Vol 22, No.

3;Mar 2015

Optical properties of Papilio Blumei butterfly wings

M. P. Sampedroa, G. Francisco Pérez-Sánchezb, B. Zenteno-Mateoc,

B. Rebollo-Platad, M. López-Fuentesa, E. L. Juárez Ruize, P. Salinas-Hernándezf,
F. Morales-Anzuresf and J. Hernández-Venturaf

a
Facultad de Ingeniería Química Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Av. San Claudio
y 18 Sur Edif. 106 D, Ciudad Universitaria, Puebla, Puebla, C. P. 72590, México.
b
Departamento de Físico-Química del ICUAP-BUAP, 72000, Puebla, México
c
Facultad de Ingeniería Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Boulevard Valsequillo y
Circuito CU, Ciudad Universitaria, Puebla, Puebla, México, C. P. 72590.
d
Tecnológico Superior de Irapuato, km 12.5 Carr. Irapuato-Silao, Irapuato-Guanajuato, México
C.P. 36821.
e
Facultad de ciencias de la Electrónica, BUAP, Av. San Claudio y 18 Sur. Ciudad Universitaria,
Edificio 109B. Colonia San Manuel, Puebla, Puebla, México, C. P. 72590.
f
Instituto de estudios de la Energía, UNISMO, Ciudad Universitaria S/N, Barrio Santa Cruz, 4a.
Sección Sto. Domingo Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, México C.P. 70760.

Corresponding author: Mercedes Portillo-Sampedro

Tel:2221517462
Email: mpstraviata@hotmail.com

The research is financed by PIFI resources of the Facultad de Ingeniería Química BUAP

Abstract
In this work we investigate optical properties of Papilio Blumei butterfly wings which we model
as multilayer structures at the nanometer scale. The multilayers are made up of two components,
one layer being of chitine and the other of an air gap. We apply the transfer matrix formalism to
determine the reflectivity for both S and P polarizations. Calculations are done in the spectral
region where the wings optical response looks like similar to the Papilio Blumei butterfly wings
which includes the green-violet domain. The reflectivity spectra show Fabry-Perot resonances, a
violet shift and a broadening of the peaks.
Keywords: Photonic Crystals; Multilayer; Photonic band gap; Reflectivity

1. Introduction
It is currently interesting and important to investigate photonic crystals due to the multiple
applications in the optoelectronic industry [1-5]. One reason in studying photonic crystals is that
they may support electromagnetic wave propagation at frequencies where field oscillations are
forbidden. This precludes the electromagnetic radiation transmission in a frequency region of a
photonic band gap.
A photonic crystal is a periodic array of materials with different refraction index, with periodicity
in one, two or three dimensions. The structural periodicity allows manipulating and controlling the
propagation of electromagnetic radiation as it permits the design and construct structures with
photonic gaps at specific energies. These kinds of systems are currently used technologically in

