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Research into fireflies found that micro- and nanostructures in the chitin cuticle covering these creatures' tail-end lantern organs help improve light transmission.

The refractive index of the structured cuticle more closely matches that of the air than smooth chitin does, helping fireflies make stronger beams of light. The structures also reduce internal reflection.

Now a group at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology has used these principles to make a cuticle-inspired, spherical lens to mount over an LED, boosting light transmission. For green wavelengths identical to the original insect's own bioluminescence the scientists have been able to achieve a 60% increase in efficiency and a wider angle of dispersal.

Akhlesh Lakhtakia, who develops biomimetic optics at the Pennsylvania State University, says it should be possible to make the bioinspired OLEDs at industrial scale for use in lighting and displays. But engineers now have to figure out whether the payoff in efficiency with a biomimetic design is worth the extra expense of redesigning how they make TV screens and light bulbs.

Biologically Inspired Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (open, DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b05183)

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