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SUMMARY:Biopolymers for photonics - painting opals with water and light - 
 Prof. Fiorenzo Omenetto\, Tufts University
DTSTART:20180215T160000Z
DTEND:20180215T170000Z
UID:TALK98902@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Sharon Connor
DESCRIPTION:Light control in natural structures is a based on wondrous int
 erplay between electromagnetic radiation and the patterns and compositions
  of natural materials compounded by biochemical processes that lead to spe
 ctral selectivity\, reflections\, diffusion\, and photoconversion\, to nam
 e a few. These natural strategies have offered inspiration on how to emula
 te their behavior and performance and considerable effort is dedicated in 
 mimicking the structures that are ubiquitous in the world that surrounds u
 s. In this context\, a particularly interesting approach is to employ Natu
 re’s materials to generate structures that manipulate light in controlla
 ble and efficient ways. In this talk we will review different uses and tra
 nsformation of structural proteins (with specific focus on silk) to descri
 be active and passive optical devices based on biopolymers substrates. Mul
 tiple devices\, ranging from diffractive optics\, photonic crystals\, micr
 oresonators and lasers\, will be described. The possibility of embedding s
 eamlessly into the biopolymeric matrices biological function allows for fa
 cile fabrication and doping of photonic components that have renewed utili
 ty at the interface between biology and photonics.
LOCATION:Pfizer Lecture Theatre\, Department of Chemistry\, Lensfield Road
 \, Cambridge
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