Optical properties of nanostructured layers found on living organisms and proposals for artificial bio-inspired films

The aim of the project is to develop a theory of the optical reflectance of biological inspired thin films, i.e. formed of dielectric materials with refractive index near that of vacuum. However the geometry of those films shall be as complex as needed to deal with non perfect periodicities or topologic disorder. Some structures met in zoology and botanic will be carefully studied. These studies will be expanded to use these biological films as a source of inspiration for engineering artificial structures presenting new optical properties.