Systems and methods for facilitating hole protection and methods of making systems

Abstract

The present application relates to systems and methods for promoting hole protection and methods of manufacturing the systems. Various technologies provide systems and methods for promoting hole protection. In one example, a system for promoting hole protection is provided. The system includes an optical limiter device. The optical limiter device includes a thermochromic material and a plurality of nanostructures, wherein each nanostructure is in contact with a portion of the thermochromic material. At least a subset of the nanostructures is configured to receive incident light and generate heat in response to the incident light. At least a portion of the thermochromic material is configured to transition from a first state to a second state in response to heat and to block incident light when the portion is in the second state. The portion is configured to transition from the second state back to the first state when the portion cools, such as when the incident light is removed. Related methods and products are also provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates generally to pore protection and, more particularly, to optical restrictors having thermochromic materials and nanostructures for pore protection. Background Art

[0002] The proliferation of readily available and affordable light sources (e.g., laser pointers) has created a threat to apertures such as human eyes and sensors because these light sources can be used to blind eyes (e.g., temporarily blind them), and / or damage and / or saturate sensors. For example, light shining through an aircraft window may affect a pilot's ability to steer the vehicle and could potentially result in serious consequences.

[0003] Unfortunately, many conventional pore protection techniques are slow to respond to incident light and / or are unreliable in their response, result in undesirable staining / coloring, have high costs, and / or require high irradiance of the incident light before activating the pore protection mechanism. Therefore, an improved method for promoting pore protection is needed. Summary of the invention

[0004] According to various embodiments discussed further herein, an optical limiter device is provided to facilitate protecting an aperture from potentially harmful light. In this regard, the optical limiter device can be used to prevent potentially harmful light from reaching one or more apertures, which can include a human eye, a sensor, and / or a multifunctional structure. In general, whether incident light is considered potentially harmful is often application specific and can be based on the frequency and irradiance associated with the light. The optical limiter device can provide wide bandwidth protection, high speed response to potentially harmful light, fast recovery from potentially harmful light, and transparency to non-potentially harmful light.

[0005] In some embodiments, an optical limiter device includes a thermochromic material and nanostructures in contact with the thermochromic material. In response to potentially harmful light, the nanostructures illuminated by the potentially harmful light capture and amplify the electric field of the potentially harmful light. Such capture and amplification of the electric field may include the nanostructures coupling to the light, absorbing the light, and converting the absorbed light into heat. Because each nanostructure is in contact with a corresponding portion of the thermochromic material, the heat generated by the nanostructures in response to the light results in heating the portions of the thermochromic material local to these nanostructures (e.g., by conduction).

[0006] When the temperature of the thermochromic material is raised to above the phase transition temperature of the thermochromic material, the thermochromic material changes from a transparent state that allows light to pass through to an opaque state. Local heating of the thermochromic material causes a transition of a local portion of the thermochromic material. The portion of the thermochromic material that is transformed into an opaque state in response to local heating scatters potentially harmful light to prevent potentially harmful light from reaching the hole. In one aspect, the opacity of the transition portion of the thermochromic material helps to absorb potentially harmful light through these transition portions, thereby providing a positive feedback mechanism that helps to expand the opaque portion and helps to mitigate potentially harmful light. The transition to a transparent state is reversible. In this regard, when the potentially harmful light is removed (and there is no additional potentially harmful light), the thermochromic material cools down and once its temperature is below the phase transition temperature, it returns to its transparent state.

[0007] According to an embodiment, a system for promoting hole protection is provided. The system includes an optical restrictor device. The optical restrictor device includes a plurality of nanostructures. At least a subset of the plurality of nanostructures is configured to receive incident light and generate heat in response to the incident light. The optical restrictor device also includes a thermochromic material. Each of the plurality of nanostructures is in contact with a corresponding portion of the thermochromic material. At least a portion of the thermochromic material is configured to transition from a first state to a second state in response to heat generated by a subset of the plurality of nanostructures, and to block incident light when the portion of the thermochromic material is in the second state.

[0008] According to another embodiment, a method of manufacturing the system includes providing a substrate layer. The method also includes disposing a thermochromic material on the substrate layer. The method also includes providing a plurality of nanostructures such that each of the plurality of nanostructures is in contact with the thermochromic material. The method also includes engaging an optical restrictor device with one or more engagement elements configured to receive the optical restrictor device.

[0009] According to another embodiment, a method for promoting hole protection is provided. The method includes receiving incident light through at least a subset of a plurality of nanostructures, wherein each of the plurality of nanostructures is in contact with a corresponding portion of a thermochromic material. The method also includes generating heat through the subset of the plurality of nanostructures in response to the incident light. The method also includes transitioning at least a portion of the thermochromic material from a first state to a second state in response to the heat generated by the subset of the plurality of nanostructures. The method also includes blocking incident light through the portion of the thermochromic material when the portion of the thermochromic material is in the second state.

[0010] The scope of the present invention is defined by the technical solutions, which are incorporated into this section by reference. By considering the following detailed description of one or more embodiments, a more complete understanding of the embodiments of the present invention will be provided to those skilled in the art, as well as realizing the additional advantages thereof. Reference will be made to the accompanying drawings which will first be briefly described. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Figure 1 An optical restrictor device for facilitating aperture protection is shown in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 2A The incident light according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1 The optical limiter device is used to limit the light on the surface.

[0013] Figure 2B The invention shows a method for responding to incident light in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 1 The optical restrictor device forms a thermally induced hot spot in the thermochromic material.

[0014] Figure 2C A thermally induced hot spot is shown that has cooled once incident light is removed in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 3 and 4 Examples of nanostructures according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure are shown.

[0016] Figure 5A A side view of an example of a metamaterial layer according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0017] Figure 5B One or more embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. Figure 5A Top view of the metamaterial layers.

[0018] Figure 6 A flow chart illustrating an example of a process for facilitating hole protection according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0019] Figure 7 A flow chart illustrating an example of a process for making a system for facilitating aperture protection in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0020] Figure 8 A system having an optical restrictor device for facilitating aperture protection is shown in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0021] By referring to the detailed description below, the embodiments of the present disclosure and its advantages can be best understood. It should be understood that the same reference numerals are used to identify the same elements shown in one or more of the accompanying drawings, wherein the display is for the purpose of illustrating the embodiments of the present disclosure and not for limiting the embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The detailed description set forth below is intended to be a description of various configurations of the subject technology, and is not intended to represent the only configuration in which the subject technology can be practiced. The accompanying drawings are incorporated herein and constitute a part of the detailed description. It should be noted that the sizes of the various components and the distances between these components are not drawn to scale in the accompanying drawings. The detailed description includes specific details for providing a thorough understanding of the subject technology. However, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that the subject technology is not limited to the specific details set forth herein, and one or more embodiments can be used to practice. In one or more instances, the structure and components are shown in block diagram form to avoid blurring the concept of the subject technology. One or more embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by one or more drawings and / or described in conjunction with one or more drawings, and are set forth in the technical solution.

[0023] Various techniques are provided to facilitate aperture protection. In some embodiments, to facilitate aperture protection, an optical restrictor device is provided to protect one or more apertures from potentially harmful light. In some cases, the optical restrictor device may be implemented (e.g., positioned) in front of the aperture to prevent potentially harmful light from reaching the aperture while allowing other light to pass through and reach the aperture. For example, the aperture may include a human eye, a sensor, and / or a multifunctional structure. The multifunctional structure may include a sensor and / or other apertures (e.g., a multifunctional aperture) embedded in the structure. Without the optical restrictor device, the potentially harmful light may blind the eye, and / or damage and / or saturate the sensor.

[0024] In embodiments, an optical restrictor device may be provided in a vehicle (e.g., a ground, naval, aviation, and / or space vehicle), a sensor (e.g., a radar system), a wearable device (e.g., glasses, safety glasses, goggles, night vision goggles, a visor), and / or generally in any system where aperture protection may be achieved, such as a multifunctional structure or a multifunctional aperture. In some cases, the optical restrictor device may be coupled to a transparent substrate of the system to facilitate protection of the system. The transparent substrate may include glass, quartz, polycarbonate, and / or other transparent materials. As an example, the optical restrictor device may be provided on a windshield of an aircraft, or as a coating on eyeglasses to selectively allow light to pass through. As another example, the optical restrictor device may be provided as a windshield of an aircraft. When used in an aircraft, the optical restrictor device may be used to protect a pilot and / or optical equipment from incident light that may be aimed at the pilot and / or optical equipment (e.g., in a laser attack).

