brilliant Whiteness in Ultrathin Beetle Scales

Pete Vukusic,1* Benny Hallam,2 Joe Noyes1

The colored appearances of animals are controlled by pigmentation, highly periodic ultrastructure, or a combination of both. Whiteness, however, is less common and is generated by neither of these, because it requires scattering processes appropriate for all visible wavelengths. We report whiteness resulting from a three-dimensional photonic solid in the scales of Cyphochilus spp. beetles. Their scales are characterized by their exceptional whiteness, their perceived brightness, and their optical brilliance, but they are only 5 micrometers thick. This thickness is at least two orders of magnitude thinner than common synthetic systems designed for equivalent-quality whiteness.

1 School of Physics, Exeter University, Exeter EX4 4QL, UK.
2 Imerys Minerals Limited, Par, Cornwall PL24 2SQ, UK.

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

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