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optical fibers, wave guides and several other optoelectronic devices. On the other hand in nature
we may find structures such as butterfly wings which display interesting features and may be
modeled as multilayer arrays.
Studies on laicism butterflies have demonstrated why the male butterfly wings display brilliant
colors as photonic crystals when they are chosen from specific regions however this is not a
general trend. In fact males from different regions display different optical response [6].
Measurements with high resolution electronic microscopes show that colorful butterfly scales
contain holes with sizes smaller than 10-6 meters, which may be considered as natural photonic
crystals. No other butterfly family may contain wings with similar characteristics. Moreover the
wings have brown color instead of the blue iridescent. Differences may be attributed to the
survival conditions. It has been reported that simple butterfly wings with brown color are more
affected by the electromagnetic radiation which resulted in an increase in the wings temperature.
This is in contrast to the iridescent blue wings which are less affected by similar electromagnetic
radiation. Recall that butterflies living at high elevations exchange their iridescence luminosity by
a brown color to absorb lights in such a way that they may adapt to survive at lower temperatures.
It is known that photonic crystals may be affected by the change in temperature; this result
suggests that handmade photonic crystals may provide thermal flexible protection to be used in
environment with extreme conditions. One possible use is in spatial suit or desert clothes.
Therefore it is important to explore optical properties of photonic crystals provided they may be
employed in the industry. In this report we perform studies on the Papilio Blumei butterfly wings
using a 1D photonic crystal model provided wings display different colors. Butterflies exhibit two
kinds of colorations; one kind is based on pigmentation which yields pure colors and the other
shows changes in the iridescent colors as a consequence of the interaction of light with the wing
scale, which are termed as structural colorations. According to the coloration kind scales are
ordinary when referred to those based on pigmentation while those special scales are responsible
of the structural colors. Therefore in this work we study optical properties of iridescent scales of
the Papilio Blumei butterfly wings. This structure may be modeled as a 1D photonic crystal which
exhibits a band gap within the visible spectrum of the electromagnetic radiation. As a consequence
of the band gap light is totally reflected.
Some butterflies have wings that reflect the iridescent colors which may be modeled as multilayer
structures. In this work we study the Papilio Blumei butterfly [7] wings. The butterflies are
commonly found in Indonesia tropical zones. The size of their wings is of the order of 10 cm
which reflect the green iridescent color. In our work wings are modeled by a 10 chitine multilayer
structure with two consecutive layers being separated by a vacuum gap [8]. The reflectivity spectra
are interpreted in terms of the Bragg reflection phenomenon [9] since structures are considered as
1D photonic crystal.

2. Model calculation
To calculate the optical response of the Papilio Blumei butterfly wings we model the structure as a
1D multilayer system composed of two different materials of refraction index n 1 and n2,
respectively, this is shown in Fig. 5. Light impinges onto the surface of the multilayer; part of it is
reflected and other is transmitted. The reflectivity is strongly dependent on the thickness of each
layer, the number of layers and the angle of incidence.

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Figure 5. Multilayer system.

To determine the reflection and transmission coefficients we apply the transfer matrix formalism.
The coordinate system is in such a way that z-axis represents the growth axis. The multilayer
surface is parallel to the xy-plane and is at z=0. Layer 1 has thickness d1 and dielectric constant ε1,
layer 2 has thickness d2 and dielectric constant ε2. Calculations are performed considering incident
both S (TE) and P (TM)-polarized light.

2.1. S (TM) polarized light

To determine the transmission and reflection coefficients we apply Maxwell equations. From
Maxwell equations we may obtain the dispersion relations in each layer, result is written as
(1)

with (2)
where is the z-wave vector component of layer j (=1,2) and c is the speed of light in vacuum. In
the S-polarized light the electric field is perpendicular to the plane of incidence and the magnetic
field is parallel to the plane. These have the form
(3)
(4)
here and are the amplitudes of the waves travelling to the right and left, respectively.
Following a familiar procedure we may write the relationship of the electric and magnetic fields at
the left and right boundaries of the j-layer as:
 Ex   Ex 
Y E   mj   (5)
 j x z R Y j E x  z L
where mj represents the transfer matrix of layer j, which has the form

. (6)

A general equation may be written for a multilayer structure of thickness L

 Ex  E 
YE   m x  (7)
 x  zR L YE x  z L

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where m  mN m1 , z  L and z represent the right and left boundaries of the multilayers,
R L

respectively. If z  0 , we use eqn. (7) to write the following matrix equation for the
L

transmission and reflection coefficients

 Te ik L L   1 R 
 
 Y Te ik L L   m Y (1  R) 
 n 1   0 

This matrix equation yields expressions for the transmission and reflection coefficients
(m21  m22Y0 )( m11  m12Y0 )  (m11  m12Y0 )( m21  m22Y0 )
T (8)
(m11  m12Y0 )Yn 1e ik L L  (m21  m22Y0 )e ik L L

m11  m12Y0  te ik L L
R (9
m11  m12Y0
)

