Chirped mirror

A chirped mirror is a dielectric mirror with chirped spaces—spaces of varying depth designed to reflect varying wavelengths of lights—between the dielectric layers (stack). A chirped mirror is a dielectric mirror with chirped spaces—spaces of varying depth designed to reflect varying wavelengths of lights—between the dielectric layers (stack). Chirped mirrors are used in applications like lasers to reflect a wider range of light wavelengths than ordinary dielectric mirrors, or to compensate for the dispersion of wavelengths that can be created by some optical elements. Chirped mirrors are also found in structurally colored biological systems, including the shiny golden and silver color of certain beetles' elytra, e.g. Ruteline genus Chrysina. In these cases, the chirped mirror generates complex color (such as gold or silver) when illuminated by white light by simultaneously reflecting a broad range of monochromatic colors.