[0025] The optical limiter device includes a thermochromic material (e.g., also referred to as a thermochromic medium) and a nanostructure in contact with the thermochromic material. In one aspect, the nanostructure may also be referred to as a resonant structure or a concentrator. The nanostructure may be on the surface of the thermochromic material, partially embedded in the thermochromic material, completely embedded in the thermochromic material, and / or generally positioned to contact at least a portion of the thermochromic material. The thermochromic material is a phase change material that changes phase in response to a temperature change of the thermochromic material. When below the phase transition temperature, the thermochromic material is in a transparent state (e.g., also referred to as a transparent phase), and when above the phase transition temperature, it is in an opaque state (e.g., also referred to as an opaque phase, a reflective state / phase, or a metallic state / phase). The phase transition temperature may be referred to as the threshold temperature of the thermochromic material. In an embodiment, a thermochromic hot spot formed in a portion of the thermochromic material raises the temperature of the portion. When the temperature rises above the phase transition temperature, the portion changes from a transparent state that allows light to pass through to an opaque state that blocks light.

[0026] Nanostructures in thermochromic materials are used to form thermochromic hot spots in thermochromic materials. In order to form such thermochromic hot spots, a series of reactions associated with optical limiter devices can be followed. In some aspects, nanostructures illuminated by potentially harmful light capture and amplify the electric field of potentially harmful light. In this regard, the nanostructures operate as concentrators. The capture and amplification of such electric fields can include nanostructures coupling to light, absorbing light, and converting the absorbed light into heat. Therefore, the absorbed light increases the temperature of the nanostructures. Since each nanostructure is in contact with a corresponding portion of the thermochromic material, the heat generated by the nanostructures in response to light causes heating (e.g., via conduction) of the thermochromic material portions local to these nanostructures. In one aspect, thermochromic hot spots refer to the heated nanostructures and / or the corresponding heated portions of the thermochromic material.

[0027] The local heating of the thermochromic material can cause these local parts of the thermochromic material to change from a transparent state to an opaque state. In this regard, each part of the thermochromic material heated to a temperature higher than the phase transition temperature of the thermochromic material changes from a transparent state to an opaque state. The transition part of the thermochromic material formed in response to local heating may scatter potentially harmful light. In this regard, the heated part of the thermochromic material corresponds spatially to the nanostructure illuminated by the potentially harmful light, so that the part of the thermochromic material that is transformed to the opaque state is consistent with the propagation path of the potentially harmful light, allowing reflection (e.g., scattering) of the potentially harmful light. In one aspect, the opacity of the transition part of the thermochromic material helps to absorb the potentially harmful light through these transition parts, thereby providing a positive feedback mechanism that helps to expand the opaque part and helps to mitigate the potentially harmful light. Under the promotion of positive feedback, the thermochromic hot spots can expand rapidly and coalesce with adjacent thermochromic hot spots to effectively form a continuous reflective layer (e.g., a local reflector) that scatters the potentially harmful light.

[0028] The transition to the transparent state is reversible. In this regard, when the potentially harmful light is removed (and there is no additional potentially harmful light), the thermochromic material cools (e.g., the thermochromic hot spot disappears), and once its temperature is below the phase transition temperature, it transitions to its transparent state. In some cases, the thermochromic material returns to its initial temperature (e.g., the temperature before local heating). Therefore, the opaque portion of the thermochromic material can be considered to be a transient scattering center induced by potentially harmful light and disappears once the light is removed. In an embodiment, in order to facilitate cooling, the thermochromic material may have a thickness of approximately 10nm to 500nm. Thinner thermochromic materials are generally heated and cooled faster than thicker thermochromic materials. For some applications, a material system formed by a nanostructure and a thermochromic material is provided to allow a duration of less than 1μs for transitioning from a transparent state to an opaque state in response to potentially harmful light, and / or a duration of less than 1μs for returning to a transparent state from an opaque state. In some cases, a duration of about 1 ms for the transition from the transparent state to the opaque state may be sufficient to avoid viewing potentially harmful light at the aperture (eg, a human eye).

[0029] In addition to scattering potentially harmful light by absorbing light through the nanostructures, the nanostructures can couple to the light and scatter the light. Such scattering can directly scatter the potentially harmful light (e.g., without involving heating the thermochromic material) to prevent the potentially harmful light from reaching the hole. In some cases, such scattering can also induce partial heating of the thermochromic material (e.g., via heating the nanostructures) to a temperature above the phase transition temperature to cause these portions of the thermochromic material to transition to an opaque state and thus induce the thermochromic material to scatter light. Therefore, although the scattering of potentially harmful light is described primarily with respect to the absorption of light by the nanostructures, the potentially harmful light can be directly scattered by the nanostructures. In addition, in this regard, although the heating of the thermochromic material is described primarily with respect to the absorption of light by the nanostructures, the scattering of light by the nanostructures can also contribute to the heating of the thermochromic material.

[0030] In some aspects, potentially harmful light refers to light having a frequency within a particular frequency range and having an irradiance above a threshold. The frequency and threshold irradiance value can be application specific. In other words, what is considered potentially harmful light in one application may not be considered potentially harmful light in another application. In this regard, for a given application, the thermochromic material, the nanostructure in contact with the thermochromic material, and / or other components of the optical limiter device can be selected or configured (e.g., arranged, positioned) to respond to light that is considered potentially harmful. For example, in response to potentially harmful light, the nanostructure can absorb light and / or directly scatter light. As an example, for applications that can benefit from laser pointer protection (e.g., driving a vehicle such as a flying aircraft), the frequency can include any frequency within at least the visible spectrum.

[0031] The threshold irradiance value may be an irradiance value determined to be harmful for a given application (e.g., temporarily or permanently blinding an eye, damaging and / or saturating a sensor). In one aspect, the threshold irradiance value is typically selected to be above the irradiance associated with the sun, which may be about 0.1 W / cm 2 In this regard, the optical restrictor device is configured such that light, typically from the sun and other ambient light sources, is allowed to pass through the optical restrictor device and reach the aperture. For example, depending on the application, the threshold irradiance may be selected to be approximately 0.1 W / cm 2 , 0.15W / cm 2 , 0.2W / cm 2 , 0.5W / cm 2 , 1W / cm 2 , 5W / cm 2, and all values ​​are between . Note that the light may have multiple frequency components, each with an irradiance value. Different frequencies may be associated with different irradiance thresholds. In some cases, instead of or in addition to using irradiance to characterize the incident light, light intensity and / or energy density may be used to characterize the incident light.

[0032] The frequency response range and irradiance threshold can be customized in the optical limiter device according to the application requirements, including customizing (e.g., selecting) the properties of the thermochromic material, the nanostructures, and / or the arrangement of these components. In some aspects, the physical properties of the nanostructures, such as their material composition, size, and / or shape, can be designed and mixed to target a specific frequency or frequency combination. In embodiments, nanostructures of different material compositions, sizes, and / or shapes can be provided in contact with the thermochromic material so that the nanostructures collectively provide resonance over a wide and / or different frequency range.

[0033] The nanostructure provides frequency selectivity of the optical limiter device. The nanostructure can be configured with a frequency response range that is designed to include potential frequencies of light that can be used in the optical limiter device (e.g., as part of a laser attack). The frequency difference between the highest frequency and the lowest frequency of the frequency response range can be referred to as the bandwidth. A wider bandwidth can also be referred to as a wider spectral response range. In some cases, the resonant frequency range may include the visible light spectrum (e.g., such as to prevent visible light laser pointers) or portions thereof, the infrared spectrum or portions thereof, and / or other portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The nanostructure can be in the shape of a cube, a sphere, a rod, a plate, and / or other shapes. For example, the diameter of a spherical or plate-shaped nanostructure can be about 10 nm to 100 nm. In some cases, the nanostructure can be provided as a continuous layer of patterned material.

[0034] In this way, the nanostructures can define a frequency response range of the optical limiter device, so that incident light having a frequency within the frequency response range and an irradiance above a threshold value is absorbed or scattered by at least a subset of the nanostructures. The subset of nanostructures that absorb the incident light can generate heat sufficient to heat the relevant portion of the thermochromic material to a temperature above the phase transition temperature. For a given nanostructure or group of nanostructures, the material composition, size, and shape of the nanostructures can probabilistically determine whether the nanostructure responds to light by absorbing light or scattering light. In one aspect, the nanostructures primarily promote the scattering of potentially harmful light by absorbing potentially harmful light and inducing the corresponding portion of the thermochromic material to transition to an opaque state to scatter the potentially harmful light. Because frequency and wavelength are related, the frequency response range has an equivalent wavelength response range. In one aspect, the phrases frequency response range, wavelength response range, and spectral response range are used interchangeably herein for discussion purposes.

