By studying the iridescent scales of the Morpho butterfly could inspire a new, affordable technology that absorbs the IR photons and gives an optical readout.

1. Morpho Butterfly Wings Inspire
Thermal Imagers
Moayyad Alssabbagh
MGQ120003
M.Medphys 2012/2013
sabmomo75@gmail.com

2. This research:
Dr. Potyrailo and his colleagues at GE
Global Research, the technology
development segment of General Electric
Co.
* BioPhotonics - April 2012

3. Introduction
At the moment, thermal infrared imaging
to see in the dark requires a complex
piece of kit which converts heat into a
change in resistance. Then connected up
to give an image on a screen or in night
vision goggles.
By studying the iridescent scales of the
Morpho butterfly could inspire a
new, affordable technology that absorbs
the IR photons and gives an optical
readout.

4. Definition:
Carbon Nanotube (CNTs):
is a tube-shaped material, made of
carbon, having a diameter measuring on
the nanometer scale. Three types of it:
Single, double and triple-walled carbon
nanotubes

5. Principle
Morpho butterfly wing composed of
nanostructured chitin that refracting and
reflecting light in such a way as to give
them the iridescent blue color.
By adding carbon
nanotubes to butterfly
wings, it has been
able to turn these
nanostructures into
an infrared (IR)
detector.

6. How it works:
• When the scales were heated from one
side by infrared radiation, a slight
expansion and contraction changes the
spacing between the micro components
on the wing.
• This will change the reflected and
absorbed when white light hit the scales
from the other side.
• It can detect Rapid temperature
differences as small as 0.018°C (0.032°F).
Which appears as a color changes.

7. How it works: (Cont.)
• Because CNTs have excellent thermal
conductivity, doping the wings’ surface
with CNTs enhance the absorption of IR
radiation

8. How it works: (Cont.)
• The decoration of CNTs with material
surface, helped to diffuse heat through
the chitin away from the site of
irradiation, thus providing a molecular
heat sink.

9. How it works: (Cont.)
• This means that a sensor using this
technology could cool down quickly
without heat sinks.
• Existing thermal detectors require
thermal cooling or heat sinks

10. Applications:
• industrial inspection – (condition indicator by
visual heat maps of imaged areas)
• Advanced thermal vision – (Night and day in
much greater detail) * military applications
• Thermal Imaging for advanced medical
diagnosis. (Visualize inflammation, understand
changes in health)
• Fire thermal Imaging – (Aid firefighters)
• Thermal security surveillance
• Thermal characterization of wound
infections – (Facilitate early diagnosis)

11. Limitation:
• It is still at an
early stage and
need to find a
way to produce
the chitin – or a
similar material
– before they can
produce
applicable
sensor.
(Using butterfly wings means kill more butterflies)

12. Future step:
• The next step, is to produce thermally
sensitive nanostructures as thin films.
The IR light will come from one side of
the thin film causing it to be heated.
The other side of the film will be
iridescent and will locally change its
colors upon local heating.
It’s very clever to use the structures found in nature to
improve our lives.

13. References:
• Butterfly lights the way to better thermal imaging, Institute of
Physics. and http://www.iop.org/. http://physicsworld.com/
• Morpho butterfly wings inspire thermal imagers. BioPhotonics -
2012 - April - BioScan,
http://photonics.com/Article.aspx?AID=50630
• New Butterfly-inspired Design From GE To Enable More Advanced,
Low Cost Thermal Imaging Devices.
http://www.genewscenter.com/Press-Releases/New-Butterfly-
inspired-Design-From-GE-To-Enable-More-Advanced-Low-Cost-
Thermal-Imaging-Devices-3663.aspx.
• Nanostructures of Morpho butterfly wing scales demonstrate high
resolution of temperature changes at high speed. GE global
research. http://ge.geglobalresearch.com/
• - Thermal imaging on the wing. Royal Society of Chemistry,
http://www.rsc.org/
• Discovery Of Design: Biomimicry in Nature Morpho Butterfly - Heat
Sensor - http://www.discoveryofdesign.com/id113.html