A protective material that includes a dielectric mirror having at least one layer, each layer of the dielectric mirror being configured to reflect at least a portion of incident energy of a predetermined wavelength; and a photonic, crystal array of periodic structures disposed within the dielectric mirror, the photonic crystal array of periodic structures being configured to disperse non-reflected incident energy of the predetermined wavelength transmitted through the dielectric mirror across the photonic crystal array of periodic structures in a direction parallel to a plane of the dielectric mirror.