[0035] In one aspect, thermochromic hot spots can be generated at lower threshold irradiance levels (e.g., lower laser intensity and energy density) relative to the situation where nanostructures are not used. The thickness of the thermochromic material can be selected to achieve the lower threshold irradiance level. In one aspect, the optical limiter device is implemented with a thin layer of thermochromic material, wherein thinner thermochromic materials are generally associated with lower thermal mass and heat and cool faster relative to thicker thermochromic materials. For example, the thermochromic material can have a thickness of about 10nm to 500nm. Instead of using a thin layer of thermochromic material or using a thin layer of thermochromic material, the positive feedback provided by the opaque portion of the thermochromic material absorbing potentially harmful light can help achieve a lower threshold irradiance level.

[0036] In some cases, a small change in the temperature of the thermochromic material may cause the thermochromic material to transition to an opaque state and scatter potentially harmful light, thereby facilitating a faster response time to potentially harmful light at lower illumination levels (e.g., irradiance levels). In an embodiment, the thermochromic material is a nonlinear thermochromic material that exhibits little or no reflective properties at temperatures below the phase transition temperature and exhibits high reflective properties near the phase transition temperature and above. In these cases, the optical restrictor device may be referred to as having high sensitivity because even light at lower illumination levels is sufficient to cause a small change in the temperature of the thermochromic material and thus cause a transition to a transparent state to scatter light.

[0037] Thus, using various embodiments, the optical restrictor device can be configured to prevent light that is considered potentially harmful to a given application from reaching the hole while allowing light that is not considered harmful to reach the hole. In some embodiments, the optical restrictor device provides wide bandwidth protection, high speed response to potentially harmful light, fast recovery from potentially harmful light, and transparency to non-potentially harmful light. Portions of the optical restrictor device (e.g., portions of the thermochromic material) that are illuminated by potentially harmful light effectively respond to the light and become opaque to prevent the light from reaching the hole, while portions of the optical restrictor device without any potentially harmful light remain transparent, allowing light that is not considered potentially harmful to pass through. In this regard, scattering of potentially harmful light can be performed without heating the entire thermochromic material, where heating the entire thermochromic material may cause the entire thermochromic material to become opaque and require a longer duration than localized heating of the nanostructures provided herein. Once the potentially harmful light is removed, the portion of the optical device that was in the opaque state transitions back to a transparent state. The optical restrictor device according to various embodiments utilizes a passive approach to selectively respond to light, which contrasts with an approach that utilizes a bias circuit and associated control circuitry to apply a bias signal to the optical restrictor device to respond to light. This passive approach may allow for power savings and reduced complexity compared to approaches that utilize bias circuits and associated control circuits to generate and tune bias signals.

[0038] Now referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 An optical restrictor device 100 for promoting aperture protection according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. However, not all of the components depicted are required, and one or more embodiments may include additional components as shown in the figures. The arrangement and type of components may be varied without departing from the spirit or scope of the technical solutions described herein. Additional components, different components, and / or fewer components may be provided.

[0039] The optical restrictor device 100 includes a thermochromic material 105, nanostructures in contact with the thermochromic material 105, a substrate layer 120, and an adhesive layer 125. As an example, the nanostructures 110A, 110B, 110C, 110D, 110E, 110F, and 110G are Figure 1 Mark in. Figure 1 In the embodiment, the nanostructures are dispersed on and / or spread throughout the thermochromic material 105, such that the nanostructures are in contact with the thermochromic material 105. Figure 1As shown, the nanostructures in contact with the thermochromic material 105 may be completely embedded in the thermochromic material 105 (e.g., nanostructures 110B, 110E, 110F, and 110G), partially embedded in the thermochromic material 105 (e.g., nanostructure 110A), so that a portion of the nanostructure is exposed (e.g., outside the thermochromic material 105), or on the surface of the thermochromic material 105 (e.g., nanostructure 110C). As an example, nanostructures 110A, 110B, 110C, 110D, and 110E are spherical. Nanostructures 110F and 110G have a rectangular cross-section and may have a shape such as a rectangular prism or a cross.

[0040] The substrate layer 120 provides a first surface on which the thermochromic material 105 is deposited and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and the adhesive layer 125 is deposited on the second surface. The substrate layer 120 can provide structural support for the thermochromic material 105. For example, the substrate layer 120 can be a transparent substrate. For example, the substrate layer 120 can include glass and / or acrylic. The thickness of the substrate layer 120 generally depends on the application. For example, in some cases, the substrate layer 120 can have a thickness of several hundred microns to several millimeters.

[0041] The adhesive layer 125 is provided on the substrate layer 120 and can be used to facilitate the engagement (e.g., coupling) of the optical restrictor device 100 with the system to facilitate hole protection of the system. In one instance, when the automobile has a hole 130, the adhesive layer 125 can be an adhesive peel-and-stick layer for coupling the optical restrictor device 100 to the windshield of the automobile to selectively prevent light from propagating to the hole 130. In this case, the hole 130 can include the eyes of the driver and / or passengers of the automobile. As an example, in Figure 1 In the embodiment of the present invention, the adhesive layer 125 can couple the optical restrictor device 100 to the inner surface of the windshield (e.g., the surface closer to the driver and passengers) so that the thermochromic material 105 faces the hole 130 and away from the environment outside the car. This positioning of the thermochromic material 105 can help protect the thermochromic material 105 from the external environment. As another example, the adhesive layer 125 can couple the optical restrictor device 100 to the outer surface of the windshield (e.g., the surface away from the driver and passengers) so that the thermochromic material 105 faces the environment outside the car. The adhesive layer 125 can be disposed on other portions of the optical restrictor device 100. For example, the positioning of the adhesive layer 125 can be based on environmental considerations and / or structural considerations. Structural considerations can include the relationship of the shape and / or size of the optical restrictor device 100 to the shape and / or size of the system to which the optical restrictor device 100 is to be joined.

[0042] In some cases, adhesive layer 125 may be optional. For example, instead of or in addition to using adhesive layer 125, optical restrictor device 100 may include one or more other types of engagement elements, such as pegs, magnetic elements, suction cups, bumps and ridges, and / or generally any fastener and / or fastening structure to facilitate engagement with a system. In some cases, the engagement elements may be provided specifically by the system to which optical restrictor device 100 is to be engaged.

[0043] The optical restrictor device 100 may include one or more protective layers. The protective layer may protect the optical restrictor device 100 and / or a system to which the optical restrictor device 100 is coupled. For example, the protective layer may be an environmental protection layer that includes a polymer material to protect the optical restrictor device 100 from moisture. The protective layer may be in contact with the optical restrictor device 100 or offset from the optical restrictor device 100.

[0044] In some embodiments, the optical restrictor device 100 selectively prevents potentially harmful light incident on the optical restrictor device 100 from propagating through the optical restrictor device 100 and reaching the aperture 130 through the operation of the nanostructures and the thermochromic material 105. In one aspect, the optical restrictor device 100 selectively prevents the incident light from propagating through the optical restrictor device 100 to the aperture 130 based on the frequency components and associated irradiance values ​​of the incident light. In this regard, the optical restrictor device 100 determines that the light incident on the optical restrictor device 100 is potentially harmful light when the light has a frequency component within a specific frequency range and an irradiance above a threshold value. For example, the light may have a frequency within the visible light spectrum and an irradiance above a threshold value of 0.1 W / cm 2 irradiance.

[0045] In some cases, optical restrictor device 100 has a thickness of about or less than a few millimeters (e.g., from the top surface of adhesive layer 125 to Figure 1 105). In one instance, the optical restrictor device 100 has a thickness of 1 mm. The thickness of the substrate layer 120 may be about 1 mm. The thickness of the adhesive layer 125 may be about 50 μm to 150 μm. The thickness of the active layer may be about 100 nm to 200 nm. The thickness of the active layer may include the thickness of the thermochromic material 105 and the thickness of the nanostructures (if any) protruding from the thermochromic material 105. These thicknesses are provided by way of non-limiting examples, and other thicknesses may be utilized. The thickness and other dimensional aspects of the optical restrictor device 100 and its components depend on the application.

[0046] In an embodiment, if Figure 1As shown, the optical restrictor device 100 can be implemented (e.g., positioned) in front of the aperture 130 so as to protect the aperture 130. The aperture 130 can be or include the aperture of a human eye, a sensor, and / or generally any opening that can receive electromagnetic (EM) radiation. EM radiation can generally refer to any radiation in the EM spectrum, and can be referred to as an EM radiation beam, an EM beam, light, a beam, or variations thereof (e.g., an EM beam). The term light can include visible light, infrared light, ultraviolet light, or generally any portion of the EM spectrum.

