Anderson light localization in biological nanostructures of native silk

Seung Ho Choi, Seong-Wan Kim, Zahyun Ku, Michelle A. Visbal-Onufrak, Seong-Ryul Kim, Kwang-Ho Choi, Hakseok Ko, Wonshik Choi, Augustine M. Urbas, Tae-Won Goo and Young L. Kim ()
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Seung Ho Choi: Purdue University
Seong-Wan Kim: Rural Development Administration
Zahyun Ku: Air Force Research Laboratory
Michelle A. Visbal-Onufrak: Purdue University
Seong-Ryul Kim: Rural Development Administration
Kwang-Ho Choi: Rural Development Administration
Hakseok Ko: Institute for Basic Science
Wonshik Choi: Institute for Basic Science
Augustine M. Urbas: Air Force Research Laboratory
Tae-Won Goo: Dongguk University
Young L. Kim: Purdue University

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract Light in biological media is known as freely diffusing because interference is negligible. Here, we show Anderson light localization in quasi-two-dimensional protein nanostructures produced by silkworms (Bombyx mori). For transmission channels in native silk, the light flux is governed by a few localized modes. Relative spatial fluctuations in transmission quantities are proximal to the Anderson regime. The sizes of passive cavities (smaller than a single fibre) and the statistics of modes (decomposed from excitation at the gain–loss equilibrium) differentiate silk from other diffusive structures sharing microscopic morphological similarity. Because the strong reflectivity from Anderson localization is combined with the high emissivity of the biomolecules in infra-red radiation, silk radiates heat more than it absorbs for passive cooling. This collective evidence explains how a silkworm designs a nanoarchitectured optical window of resonant tunnelling in the physically closed structures, while suppressing most of transmission in the visible spectrum and emitting thermal radiation.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02500-5

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