Stingelin, NatalieStavrinou, PaulChen, ShengyangShengyangChen2021-08-102021-05-312021-08-102020-04almahttp://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/90963Complex nano- and micro-engineered hierarchical structures provide opportunities towards mimicking optical elements and functionalities found in nature. It has, however, been challenging to replicate certain architectures: for instance, those found in butterflies’ wings that are based on combined structural and pigmentary colouration mechanisms. Here we engineer such hierarchical structures consisting of diffraction gratings and nanoparticles of polystyrene or light-absorbing spherical particles made of a conjugated polymer as pigment. Simple geometrical relationships can be employed to program the particles into specific sites and form diverse patterns such as those in the wing scales: from ordered to disordered arrangements; hexagonal-packed or random-packed structures, to monolayer vs. multilayer architectures. As elucidated with model systems, this thesis’ research/findings may open a versatile design platform in terms of the fabrication of multifunctional nano- and microstructures with assembly hierarchies for use in the field of biomimetics, photonics and beyond.Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International LicenceThesis or dissertationhttps://doi.org/10.25560/90963