Circular Dichroism in Biological Photonic Crystals and Cubic Chiral Nets

Saba M, Thiel M, Turner MD, Hyde ST, Gu M, Grosse-Brauckmann K, Neshev DN, Mecke K, Schröder-Turk G (2011)

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2011

Journal

Physical Review Letters American Physical Society

Publisher: AMER PHYSICAL SOC

Book Volume: 106

Journal Issue: 10

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.103902

Abstract

Nature provides impressive examples of chiral photonic crystals, with the notable example of the cubic so-called srs network (the label for the chiral degree-three network modeled on SrSi2) or gyroid structure realized in wing scales of several butterfly species. By a circular polarization analysis of the band structure of such networks, we demonstrate strong circular dichroism effects: The butterfly srs microstructure, of cubic I4(1)32 symmetry, shows significant circular dichroism for blue to ultraviolet light, that warrants a search for biological receptors sensitive to circular polarization. A derived synthetic structure based on four like-handed silicon srs nets exhibits a large circular polarization stop band of a width exceeding 30%. These findings offer design principles for chiral photonic devices.

Authors with CRIS profile

Matthias Saba Lehrstuhl für Theoretische Physik Klaus Mecke Lehrstuhl für Theoretische Physik Gerd Schröder-Turk Lehrstuhl für Theoretische Physik

Additional Organisation(s)

Exzellenz-Cluster Engineering of Advanced Materials (EAM)

Involved external institutions

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) DE Germany (DE) Swinburne University of Technology AU Australia (AU) Technische Universität Darmstadt DE Germany (DE) Australian National University (ANU) AU Australia (AU)

How to cite

APA:

Saba, M., Thiel, M., Turner, M.D., Hyde, S.T., Gu, M., Grosse-Brauckmann, K.,... Schröder-Turk, G. (2011). Circular Dichroism in Biological Photonic Crystals and Cubic Chiral Nets. Physical Review Letters, 106(10). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.103902

MLA:

Saba, Matthias, et al. "Circular Dichroism in Biological Photonic Crystals and Cubic Chiral Nets." Physical Review Letters 106.10 (2011).

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