Structural color generation: from layered thin films to optical metasurfaces

Recent years have witnessed a rapid development in the field of structural coloration, colors generated from the interaction of nanostructures with light. Compared to conventional color generation based on pigments and dyes, structural color generation exhibits unique advantages in terms of spatial resolution, operational stability, environmental friendliness, and multiple functionality. Here, we discuss recent development in structural coloration based on layered thin films and optical metasurfaces. This review first presents fundamentals of color science and introduces a few popular color spaces used for color evaluation. Then, it elaborates on representative physical mechanisms for structural color generation, including Fabry–Pérot resonance, photonic crystal resonance, guided mode resonance, plasmon resonance, and Mie resonance. Optimization methods for efficient structure parameter searching, fabrication techniques for large-scale and low-cost manufacturing, as well as device designs for dynamic displaying are discussed subsequently. In the end, the review surveys diverse applications of structural colors in various areas such as printing, sensing, and advanced photovoltaics.