[0047] exist Figure 1 In the embodiment of the present invention, light 135 incident on the optical restrictor device 100 is not considered to be potentially harmful by the optical restrictor device 100, and thus the light 135 passes through the optical restrictor device 100 to reach the hole 130. In this regard, the light 135 may have a frequency outside the frequency response range of the nanostructures and / or an irradiance below a threshold, and thus it is allowed to propagate through the optical restrictor device 100. For example, the light 135 may be ambient light, such as from the sun and / or any stray light. Although in Figure 1 Light 135 is shown as parallel rays in FIG. 1 , and this depiction is used to simplify the drawing. A portion of light 135 may propagate through optical restrictor device 100 to aperture 130 via thermochromic material 105, nanostructures, substrate layer 120, and adhesive layer 125 from various angles. These rays of light 135 are not Figure 1 To avoid ambiguity Figure 1 components.

[0048] Light incident on the optical restrictor device 100 may have multiple frequency components, each frequency component having an irradiance value. In this case, the nanostructures may be excited in response to frequency components of the incident light within the frequency response range of the nanostructures and having an irradiance above a corresponding threshold, while frequency components of the incident light outside the frequency response range and / or having an irradiance below the corresponding threshold do not induce emission of photoelectrons. In some cases, different frequencies may be associated with different irradiance thresholds.

[0049] Notice, Figure 1 Example distributions and physical properties (e.g., size, shape) of nanostructures in thermochromic material 105 are shown, and other means of distributing nanostructures on and / or within thermochromic material 105 may be utilized (e.g., depending on the application, cost, etc.). In this regard, optical restrictor device 100 may include a nanostructure in contact with thermochromic material 105. Figure 1Different nanostructure arrangements are shown. For example, in some cases (not shown), all of the nanostructures can be completely embedded in the thermochromic material 105. In one aspect, the nanostructures can be provided as part of a metamaterial layer (e.g., a continuous metamaterial layer) having a nanopattern in contact with (e.g., on or within) the thermochromic material 105. In some cases, the metamaterial layer can be formed by depositing a layer of material (e.g., gold, silver) and patterning the layer.

[0050] In an embodiment, each nanostructure in contact with the thermochromic material 105 supports resonance (e.g., plasmon-polariton resonance) in a given frequency band (e.g., also referred to as a resonant frequency range) based on the nanostructure physical properties (e.g., material composition, size, shape) and the composition of the thermochromic material 105. The resonance causes absorption of incident light and conversion of the light incident energy into heat via phonon-electron interactions in the nanostructure.

[0051] When the nanostructures are illuminated by potentially harmful light (e.g., light having an irradiance above a threshold), the light excites collective surface charge oscillations (e.g., oscillations of free electron charge) at the interface between each nanostructure and the thermochromic material 105. In response to incident light exceeding a given threshold, the oscillations of the nanostructures cause the nanostructures to absorb and / or scatter at least a portion of the light. A portion of the light absorbed by the nanostructures is converted into heat by the nanostructures. This heat generated by the nanostructures increases the temperature of the nanostructures and, through a heat transfer mechanism such as conduction, increases the temperature of a portion of the thermochromic material 105 near (e.g., immediately adjacent to) the nanostructures.

[0052] In some aspects, coupling between nanostructures can facilitate absorption of potentially harmful light. In this regard, nanostructures of various sizes, shapes, and / or materials can be tethered or linked together to form molecules, attached to a polymer backbone, linked or tethered to form chains, and / or linked to form a lattice. Such coupling is generally a function of the distance between the nanostructures, wherein a greater distance between any two nanostructures is associated with a lower coupling between the two nanostructures. For example, the absorber structure is implemented by nanostructures 110F and 110G. Nanostructures 110F and 110G can be positioned to couple to each other to facilitate heating of a portion of the thermochromic material 105 between and around nanostructures 110F and 110G. While such coupling is not limited to the amount of heat generated by the nanostructures, it is also possible to heat the nanostructures 110F and 110G together. Figure 1 , coupling may also occur horizontally (e.g., between nanostructures 110F or 110G and Figure 1 Between one or more adjacent nanostructures on the right side of the middle) and / or with spherical nanostructures based on the distance between the nanostructures. Figure 1In FIG. 1 , nanostructure 110G is in contact with substrate layer 120, while nanostructure 110F is embedded in thermochromic material 105. Similarly, spherical nanostructures may be coupled to each other and / or to non-spherical nanostructures based on the distance between the nanostructures.

[0053] Since the phase / state of the thermochromic material 105 is temperature dependent, in response to the heat from the nanostructures, the temperature of the thermochromic material 105 increases to a temperature above the phase transition temperature causing the portion of the thermochromic material 105 near the nanostructures to transition from a transparent state to an opaque state. In this way, the incident light causes the nanostructures along the light path to increase in temperature and cause the thermochromic material 105 to transition to an opaque state in a correlated manner.

[0054] In one aspect, because the light causes localized heating of the thermochromic material 105, reflective portions of the thermochromic material 105 formed in portions of the optical restrictor device 100 associated with the localized heating scatter the light, while other portions of the optical restrictor device 100 allow the light to pass through the aperture 130. The portion of the thermochromic material 105 in the reflective state scatters the incident light so that the light does not reach the aperture 130, thereby reducing or eliminating the light transmitted through the optical restrictor device 100 and preventing the light from reaching the aperture 130. The light allowed to reach the aperture 130 has a frequency outside the resonant frequency range, is commonly provided by the nanostructures in contact with the thermochromic material 105, and / or has an irradiance less than a threshold value, and is generally considered to be non-detrimental for a given application.

[0055] In this regard, the aperture 130 (e.g., an operator of a system including or utilizing the optical restrictor device 100, a sensor) can see light that is transmitted through the transparent portion of the thermochromic material 105 (e.g., not considered potentially harmful), while potentially harmful light incident on the opaque portion is scattered to protect the aperture 130. In an embodiment, the material composition used to implement the thermochromic material 105 is selected so that in its opaque state, the opaque portion of the thermochromic material 105 scatters frequency components of light at least within the resonant frequency range provided by the nanostructures. In some cases, depending on the material composition of the thermochromic material 105, frequency components outside the resonant frequency range may also be scattered by the opaque portion of the thermochromic material 105.

[0056] At higher nanostructure densities / concentrations (e.g., the number of nanostructures per unit volume or per surface area), less potentially harmful light can penetrate the thermochromic material 105. For example, when the aperture 130 comprises a human eye, the thermochromic material 105 prevents light from passing through the optical restrictor device 100 and potentially blinding the eye (e.g., temporarily or permanently). When the aperture 130 comprises a sensor, the thermochromic material 105 prevents light from reaching the sensor and saturating and / or damaging the sensor.

[0057] The nanostructures continue to generate heat, keeping the thermochromic material 105 in an opaque state until the potentially harmful light exposure ends. Once the exposure ends, the temperature of the nanostructures decreases. As the nanostructures cool, the thermochromic material 105 decreases to a temperature below its phase transition temperature and returns to its transparent state. For example, the nanostructures and the thermochromic material 105 may return to their original temperatures (e.g., their temperatures when no potentially harmful light is incident on the thermochromic material 105). In one aspect, restoring the thermochromic material 105 to a transparent state may be referred to as restoration of the thermochromic material 105 or restoration of the optical restrictor device 100. In this regard, the opaque portions of the thermochromic material 105 may be considered as transient scattering centers in the thermochromic material 105, which are induced by the potentially harmful incident light and disappear once the potentially harmful incident light is removed.

[0058] Thus, the operation of the optical restrictor device 100 to generate these scattering centers in response to potentially harmful light is reversible. In some cases, an opaque state can be formed in response to illuminating the nanostructure with potentially harmful light for less than 1 μs, and restored to a transparent state in less than 1 μs when the potentially harmful light is removed.

[0059] The properties of the thermochromic material 105 (e.g., material composition, lattice structure) are selected based on the target application. In an embodiment, the characteristics of the thermochromic material 105 are selected based on the phase transition temperature and reversibility (e.g., transition to and from an opaque state). In one aspect, in various applications, it is generally desirable that the phase transition temperature is higher than the ambient temperature (e.g., to avoid the thermochromic material 105 becoming opaque in response to the ambient temperature), while being low enough so that the phase transition temperature is readily accessible when potentially harmful light is incident on the optical restrictor device 100. As an example, a material having a phase transition temperature of 30°C may become opaque in response to ambient light from the sun, while a material having a phase transition temperature of 700°C involves more heating to reach or exceed the phase transition temperature and is therefore generally associated with a slower response time. In various applications, the thermochromic material 105 may have a phase transition temperature between approximately 50°C (323K) and 100°C (373K).

