Patterned Materials and Surfaces for Optical Applications

Peter W. de Oliveira, P. Rogin, M. Quilitz, and Eduard Arzt 

what is the role of structure in optical materials. A lens can be used as a magnifying glass due to its specific shape. It is the exact distribution of black, white or colors that turns a sheet of paper into a tax declaration form, a love letter, or any other document. On this scale, each stmctural element such as a printed letter is typically perceived individually and has its own clearly defined significance. This can apply to smaller scales, too in optical data storage media, the information of one bit is represented by the reflection properties of a well-defined area of typically submicrometer size. 

Anyone who ever inspected a CD or DVD more closely will have noticed the iridescent colors that appear, depending on how the disk is oriented relative to the 

Gaierutmg Micro- and Nanopattems on Polymeric Materials. Edited by A. del Campo and E. Arzt Copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH Co. KGaA, Weinheim ISBN 978-3-527-32508-5 

In this chapter, we will first review the basics of refraction, diffraction and reflection which are used in understanding optical effects caused by patterns or microstructures. Examples from nature will then be given that illustrate these principles. The major part of this chapter will deal with technical structures developed for optical purposes, with a discussion of their fabrication methods and of typical applications. 

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