Many structures in nature have complex microstructures, some of which are composed of dozens to thousands of layers of alternating thin films (lamella). When light interacts with these structures a phenomena called interference produces dazzling colors that change depending on the viewing angle.
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| Illustration of the reflection and refraction of a multilayer material |
| Nacre | Magpie Feather | Ammolite |
|---|---|---|
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| Moonstone | Bottle Fly | Golden Stag Beetle |
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Index of refraction for the respective layer. Video below shows the impact of the IOR of the secondary layer.
| Glossy | Glass |
|---|---|
ior_gloss.mp4 |
ior_glass.mp4 |
The film thickness specifies the mean thickness of the respective layer. Video below shows the impact of the mean thickness of the secondary layer.
| Glossy | Glass |
|---|---|
thickness_gloss.mp4 |
thickness_glass.mp4 |
The film sigma specifies the variance of the layers thickness. The video below shows the impact of the variance of the secondary layer.
| Glossy | Glass |
|---|---|
sigma_gloss.mp4 |
sigma_glass.mp4 |
This parameter is useful when you want to mimic crystals such as labradorite and moonstone, which have their lamella structure oriented in a particular direction (plane of schiller).