[0060] As an example, the thermochromic material 105 may include vanadium dioxide (VO2). The phase transition temperature of VO2 is about 68°C (340K). At temperatures below 68°C, VO2 is a transparent insulator with a monoclinic crystal structure. At temperatures above 68°C, VO2 is a reflective metal with a tetragonal crystal structure similar to rutile. In this regard, around about 68°C, the conductivity of VO2 increases by several orders of magnitude (e.g., by about 10 4times), thereby converting VO2 from an insulator to a metal. In this way, the transparent state of VO2 can be referred to as a transparent insulator state / phase or a monoclinic state / phase, and the opaque state of VO2 can be referred to as a metallic reflective state / phase or a rutile state / phase. Reflective nanocrystals formed in VO2 when in an opaque state can be referred to as metallic nanocrystals. In some cases, bulk VO2 can be doped, such as with tungsten (W). Dopants can be added to VO2 to adjust (e.g., increase or decrease) the phase transition temperature of VO2. In response to potentially harmful light, VO2 can allow a duration of less than 1 μs to transition from a transparent state to an opaque state, and for recovery from an opaque state to a transparent state, the duration is less than 1 μs. In some cases, VO2 is used to implement a thermochromic material 105 in infrared applications. In visible light applications, the thermochromic material 105 may include, for example, spiropyran. The foregoing provides non-limiting examples of material compositions of the thermochromic material 105. Other material compositions of the thermochromic material 105 can be used depending on the application.

[0061] In embodiments, nanostructures of varying material composition, size, and / or shape may be provided in contact with the thermochromic material 105 such that the nanostructures collectively provide resonance over a wide and / or varying frequency range. In some cases, the resonant frequency range may include the visible light spectrum (e.g., as evidence to protect against visible light laser pointers), the infrared spectrum, and / or other EM spectra.

[0062] The nanostructures may include nanoparticles, nanopatterns (e.g., metamaterial layers), and / or other nanostructures, such as nanotubes (e.g., carbon nanotubes) or nanowires (e.g., silver nanowires, gold nanowires), which may be used to locally heat thermochromic materials. In some aspects, the nanostructures may include conductive materials. As non-limiting examples, metal nanostructures may include gold, silver, other precious metals, aluminum, copper, and / or other metals. In some cases, they may include carbon nanotubes or titanium nitride (TiN) materials. The nanostructures may be in the shape of cubes, spheres, rods, plates, crosses, and / or other shapes. As an example, the diameter of a spherical or plate-shaped nanostructure may be about 10 nm to 100 nm. In one aspect, for example, Figure 1 As shown in , the nanostructure (e.g., nanostructure 110A) has a core-shell structure. The core-shell structure may include nanoparticles as its core and a shell surrounding the nanoparticles. As an example, the nanoparticles may be a dielectric material such as glass, and the shell may be a metal material such as gold or silver. In some cases, the core-shell structure may provide better scattering efficiency than nanoparticles without a shell. In one aspect, the nanostructure may include a nanopattern with a metal / dielectric layer that may form various plasma resonators.

[0063] Figure 2ALight 205 and 210 are shown incident on the optical restrictor device 100 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, the light 205 and 210 are incident on the thermochromic material 105, and a subset of the nanostructures are in contact with the thermochromic material 105. Figure 2B 2 shows a thermochromic hot spot 220 formed in the thermochromic material 105 in response to light 205 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2A and 2B , light 210 propagates through the optical restrictor device 100 to reach the aperture 130 , while light 205 is prevented from reaching the aperture 130 by the opaque portion of the thermochromic material 105 formed at the thermally induced hot spot 220 .

[0064] Light 205 has a frequency within the resonant frequency range associated with the nanostructures in contact with thermochromic material 105 and is equal to or above a threshold value (e.g., 0.1 W / cm 2 ). In contrast, light 210 may have a frequency outside the resonant frequency range associated with the nanostructures in contact with the thermochromic material 105 and / or an irradiance below a threshold, and thus allow light 210 to propagate through the optical restrictor device 100 to reach the aperture 130. In this regard, light 205 is considered to be potentially harmful light, while light 210 is considered to be harmless. Light 205 comes from a light source 215, such as a laser pointer or a laser glare. Light 210 may include ambient light, such as light from the sun and / or any stray light.

[0065] exist Figure 2B 2, the nanostructures in contact with the portion of the thermochromic material 105 illuminated by the light 205 generate heat to generate a thermochromic hot spot 220 in the thermochromic material 105. For example, the thermochromic hot spot 220 may be generated by heat generated by at least the nanostructures 110D and 110E. When the light 205 propagates through the thermochromic material 105, the nanostructures along the path of the light 205 may absorb the light 205 and convert the absorbed light into heat, thereby increasing the temperature of the thermochromic material 105 local to these nanostructures.

[0066] Thermochromic hot spots 220 represent heat generated by the nanostructures in response to light 205. The heat generated by the nanostructures is transferred to a portion of the thermochromic material 105 that spatially corresponds to the nanostructures. When a portion of the thermochromic material 105 is heated to a temperature above the phase transition temperature of the thermochromic material 105, the portion of the thermochromic material 105 transitions from a transparent state to an opaque state. Light 205 incident on the opaque portion is scattered and thus blocked from reaching the aperture 130.

[0067] While light 205 remains present, light 205 continues to cause the nanostructures to generate heat, thereby causing a portion of the thermochromic material 105 to remain in an opaque state. In some cases, light having a frequency outside the resonant frequency range associated with the nanostructures of the optical restrictor device 100 may be scattered by the opaque portion if such light is incident on the opaque portion. Such light may be scattered even if the nanostructures normally allow such light to pass (e.g., the light is not potentially harmful light). In this regard, the thermochromic material 105 (or a portion thereof) in an opaque state has frequency selectivity, which may be based on the bulk material composition and dopants (if any) that make up the thermochromic material 105. The remainder of the optical restrictor device 100 remains transparent and allows light 210 (and other incident light that is not considered potentially harmful) to pass through the optical restrictor device 100 even when the opaque portion is present, thereby allowing the aperture 130 to receive the light 210 via the optical restrictor device 100, by protecting the aperture 130 from the light 205. For example, when the aperture 130 includes the pilot's eye, the pilot may see portions of the optical restrictor device 100 that are not blocked by the portion of the thermochromic material 105 that becomes opaque in response to the light 205 .

[0068] As light 205 propagates through the thermochromic material 105, one or more thermochromic hot spots may be formed in addition to the thermochromic hot spot 220. In this regard, any remaining portions of light 205 that are not scattered by the opaque portions of the thermochromic material 105 formed by the thermochromic hot spot 220 may be scattered by subsequent opaque regions formed by subsequent thermochromic hot spots generated as the remaining portions of the light 205 propagate through the thermochromic material 105. At higher nanostructure densities / concentrations (e.g., the number of nanostructures per unit volume or per surface area), less light 205 may penetrate the nanostructures in contact with the thermochromic material 105 to reach the pores 130.

[0069] In one aspect, additional factors can contribute to the absorption of light 205 and the generation of associated thermochromic hot spots in response to such absorption. The opacity of the transition portion of the thermochromic material 105 contributes to the absorption of light 205 by the transition portion, thereby providing a positive feedback mechanism to help expand the opaque portion and facilitate protecting the hole 130 from the influence of light 205. As positive feedback contributes, the thermochromic hot spots can expand and (if the thermochromic hot spots are close enough) coalesce with adjacent thermochromic hot spots to effectively form a continuous reflective layer (e.g., a partial reflector) that scatters light 205. In some cases, coupling between nanostructures can promote the absorption of potentially harmful light. This coupling is generally a function of the distance between the nanostructures, wherein a larger distance between any two nanostructures is associated with a lower coupling between the two nanostructures.

[0070] The properties of light 205 may determine which nanostructures are excited in response to being illuminated by light 205, and the corresponding size of the portion of thermochromic material 105 that transitions to an opaque state in response to light 205 exciting the nanostructures. For example, light 205 may be a laser (e.g., from a laser pointer) having a beam diameter of approximately 2 mm. The size of thermochromic hot spot 220 may be on a similar order of magnitude as the size of light 205. Similarly, the size of the portion of thermochromic material 105 that transitions to an opaque state may have a diameter of several millimeters (e.g., a size on the same order of magnitude as the beam diameter associated with light 205 in this example).

[0071] Figure 2C 205 is shown having cooled once the light 205 is removed, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, the light 205 may be removed when the light source 215 is turned off. As the thermo-induced hot spot 220 cools, the opaque portion of the thermochromic material 105 cools down. Once the temperature of the opaque portion is below the phase transition temperature, the opaque region of the thermochromic material 105 returns to a transparent state. In some cases, the opaque portion may be formed in response to the light 205 in less than 1 μs of the light 205 illuminating the nanostructure, and return to a transparent state in less than 1 μs when the light 205 is removed.

