ANALYTICAL SCIENCES
CASE STUDY
Background
This case study examines a fragment of peacock butterfly wing, found on site during a recent heat wave.
The Challenge
A chance find in the field became an opportunity to characterise the wing’s micro- and nanoscale structure, and here we use it to demonstrate how correlative microscopy links complementary imaging techniques to reveal detail that no single method could capture alone.
Our Approach
Light microscopy images were collected using a Nikon SMZ745-T Stereo Microscope and a Nikon Ni-U Eclipse Compound Microscope.
SEM images were generated using a Zeiss Sigma Field Emission SEM with a secondary electron (SE2) detector at 3 kV accelerating voltage with 30 µm aperture.
Results
Taken together, the image series traces the wing from low-magnification light microscopy through to high-magnification scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
At low magnification we see its overall architecture, colour patterning, and scale arrangement; as magnification increases, the hidden surface structure emerges – overlapping scales, fine ridges, and the nanoscale lamellae responsible for the wing’s iridescence: a structural colour produced not by pigment but by interference and diffraction from periodic features close to the wavelength of visible light.
What this means
This is the value of a correlative approach: by pairing light microscopy with SEM, we bridge macroscopic context and high-resolution surface detail across multiple length scales, resolving structure, morphology, defects, particles, coatings, fibres, and material interfaces. While a butterfly wing makes an engaging subject, the same workflow applies directly to R&D, formulation, failure investigation, contamination analysis, and product characterisation – wherever clearer evidence and stronger interpretation are required.
Have a feature, particle, or surface you can’t explain?
Structural detail that is invisible to one technique is often obvious to another.
Resolian’s microscopy team pairs light microscopy with SEM and EDX, matching the technique and detector mode to the question in front of you, so you can move from a visible problem to a resolved one with clear, defensible interpretation behind it.
