Photonics traps the rainbow

Photonics traps the rainbow

Technology & engineering

Information

Iridescence is an optical phenomenon that produces the reflection of different colours and can often be observed in nature. Some examples of iridescence are the multicoloured feathers of peacock, some scales of reef fish, the bluish-green colours of beetles and some butterflies, and even some fruits or berries. In these cases, the colours that appear are not due to pigmentation, but to the optical phenomenon of iridescence, which is caused by the multiple reflections of light on delicate semi-transparent surfaces that are separated by distances similar to the wavelength of the light passing through them. It is precisely this generation of artificial iridescence that is one of the objectives of the IMM-CSIC Nanophotonic Devices Group. The group has recently developed a technology that allows the generation of iridescent surfaces on practically any material, including organic and biocompatible materials, such as natural silk. Figure 2 shows some unretouched photographs of surfaces of this type, which show diverse and highly intense iridescences that change their colour depending on the direction in which they are viewed. Moreover, these surfaces have hydrophobic or hydrophilic properties and also antibacterial, selectable depending on the type of nanostructure used. To produce them, CSIC has developed a technology -in the process of patent- that is very simple and low cost, besides being able to be used on practically any type of material, including human skin or nails. The applications of these iridescent surfaces are multiple and range from chromatic marking without the use of inks to the development of cosmetic products based on biocompatible materials, such as silks or natural lacquers.
Topic
DevicesInnovation (R+D+I)
Beauty category
Other category
More info about the innovation
SecphoSecpho is a deep tech innovation cluster that gathers more than 150 organizations promoting technological innovation in all sectors of our economy through deep tech.  We address the technological challenges of our society by providing cutting-edge solutions based on deep tech, in a collaborative way. At the same time, we promote and contribute to the competitiveness of our members, connecting their high research and entrepreneurial talent with the market and capital. The use of light has a large number of applications across all sectors of our economy. Its utilization allows to detect and obtain all kinds of information on any subject of physical matter, biological or non-biological. This makes it ideal, among many other applications, to obtain information about the surface of our body, that is to say our skin, and all kinds of products that light can contribute to manufacture, whether in an analysis carried out in a laboratory or directly in the production line. In the field of cosmetics and aesthetics, light is a tool that has been widely used for aesthetic treatments in the skin for years, mainly thanks to the rapid development of laser and ultraviolet light applications in the last decade. In any case, photonic or light technologies, are progressing very fast in the last 3 years so nowadays, it has new applications and technologies that can add great value to the beauty sector, which include disciplines such as cosmetics, aesthetics and the health of our body. We can talk about some areas that can have a technological transformation due to photonics, such as the study of the skin, both statically and dynamically, to analyze the effectiveness of a treatment, or the analysis and characterization of cosmetic products, or also the production optimization as a result of the monitoring of the line in a way towards industry 4.0. 

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