[0072] It should be noted that the light 205 and 210 incident on the optical restrictor device 100 may have multiple frequency components, each frequency component having an irradiance value. In this case, the nanostructures in contact with the thermochromic material 105 may generate heat in response to the frequency components of the incident light, which frequency components are consistent with one or more resonant frequencies of the nanostructures and have an irradiance above a corresponding threshold. In some cases, different frequencies may be associated with different irradiance thresholds. The nanostructures allow frequency components of the incident light that are outside the resonant frequency or frequencies contained by the nanostructures and / or below the irradiance threshold to pass to the aperture 130.

[0073] Figure 3 An example of a nanostructure 300 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. In an embodiment, the nanostructure 300 may be Figure 1 and 2A-2C shows one of the spherical nanostructures (e.g., 110A). Nanostructure 300 includes nanoparticle 305 (e.g., also referred to as a core) and a shell 310 (e.g., also referred to as a coating) surrounding nanoparticle 305. Nanoparticle 305 may include silicon, germanium, gallium, arsenide, indium phosphide, cadmium selenide, zinc sulfide, other substances and / or combinations thereof. Shell 310 may include gold, silver, titanium nitride and / or other elemental or compound materials (e.g., metal alloys). In some cases, shell 310 may be doped (e.g., with a metal such as sodium or tin or a metal alloy). In one case, nanoparticle 305 includes glass and shell 310 includes gold. As an example, nanostructure 300 may have a physical cross-section of about 70 nm. In this example, nanoparticle 305 may have a diameter of about 60 nm, and shell 310 may have a thickness of about 5 nm.

[0074] Figure 4 An example of a nanostructure 400 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The nanostructure 400 has a cross shape. In one embodiment, the nanostructure 400 may be Figure 1 and Figure 2A-2C One of the non-spherical nanostructures (e.g., 110F) shown in FIG. In some cases, nanostructure 400 may be provided alone or as part of an absorber structure to promote absorption and / or scattering of potentially harmful light. Nanostructure 400 may include gold, silver, titanium nitride, and / or other elemental or compound materials (e.g., metal alloys).

[0075] Figure 5A and 5B An example of a metamaterial layer 500 according to one or more embodiments is shown. Specifically, Figure 5A and 5B A side view and a top view of a metamaterial layer 500 (e.g., also referred to as a nanopattern) are shown, respectively. To form the metamaterial layer 500, a layer of material may be provided and patterned using photolithography to define structures 505, 510, and 515. The layer of material may include gold, silver, titanium nitride, and / or other elements or composite materials (e.g., metal alloys). In embodiments, the metamaterial layer 500 may be provided in a thermochromic material, e.g. Figure 1 Thermochromic material 105. For example, referring to Figure 1 , metamaterial layer 500 can be disposed on the surface of thermochromic material 105 and / or substrate layer 120, and / or at least partially embedded in thermochromic material 105. In some cases, the second metamaterial layer can be vertically displaced from metamaterial layer 500 to form an absorber structure. Figure 5A and 5B505, 510, and 515 may generally be any shape suitable for achieving a desired resonant frequency or resonant frequency range. Structures 505, 510, and 515 may have different shapes and / or sizes. In one aspect, metamaterial layer 500, each of structures 505, 510, and 515, and generally any portion of metamaterial layer 500 may be referred to as a nanostructure. Metamaterial layer 500 is a continuous layer of patterned material and may be considered to be a nanostructure provided as a continuous layer and / or a nanostructure formed as part of a continuous layer.

[0076] In embodiments, nanostructures, such as nanostructures 300 and 400 and metamaterial layer 500 (or portions thereof), are deposited on and / or dispersed throughout a thermochromic material (e.g., thermochromic material 105). In some aspects, nanostructures of various sizes, shapes, and / or materials may be tethered or linked together to form molecules, attached to a polymer backbone, linked or tethered to form chains, and / or linked to form a lattice. Such coupling between nanostructures may facilitate absorption and / or scattering of potentially harmful light by the nanostructures.

[0077] Figure 6 600 for facilitating hole protection according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 1 and Figure 2A-2C The process 600 is described with reference to the optical restrictor device 100; however, the process 600 is not limited to Figure 1 and Figure 2A-2C Optical restrictor device 100. Note that one or more operations may be combined, omitted, and / or performed in a different order as desired.

[0078] At block 605, the optical restrictor device 100 is provided as part of a system. The system may be, may include, or may be part of a vehicle (e.g., a land, naval, air, and / or space vehicle), a sensor (e.g., a radar sensor), a wearable device (e.g., glasses, goggles), a multi-function structure (e.g., having one or more sensors embedded in the structure), a multi-function aperture, and / or generally any system in which aperture protection may be achieved. Figure 8 Describe the system instance.

[0079] At block 610, light 205 and 210 are incident on at least a subset of the nanostructures in contact with the thermochromic material 105. For example, the nanostructures may include nanostructures (e.g., nanostructures 110D and 110E) disposed on the surface of the thermochromic material 105 and / or at least partially embedded in the thermochromic material 105. Light 205 has a frequency within a resonant frequency range provided collectively by the nanostructures and an irradiance above a threshold. Light 210 has a frequency outside the resonant frequency range and / or an irradiance below a threshold, and is transmitted through the thermochromic material 105.

[0080] At block 615, a subset of the nanostructures generates heat in response to the light 205. In one aspect, the nanostructures generate heat by oscillating in response to the light 205. In this regard, the nanostructures can absorb the light 205 and convert the light 205 into heat, increasing the temperature of the nanostructures. For example, the nanostructures can transfer heat (e.g., via conduction) to the thermochromic material 105 to generate a thermochromic hot spot 220 that indicates an increase in the temperature of the thermochromic material 105.

[0081] At block 620, in response to heat generated by the subset of nanostructures, a portion of the thermochromic material 105 transitions from a transparent state to an opaque state. In one aspect, to cause the transition, the heat generated by the subset of nanostructures heats the portion of the thermochromic material 105 to a temperature above a phase transition temperature of the thermochromic material 105. In some cases, the opacity of the transitioned portion of the thermochromic material 105 can promote absorption of light 205.

[0082] At block 625, the portion of the thermochromic material 105 that has transitioned to the opaque state blocks (e.g., reflects, scatters) the light 205 to prevent the light 205 from reaching the aperture 130. At block 630, the portion of the thermochromic material 105 transitions from the opaque state to the transparent state when the light 205 is removed. In this regard, when the light 205 is removed (e.g., as Figure 2C As shown in FIG. 1 , the temperature of the nanostructure decreases. The decrease in the temperature of the nanostructure causes a decrease in the temperature of a portion of the thermochromic material 105. When a portion of the thermochromic material 105 is at a temperature below the phase transition temperature, the portion of the thermochromic material 105 changes from an opaque state to a transparent state.

[0083] Figure 7 A flowchart of an example of a process 700 for manufacturing a system for promoting hole protection according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. For the purpose of explanation, reference is made here to Figure 1 The process 700 is described with reference to the optical restrictor device 100; however, the process 700 is not limited to Figure 1 In one aspect, the process 700 may be performed at Figure 6The process 600 is implemented at block 605 of FIG. 600. Note that one or more operations may be combined, omitted, and / or performed in a different order as desired.

[0084] At box 705, a substrate layer 120 is provided. The substrate layer 120 may be a transparent substrate material, such as glass and / or acrylic. At box 710, a thermochromic material 105 is disposed on the substrate layer 120. For example, the thermochromic material 105 may be deposited on the substrate layer 120. In various applications, the material selected for implementing the thermochromic material 105 may have a phase transition temperature between about 50°C (323K) and 100°C (373K). The thermochromic material 105 may include VO2 (e.g., for infrared applications) or spiropyran (e.g., for visible light applications). At box 715, a nanostructure in contact with the thermochromic material 105 is provided. The nanostructure may be provided on the surface of the thermochromic material 105 and / or partially disposed within the thermochromic material 105. In some cases, the nanostructure may be provided when the thermochromic material 105 is deposited on the substrate layer 120. The nanostructures may include nanoparticles, core-shell structures, nanopatterns, and / or structures provided as part of a nanopattern. In some cases, nanostructures of different sizes, shapes, and / or material compositions may be deposited on and / or dispersed throughout the thermochromic material 105 to achieve a wide range of resonant frequencies. The optical restrictor device 100 is formed by blocks 705, 710, and 715. In some cases, as part of forming the optical restrictor device 100, an adhesive layer 125 is deposited on the substrate layer 120. The adhesive layer 125 may be deposited before or after the thermochromic material 105 is deposited.

