Diatoms as living photonic crystals

We present an analysis of the optical structure of a representative diatom, Coscinodiscus granii. The silica cell wall can be regarded as a photonic crystal slab waveguide with moderate refractive-index contrast. In a cell, at least two different patterns are found: a hexagonal array of pores with a large lattice constant in the valve, and a square array of holes with a small lattice constant in the girdle. It is demonstrated that light can be coupled into the waveguide and that there are some photonic resonances in the visible spectral range, which have been determined by band-structure calculations.

[1]  Chris Bowler,et al.  Revealing the molecular secrets of marine diatoms. , 2002, Annual review of plant biology.

[2]  Volker Wittwer,et al.  A nearly diffraction limited surface emitting conjugated polymer laser utilizing a two-dimensional photonic band structure , 2000 .

[3]  John D. Joannopoulos,et al.  Lasing mechanism in two-dimensional photonic crystal lasers , 1999 .

[4]  M. Hutley,et al.  The Optical Properties of 'Moth Eye' Antireflection Surfaces , 1982 .

[5]  M. Srinivasarao.  Nano-Optics in the Biological World: Beetles, Butterflies, Birds, and Moths. , 1999, Chemical reviews.

[6]  Steven G. Johnson,et al.  Photonic Crystals: Molding the Flow of Light , 1995 .

[7]  Volker Wittwer,et al.  Antireflective submicrometer surface-relief gratings for solar applications , 1998 .

[8]  Steven G. Johnson,et al.  Block-iterative frequency-domain methods for Maxwell's equations in a planewave basis. , 2001, Optics express.

[9]  John,et al.  Strong localization of photons in certain disordered dielectric superlattices. , 1987, Physical review letters.

[10]  M. Sumper,et al.  A Phase Separation Model for the Nanopatterning of Diatom Biosilica , 2002, Science.

[11]  W. M. Manning,et al.  Chlorophyll Fluorescence and Energy Transfer in the Diatom Nitzschia Closterium. , 1943 .

[12]  Min Qiu,et al.  Effective index method for heterostructure-slab-waveguide-based two-dimensional photonic crystals , 2002 .

[13]  Masaya Notomi,et al.  Directional lasing oscillation of two-dimensional organic photonic crystal lasers at several photonic band gaps , 2001 .

[14]  F. E. Fritsch.  The structure and reproduction of the Algae , 1935 .

[15]  Robertson,et al.  Measurement of photonic band structure in a two-dimensional periodic dielectric array. , 1992, Physical review letters.

[16]  A. Parker,et al.  Aphrodite's iridescence , 2001 .

[17]  Steven G. Johnson,et al.  Guided modes in photonic crystal slabs , 1999 .

[18]  E. Yablonovitch,et al.  Inhibited spontaneous emission in solid-state physics and electronics. , 1987, Physical review letters.

[19]  I. Shihira-Ishikawa,et al.  Green- and blue-light-mediated chloroplast migration in the centric diatomPleurosira laevis , 1998, Protoplasma.