I have a photonics question regarding a paper I am reading. Physics is not my area of study so please be kind :))
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adf7207
In this paper, the group has fabricated a self-assembled sub wavelength plasmonic cavity that displays structural colour. The multilayered nanostructure is composed of an aluminium back mirror, a dielectric spacer layer and a top layer of aluminium nano islands. It interacts with visible light to create the appearance of colour.
I would like to understand what it is about this nanostructure that allows full saturated colour to be generated from just a single layer of the nanostructure.
I have read about the multilayered structural colour developed by Toyota for the Lexus Blue car, but their nanostructure needed 7 layers for full colouration effect. Although, the Lexus nanostructure and the above structure are not exactly the same, with the Lexus structural colour comprising 2 symmetrical layers sandwiching a dielectric layer.
So, what is it about the sub wavelength plasmonic cavity that is so special?
