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Optical properties of chitin: surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates based on antireflection structures on cicada wings

P R Stoddart1, P J Cadusch1, T M Boyce1, R M Erasmus2 and J D Comins2

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The transparent wings of some cicada species present ordered arrays of papillary structures with a spacing of approximately 200 nm. These structures serve an antireflection function, with optical transmission peaking at a value of approximately 98% and rising above 90% over a broad band from 450 to 2500 nm. The dimensions of the papillae are comparable to the roughness scale of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. SERS measurements performed on silver- and gold-coated wings display enhancement factors of approximately 106 with no apparent background contribution from the wing.


PACS

78.66.Qn Polymers; organic compounds

61.46.-w Structure of nanoscale materials

33.20.Fb Raman and Rayleigh spectra (including optical scattering)

Subjects

Atomic and molecular physics

Soft matter, liquids and polymers

Surfaces, interfaces and thin films

Nanoscale science and low-D systems

Dates

Issue 3 (14 February 2006)

Received 7 October 2005

Published 6 January 2006



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