[0085] At block 720, the optical restrictor device 100 is joined to a component of the system using one or more joining elements. The optical restrictor device 100 may provide a window structure to engage with these joining elements. The joining elements may include adhesives, nails, magnets, suction cups, bumps and ridges, and / or any fasteners and / or fastening structures that may generally support the optical restrictor device 100 and / or couple the optical restrictor device 100 to a component of the system. As an example, the joining element may include an adhesive peel-adhesion layer (e.g., adhesive layer 125) of the optical restrictor device 100, which may be applied to a structural support substrate of the system. The structural support substrate may include a transparent substrate composed of glass, quartz, polycarbonate, and / or other transparent materials. For example, the structural support substrate may include a windshield of an aircraft, and the optical restrictor device 100 may be adhered to the windshield using the adhesive layer 125. Alternatively and / or additionally, the joining element may be provided by the system to receive the optical restrictor device 100. In this regard, in some cases, the adhesive layer 125 is optional.

[0086] Figure 8A system 800 with an optical restrictor device 805 for promoting aperture protection according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. However, not all of the components depicted are required, and one or more embodiments may include additional components not shown in the figure. The arrangement and type of components may be varied without departing from the spirit or scope of the technical solutions described herein. Additional components, different components, and / or fewer components may be provided.

[0087] System 800 can be used in ground, naval, aviation, and / or space applications with appropriate component selection and configuration (e.g., operating frequency, material composition, etc.). System 800 can be, include, or can be part of a vehicle (e.g., a car, an aircraft, a satellite), a sensor (e.g., an infrared sensor), a multifunctional structure, a multifunctional aperture, or a wearable device (e.g., glasses, goggles). In one aspect, Figure 8 The dashed line in may represent a housing of the system 800 .

[0088] The system 800 includes an optical restrictor device 805, a processing circuit 810, a communication circuit 815, one or more output device interfaces 820, one or more input device interfaces 825, a positioning circuit 830, a memory 835, a power supply 840, other components 845, or a bus 850. The optical restrictor device 805 can be used to prevent potentially harmful light from reaching an aperture associated with the system 800. For example, when the system 800 is an aircraft, the apertures can include the eyes of people on the aircraft (e.g., passengers, pilots, etc.) and sensor equipment (e.g., infrared sensor equipment). In some cases, the optical restrictor device 805 can be provided as a window of the system 800, or coupled to a window of the system 800. In one aspect, the system 800 can include multiple optical restrictor devices, where each optical restrictor device can be used to protect one or more apertures.

[0089] In embodiments, optical restrictor device 805 may be, may include, or may be a part of optical restrictor device 100. As described above, system 800 may be additional components, different components, and / or more than system 800. Figure 8 For example, when system 800 is implemented in a pair of glasses, system 800 may include an optical limiter device coupled to each glass lens or placed in front of or behind each glass lens (e.g., without Figure 8 many components shown).

[0090] The processing circuit 810 may execute machine-readable instructions (e.g., software, firmware, or other instructions) stored in the memory 835. In this regard, the processing circuit 810 may perform any of a variety of operations, processes, and techniques to facilitate operating the system 800. For example, in an aircraft, the processing circuit 810 may facilitate the operation of the aircraft, including the flight of the aircraft and the process of any specific mission of the aircraft (e.g., radar applications, imaging applications, etc.). The processing circuit 810 may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs) (e.g., field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), field programmable systems on chip (FPSCs), or other types of programmable devices), codecs, and / or other processing devices. In one embodiment, in response to potentially harmful light, the processing circuit 810 may generate and send control signals to other components and / or other systems within the system 800, such as to mitigate any damage caused by the light (e.g., turn on a backup sensor device to replace a sensor device damaged by the light), detect the light source, and / or remove the light source.

[0091] The communication circuitry 815 may be configured to process, manage, or otherwise facilitate wired and / or wireless communications between various components of the system 800 and between the system 800 and another system. In embodiments, the communication circuitry 815 may include wireless communication circuitry (e.g., based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard, the Bluetooth standard, or a wireless communication protocol (e.g., a wireless communication protocol ... TM 、ZigBee TM The communication circuitry 815 may include a wireless communication protocol, such as a wireless communication protocol, ...

[0092] The communication circuit 815 can be configured to interface with a wired network, for example, via an Ethernet interface, a power line modem, a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, a public switched telephone network (PSTN) modem, a cable modem, and / or other suitable components for wired communication. Alternatively or additionally, the communication circuit 815 can support proprietary wired communication protocols and interfaces. The communication circuit 815 can be configured to communicate via a wired link (e.g., via a network router, switch, hub, or other network device) for wired communication. The wired link can be implemented with power line cable, coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, or other cables or wires that support corresponding wired network technology.

[0093] The output device interface 820 can couple the system 800 to one or more output devices. The output device interface 820 may include a graphics and / or audio driver card, a graphics and / or audio driver chip, and / or a graphics and / or audio driver processor. The output device can enable the system 800 to provide output information to a user. For example, the output device may include one or more display devices. The display device can be used to display information to the user. For example, in response to the incident of potentially harmful light on the optical limiter device 805, the display device can provide information related to the potentially harmful light. The information may include the potential location of the relevant light source, an image associated with the surrounding area (e.g., to facilitate detection and / or identification of additional threats), instructions for responding to potentially harmful light and / or other threats, and / or prompts for requesting input from the user (e.g., prompts requesting user approval to issue an alarm). The display device may include a flat panel display, a touch screen display, a light emitting diode (LED), or generally any device that can visually convey information.

[0094] The input device interface 825 can couple the system 800 to one or more input devices. The input devices can enable a user to provide (e.g., input) data and commands to the system 800. The input devices can include, for example, an audio sensor, a microphone, a camera (still or video), a voice recognition system, a keyboard (e.g., a physical or virtual keyboard), a cursor control device (e.g., a mouse), a touch screen, and / or other devices for providing user input to the system 800. In this regard, the user input can be received in any form, such as audio (e.g., voice), visual, and / or tactile. In some cases, the input device can be integrated with the display and can also be part of the display, such as in a touch screen display.

[0095] Positioning circuitry 830 may be used to monitor the location of system 800. Positioning circuitry 830 may include or may communicate with (eg, via communication circuitry 815) a global positioning system (GPS) that provides the location of system 800.

[0096] The memory 835 may be used to store information used to facilitate the operation of the system 800. As non-limiting examples, the memory 835 may include non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable (EEPROM), flash memory, non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), etc. The memory 835 may include volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), etc. The memory 835 may store information such as instructions to be executed by various components of the system 800 (e.g., processing circuit 810), buffered information to be sent (e.g., communication circuit 815), and / or other information. In some cases, the memory 835 may store information such as instructions to be executed in response to potentially harmful light.

[0097] The power source 840 can provide power to operate the system 800, for example by supplying power to various components of the system 800. The power source 840 can be or can include one or more batteries (e.g., rechargeable batteries, non-rechargeable batteries). Alternatively or additionally, the power source 840 can be or can include one or more solar cells. The solar cells can be used to provide power to operate the system 800 and / or charge one or more rechargeable batteries.

[0098] In addition, system 800 may include other components 845. As non-limiting examples, other components 845 may be used to implement any features of system 800 as desired for various applications (e.g., radar imaging applications, surveillance applications, delivery applications, construction applications, etc.). Bus 850 may be used to facilitate data communication between various components of system 800.

[0099] It should be noted that the dimensional aspects provided above (e.g., thickness of thermochromic material, diameter of core-shell structure) are provided as non-limiting examples and are generally application dependent. Furthermore, as will be appreciated, such dimensional aspects are generally nominal values ​​and are associated with dimensional tolerances.

[0100] Where applicable, without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure, the various hardware components and / or software components set forth herein may be divided into subcomponents comprising software, hardware, or both. In addition, where applicable, it is contemplated that software components may be implemented as hardware components, and vice versa.

[0101] Software according to the present disclosure, such as program code and / or data, may be stored on one or more non-transitory machine-readable media. It is also contemplated that the software identified herein may be implemented using one or more general or special purpose computers and / or computer systems, networked and / or otherwise. Where applicable, the order of the various steps described herein may be changed, combined into composite steps, and / or divided into sub-steps to provide the features described herein.

[0102] Furthermore, the present disclosure includes implementations according to the following clauses:

[0103] Clause 1. A system for promoting hole protection, the system comprising:

[0104] An optical limiter device comprising:

[0105] A plurality of nanostructures, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of nanostructures is configured as:

[0106] receiving incident light; and

[0107] generating heat in response to the incident light; and

[0108] A thermochromic material, wherein each of the plurality of nanostructures is in contact with a respective portion of the thermochromic material, and wherein at least a portion of the thermochromic material is configured to:

[0109] transitioning from a first state to a second state in response to heat generated by a subset of the plurality of nanostructures; and

[0110] The incident light is blocked when the portion of the thermochromic material is in the second state.

