Abstract
Many insects own a tessellated carapace with bumps, pits or indentations. Little is known on the physical properties of these geometric variations and biological functions are unknown or still debated. We show that the polygonal cells in scarab beetle Chrysina gloriosa behave as multiwavelength selective micromirrors over the visible and infrared spectra, with a variety of spatial patterns. In the context of biomimetic materials, we demonstrate that the carapace has concave cells whereas the artificial films have convex cells, contrary to expectation in the literature. Thermoregulation, communication or camouflage are discussed as advanced functions. Results may provide inspiration for fabricating spatial wavelength-specific light modulators and optical packet switching in routing technologies.
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