Overview of natural photonic crystals and their technological applications

Biomimicry or bio-inspiration refers to the approach of reproducing or imitating natural structures using artificial materials in order to achieve high structural and material complexity (Figure 1). In the case of insects, natural photonic crystals (PCs) are responsible for the bright iridescent colors found on some species of butterflies and beetles [1]. Such colors are due to light interference thanks to PCs and are called physical color. The large structural diversity of these PCs makes them a valuable source of inspiration, not only for the color they exhibit but also for their properties [2].