[0111] Clause 2. The system of Clause 1, wherein the subset of the plurality of nanostructures is configured to generate the heat by oscillating in response to the incident light when the incident light has a frequency within a frequency range and has at least a threshold irradiance.

[0112] Clause 3. The system of Clause 2, wherein the threshold irradiance and the frequency range are based at least in part on physical properties of the plurality of nanostructures.

[0113] Clause 4. The system of Clause 1, wherein when the portion of the thermochromic material is in the second state, the portion of the thermochromic material is configured to block the incident light by absorbing and / or scattering the incident light.

[0114] Clause 5. The system of clause 1, wherein the portion of the thermochromic material is configured to:

[0115] transitioning from the first state to the second state when the heat increases a portion of the thermochromic material to a temperature above a threshold temperature; and

[0116] The transition from the second state to the first state occurs when a portion of the thermochromic material decreases to a temperature below the threshold temperature.

[0117] Clause 6. The system of Clause 1, further comprising a substrate layer in contact with the thermochromic material.

[0118] Clause 7. The system of Clause 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of nanostructures comprises a core and a shell surrounding the core.

[0119] Clause 8. The system of Clause 1, wherein the plurality of nanostructures form part of a continuous metamaterial layer, and wherein the continuous metamaterial layer is in contact with the thermochromic material.

[0120] Clause 9. A system according to clause 1, wherein the system is a vehicle, a sensor, or a wearable device, wherein the portion of the thermochromic material is configured to block the incident light when the portion of the thermochromic material is in the second state to prevent the incident light from reaching one or more operators of the system and / or one or more components of the system.

[0121] Clause 10. The system of clause 9, wherein:

[0122] The system is an aircraft;

[0123] The system further comprises:

[0124] a housing; and

[0125] one or more engagement elements coupled to the housing and configured to receive the optical restrictor device; and

[0126] The optical restrictor device is configured to engage with the one or more engagement elements and selectively transmit light into the aircraft.

[0127] Clause 11. A method of manufacturing the system of clause 1, the method comprising:

[0128] providing a substrate layer;

[0129] Disposing the thermochromic material on the substrate layer;

[0130] providing the plurality of nanostructures such that each of the plurality of nanostructures is in contact with the thermochromic material; and

[0131] The optical restrictor device is engaged with the one or more engagement elements configured to receive the optical restrictor device.

[0132] Clause 12. The method of Clause 11, wherein providing the plurality of nanostructures comprises distributing the plurality of nanostructures throughout the thermochromic material such that each of the plurality of nanostructures is at least partially embedded in the thermochromic material.

[0133] Clause 13. The method of Clause 11, wherein providing the plurality of nanostructures comprises forming a continuous metamaterial layer comprising the plurality of nanostructures.

[0134] Clause 14. A method for promoting pore protection, the method comprising:

[0135] receiving incident light through at least a subset of the plurality of nanostructures, wherein each of the plurality of nanostructures is in contact with a respective portion of the thermochromic material;

[0136] generating heat in response to the incident light through a subset of the plurality of nanostructures;

[0137] In response to heat generated by a subset of the plurality of nanostructures, transitioning at least a first portion of the thermochromic material from a first state to a second state; and

[0138] When the first portion of the thermochromic material is in the second state, the incident light is blocked by the first portion of the thermochromic material.

[0139] Clause 15. The method of Clause 14, wherein heat is generated in response to the incident light when the incident light has a wavelength within a wavelength range and has at least a threshold irradiance.

[0140] Clause 16. The method of Clause 15, further comprising, when the first portion is in the second state, allowing light having a wavelength outside of the wavelength range and / or having an irradiance less than a threshold to pass through a second portion of the thermochromic material.

[0141] Clause 17. The method of Clause 14, wherein the blocking comprises absorbing and / or scattering the incident light.

[0142] Clause 18. A method according to clause 14, wherein the first portion of the thermochromic material transitions from the first state to the second state when heat increases the first portion of the thermochromic material to a temperature above a threshold temperature, and the method further comprises transitioning from the second state to the first state when the first portion of the thermochromic material decreases to a temperature below the threshold temperature.

[0143] Clause 19. The method of Clause 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of nanostructures comprises a core and a shell surrounding the core.

[0144] Clause 20. The method of Clause 14, wherein the plurality of nanostructures form part of a continuous metamaterial layer, and wherein the continuous metamaterial layer is in contact with the thermochromic material.

[0145] The above embodiments illustrate but do not limit the present invention. It should also be understood that many modifications and variations can be made according to the principles of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention is limited only by the following technical solutions and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A system for promoting pore protection, the system comprising: An optical limiter device comprising: A plurality of nanostructures, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of nanostructures is configured as: receiving incident light; and generating heat in response to the incident light; and A thermochromic material, wherein each of the plurality of nanostructures is in contact with a respective portion of the thermochromic material, and wherein at least a portion of the thermochromic material is configured to: transitioning from a first state to a second state in response to heat generated by a subset of the plurality of nanostructures; and blocking the incident light when the at least a portion of the thermochromic material is in the second state, Wherein, when the at least a portion of the thermochromic material changes from the first state to the second state, the heat generated by the nanostructure in contact with the portion of the thermochromic material illuminated by the incident light generates a thermochromic hotspot in the thermochromic material, and the thermochromic hotspot expands through a positive feedback mechanism and coalesces with adjacent thermochromic hotspots that are sufficiently close to form a continuous reflective layer. The positive feedback mechanism refers to the expansion of the thermochromic hotspot by further absorbing the incident light due to the at least a portion of the thermochromic material changing to the second state.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The subset of the plurality of nanostructures is configured to generate the heat by oscillating in response to the incident light when the incident light has a frequency within a frequency range and has at least a threshold irradiance.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein: The threshold irradiance and the frequency range are based at least in part on physical properties of the plurality of nanostructures.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein: When the at least a portion of the thermochromic material is in the second state, the at least a portion of the thermochromic material is configured to block the incident light by absorbing and / or scattering the incident light.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The at least a portion of the thermochromic material is configured to: transitioning from the first state to the second state when the heat increases the at least a portion of the thermochromic material to a temperature above a threshold temperature; and The transition from the second state to the first state occurs when the at least a portion of the thermochromic material decreases to a temperature below the threshold temperature.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a substrate layer in contact with the thermochromic material.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein: At least one of the plurality of nanostructures includes a core and a shell surrounding the core.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of nanostructures forms part of a continuous metamaterial layer, and wherein the continuous metamaterial layer is in contact with the thermochromic material.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The system is a vehicle, a sensor, or a wearable device, wherein the at least a portion of the thermochromic material is configured to block the incident light to prevent the incident light from reaching one or more operators of the system and / or one or more components of the system when the at least a portion of the thermochromic material is in the second state.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein: The system is an aircraft; The system further comprises: a housing; and one or more engagement elements coupled to the housing and configured to receive the optical restrictor device; and The optical restrictor device is configured to engage with the one or more engagement elements and selectively transmit light into the aircraft.

11. A method of manufacturing the system of claim 1, the method comprising: providing a substrate layer; Disposing a thermochromic material on the substrate layer; providing a plurality of nanostructures such that each of the plurality of nanostructures is in contact with the thermochromic material; and The optical restrictor device is engaged with one or more engagement elements configured to receive the optical restrictor device.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein: Providing the plurality of nanostructures includes distributing the plurality of nanostructures throughout the thermochromic material such that each of the plurality of nanostructures is at least partially embedded in the thermochromic material.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein: Providing the plurality of nanostructures includes forming a continuous metamaterial layer including the plurality of nanostructures.

14. A method for promoting pore protection, the method comprising: receiving incident light through at least a subset of the plurality of nanostructures, wherein each of the plurality of nanostructures is in contact with a respective portion of the thermochromic material; generating heat through a subset of the plurality of nanostructures in response to the incident light; In response to heat generated by a subset of the plurality of nanostructures, transitioning at least a first portion of the thermochromic material from a first state to a second state; and when the first portion of the thermochromic material is in the second state, the incident light is blocked by the first portion of the thermochromic material, Wherein, when the first portion of the thermochromic material changes from the first state to the second state, the heat generated by the nanostructure in contact with the portion of the thermochromic material illuminated by the incident light generates a thermochromic hotspot in the thermochromic material, and the thermochromic hotspot expands through a positive feedback mechanism and coalesces with adjacent thermochromic hotspots that are sufficiently close to form a continuous reflective layer. The positive feedback mechanism refers to the first portion of the thermochromic material further absorbing the incident light due to the change to the second state, causing the thermochromic hotspot to expand.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein: Heat is generated in response to the incident light when the incident light has a wavelength within the wavelength range and has at least a threshold irradiance.

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