Structural Colors from Fano Resonances

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel method for generating and tuning structural colors using Fano resonances on thin photonic crystal slabs, enabling angle-independent and dynamically adjustable colors.

Contribution

It proposes a new color generation mechanism based on Fano resonances in thin photonic structures, overcoming limitations of thickness and tunability in existing methods.

Findings

Demonstrated resonance-induced colors with weak viewing angle dependence

Achieved dynamic color tuning by stretching the elastic substrate

Fabricated and experimentally validated the proposed mechanism

Abstract

Structural coloration is an interference phenomenon where colors emerge when visible light interacts with nanoscopically structured material, and has recently become a most interesting scientific and engineering topic. However, current structural color generation mechanisms either require thick (compared to the wavelength) structures or lack dynamic tunability. This report proposes a new structural color generation mechanism, that produces colors by the Fano resonance effect on thin photonic crystal slab. We experimentally realize the proposed idea by fabricating the samples that show resonance-induced colors with weak dependence on the viewing angle. Finally, we show that the resonance-induced colors can be dynamically tuned by stretching the photonic crystal slab fabricated on an elastic substrate.