When biological thin-film thicknesses or feature dimensions are less than or equal to the order of magnitude as the wavelengths of solar radiation, several optical effects are present. Nature has developed these complex biological thin-film structures to take advantage of these microscale radiation phenomena in order to control the reflectance and absorption of solar radiation. There is a need for improved understanding in this field in order to determine the multiple functions of these structures. Moreover, as global changes affect the solar spectrum reaching earth, the effectiveness of the thin-film functions will be altered which in turn may affect the ecology. Additionally, there are lessons to be learned from biological thin-film structures which may prove to be important in sub-micron microelectronics, optical coatings, and solar absorbers. We propose to develop a numerical and experimental tool, the Microscale Reflectance Spectrometer, which can be used for these investigations. Specifically, the proposed technology will allow the radiative properties of biological thin-film structures to be measured and also compared against numerical simulations. The phenomenological modeling of light/film interaction will be improved for other biological instruments as well as for the microelectronics industry. We expect research that will stem from the use of this instrument to play a critical role in the understanding of the functions of the biological thin-film structures.
