Soft, Reconfigurable Photonic Systems Inspired by Cephalopod Chromatophores: A Platform to Study Dispersed Light sensing in Squid
Abstract
The major goal of this proposal is to develop a better understanding of the mechanism responsible for dispersed light sensing originating from the cephalopod chromatophore, which in turn will facilitate the hierarchical design and assembly of reconfigurable optical materials that simultaneously achieves all the following conceptual advantages: low cost, low-energy, design simplicity, experimental feasibility, and scalability. The working hypothesis is that that the chromatophores are more than just pigment-based color filters; they contain structural color elements that aid in the amplification of reflected light during actuation. Specifically, we believe that the pigmented nanostructures localized within cephalopod organs behave as distributed light sensors that aid in the extraction and absorption of light, contributing to the rapid changes to skin patterning and coloration. Elucidating the structure-function relationships of these granules may not only provide insight into how cephalopods camouflage but also inform and accelerate the development of next-generation flexible displays, dye-sensitized solar cells, or light-sensitive textiles capable of absorbing and/or reflecting all wavelengths of visible light.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 16, 2023
- Accession Number
- AD1223074
Entities
People
- Daeyeon Lee
- Leila F Deravi
Organizations
- Northeastern University