How the Eurasian Jay Expands its Color Palette by Optimizing Multiple Scattering (Advanced Optical Materials 4/2023)

In article number 2202210, Deok‐Jin Jeon, Jong‐Souk Yeo, and co‐workers elucidate how thickness changes in feather nanostructures create periodic color variations in Eurasian jay wing covert feathers. Multiple scattering in the biological system expands the natural color palette by extending reflection to longer wavelengths in thicker spongy layers. White feather regions have two times thicker nanostructure compared to the blue ones. Inspired by the Eurasian jay design solution, biomimicry of periodic color variation is demonstrated in a synthetic context.