Spectral and Colorimetric Analysis of the Green Barbule's Pheasant Plumage to Model the Photonic Crystal and Thin Film Heterostructure

Structural colors are one of the interesting aspects of some avian plumages. Due to the unique optical properties، material scientists and engineers always take the nature as the best source of inspiration for novel materials. In this article، some brilliant feathers of a pheasant ‘Colchicus’ were prepared. The electron microscopy، spectrometry، colorimetric analysis and optical modeling were used to study the color of the brilliant barbule''s feathers. A weak iridescence effect was found in the sample''s reflectance spectrum that confirms the structural base of the color. This structure is consisting of both a single thin film and a two-dimensional hexagonal photonic crystal. Optical modeling revealed that the heterostructure can produce a structural color with a green hue.