Peacock feathers are Admir greatly admir Paper Posted in the journal Scientific Reports. For the authors, it is the First example of a cavity of biolaser in the animal kingdom.
As Previous reportThe ironic colors lively in things like peacock feathers and butterfly wings do not come from any pigment molecule but from the way they are structured. Chitine scales (a polysaccharide common to insects) in the butterfly wings, for example, are arranged like roof tiles. Essentially, they form a diffraction networkWith the exception of photonic crystals produces only certain colors, or wavelengths, light, while a diffraction network produces the whole spectrum, a bit like a prism.
In the case of peacock feathers, these are the regular and periodic nanostructures of the bearded—The fiber -type components composed of orthoded melanin stems covered with keratin – tat produces iridescent colors. Different corporate colors in different spaces of the bearded.
Both are naturally soft examples of what physicists call Photonic crystals. Also known as photonic band materials, photon crystals are “adjustable”, which means that precise orthodes are to block certain light wavelengths while leaving the others. Modify the structure by modifying the size of the tiles and the crystals become sensitive to a different wavelength. (In fact, the rainbow weevil can control Both the size of its scales and the amount of chitin used to refine these colors if necessary.)
Even better (from the point of view of an application), the perception of color does not depend on the viewing angle. And the scales are not only for aesthetics; They help protect the insect from elements. There are several types of Artificial photonic crystalsBut winning a better and more disrected underestimated in which these structures develop in the wild could help scientists design new materials with similar failures, such as ideal windows, self-allegation areas for cars and buildings, or even waterproof textiles. The paper money could integrate iridescent encrypted models to thwart counterfeiters.
There have been previous examples of random laser emissions in everything, from stained Cattle bone and and Blue coral skeletons has Wing insects,, Parrot feathersAnd Human fabricas well as Salmon iridipiphores. The authors of this most recent study were interested in knowing if they could produce similar laser emissions using peacock feathers and, hopefully, identify the specific mechanism.
It was not difficult to obtain peacock feathers, given their popularity for decorative and craft and craft irons, but the authors ensured the feathers used in their experiences contained impurities (like dyes). They cut any excessive length of Besson and Mounine the feathers on an Apsorptif substrate. They then infused the feathers with common dyes by pricking the coloring solution directly on them and letting them dry. The feathers have been colored several times in some cases. Then they pumped the samples with light pulses and measured all the resulting emissions.
The team observed laser emissions in two district wavelengths for all the color regions of the eyes, the green regions emitted the most intense laser light. However, they observed no laser emissions from feathers which were only stadium ounces, just in sample feathers that have undergone several drying and complete drying cycles. This is probably two to the diffusion of colors and the solvent in the bearded, as well as a possible relaxation of the fibrils in the sheath of keratin.
The authors were not to identify the precise microstgraitures responsible for the laser; It does not plot to be two with melatonin rods covered with keratin. Co-author Nathan Dawson of Florida Polytechnic University suggest to science That the protein granules or the small similar Stroces inside the feathers could operate as a laser quibmer. He and his colleague think that one day, their work work has led to the development of biocompatible lasers which flows safely are integrated into the human body for detection, imagery and therapeutic purposes.
This story initially looked at Ars Technica.