Ashworth Matt P, Lam Daryl W, Lopez-Garcia Martin, Manning Schonna R, Goessling Johannes W
UTEX Culture Collection of Algae, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA.
Sci Rep. 2025 Feb 21;15(1):6290. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-82209-w.
The discovery of natural slab photonic crystals in diatoms has sparked questions regarding their prevalence and functional role in nature. These advanced nanomaterials open so-called photonic stopbands in two dimensions, enabling precise light manipulation essential in technologies like quantum computing and photonics. However, the natural role of these advanced properties remains a mystery. In this study, we adopted a multidisciplinary approach, combining taxonomic, evolutionary, and photonic property analyses. Using scanning electron micrographs, we examined the girdle elements of the silicon dioxide shell from several hundred diatom species to explore the potential correlation between occurrence of slab photonic crystals and taxonomic relationship. Girdle slab photonic crystals emerged among the oldest diatom classes, with stopband properties covering the visible to mid-infrared spectral range. Square lattice formations emerged first, evolving from quasi-ordered templates, and later diverged into more efficiently packed hexagonal structures. This study shows how photonic nanomaterials developed from quasi order to order over evolutionary trajectories and provides a sustainable inventory of natural slab photonic crystals for application and deeper investigation. Understanding how diatoms utilize these structures can inspire innovative principles for smarter energy management systems as well serve as a model for the evolution of order and symmetry in cellular processes and organization.
硅藻中天然平板光子晶体的发现引发了关于其在自然界中的普遍性和功能作用的问题。这些先进的纳米材料在二维空间中打开了所谓的光子禁带，使得在量子计算和光子学等技术中至关重要的精确光操纵成为可能。然而，这些先进特性的自然作用仍然是个谜。在这项研究中，我们采用了多学科方法，结合了分类学、进化和光子特性分析。利用扫描电子显微镜图像，我们检查了数百种硅藻物种二氧化硅壳的环带元素，以探索平板光子晶体的出现与分类学关系之间的潜在关联。环带平板光子晶体出现在最古老的硅藻类别中，其禁带特性覆盖了可见光到中红外光谱范围。方形晶格结构首先出现，从准有序模板演化而来，后来分化为更高效堆积的六边形结构。这项研究展示了光子纳米材料如何在进化轨迹上从准有序发展到有序，并为应用和更深入的研究提供了天然平板光子晶体的可持续清单。了解硅藻如何利用这些结构可以激发智能能源管理系统的创新原理，也可以作为细胞过程和组织中秩序与对称进化的模型。