2.2 TE (P) Polarization

Similar to the TM modes to determine the transmission and reflection coefficients we use Maxwell
equations. In this case the electric field is on the plane of propagation and the magnetic field is in
the perpendicular direction
with (10)

where
, (11)

. (12)

Following the procedure to determine R and T in the TM polarization we obtain the corresponding
transmission and reflection coefficients

(m11  m12Y0 )(m21  m22Y0 )  (m11  m12Y0 )(m21  m22Y0 )

T
(m11  m12Y0 )Yn 1eikL L  (m21  m22Y0 )eikL L (13)

m12Y0  m11  teikL L

R
m11  m12Y0 (14)

For our calculations we consider the Papilio Blumei butterfly wings formed by N=10 bi-layers
each of them composed of a dielectric layer of refraction index n 1 = 1.58 with thickness h1 = 95
nm and a vacuum gap of refraction index n2 = 1 with thickness h1 = 180 nm. With these
parameters we use equation of the reflection and transmission coefficients.

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3. Results
In this section we describe results of the optical response. The TE modes are first considered. In
Fig. 6 we display the reflection coefficient of light normal incident of the multilayer structure,
which clearly exhibits a maximum that may be associated to the color of the butterfly wings. This
maximum is at frequencies within the domain of 2.1 to 2.7 which corresponds to wave lengths in
the range of 540 and 420 nm. The wave length of 540 nm is of the green color and that of 420 nm
is of the blue color.

Figure 6. The reflection coefficient of light normal incident of the multilayer structure.

In Fig. 7 we present results of the TE reflection spectra at different angles of incidence, namely
20°, 30°, 40, 50°, 60 and 70°. Note that at 20° the reflection spectrum is increased as a
consequence of the band gap existence which induces Bragg diffraction. As the angle of incidence
is increased the band gap is also increased and a blue shift is obtained, which may be seen as a
change in color towards the violet. In Figs. 7 and 8 we show the TE and TM reflectivities spectra
which indicate no effects in the change of polarization. Recall that in some butterfly wings the
structures are strongly anisotropic which may induce changes in the reflectivity spectra when both
polarizations are compared.

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Figure 7. The TE reflection spectra of the multilayer structure at different angles of incidence.

The TM (P-polarization) reflection spectra are presented in Fig. 8 at several incident angles, 0°,
20°, 30° 45°, 60° y 85°. Note that the spectra display similar behavior to those obtained in the TE
electromagnetic waves see Fig. 7. The band gap, where the reflection maximum takes place,
experiences a blue shift. In this frequency domain the butterfly wings reflects light, moreover the
band gap increases with the incidence angle.
The biological importance in the changes of color is not understood yet. We have noted that the
changes of colors is also an effect of the variations in incidence angles, this effect is even stronger
near 70°. This can be seen as a camouflage effect in the butterfly wings which may cause problems
to the butterflies provided they appeared as candidates for predators.
The changes in colors as function of the incidence angles help the butterflies to camouflage at
early hours when they are unable to fly.

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Figure 8. The TM reflection spectra of the multilayer structure at different angles of incidence.

In spite of the brilliant iridescence which is manifested as large reflectivity of the butterfly wings
the electromagnetic radiation is still absorbed to induce thermoregulation. The structure of the
butterfly wings is made up of a two-dimensional photonic crystal to yield brilliant colors. However
we model the wings as one dimensional structure (1D multilayer photonic crystal).

4. Conclusions
We have modeled the Papilio Blumei butterflies wings with a multilayer array which allows
applying the transfer matrix formalism to study this 1D photonic crystal. The calculated
reflectivity spectra of the proposed model yields good agreement with the Papilio Blumei [8]
spectra. The reflectivity experiences a blue shift with the incidence angle increase which is clearly
shown in the figure of the TE and TM spectra.

Acknowledgments
This work was partially supported by VIEP-BUAP (grants POSM-ING15-I and
ZEMB-ING-15-I).

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