Optical Filter Nanodisk Composite for Near-Infrared Blocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical filters fail to effectively manage light absorption and transmission across near-infrared and visible wavelength spectra, leading to issues such as crosstalk and reduced image quality in electronic devices like cameras and image sensors.
Innovation Solution
An optical filter comprising a light absorbing layer with a near-infrared absorbing material and conductive nanodisks, where the nanodisks are configured to absorb, reflect, or scatter light, achieving high light absorption in the near-infrared spectrum while maintaining high transmittance in the visible spectrum, with a thin thickness and optimized structural parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a conventional optical filter is used to block near-infrared light, then near-infrared absorption is achieved, but the filter thickness increases and visible light transmittance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines conductive nanodisks (metal or conductive oxide particles with diameter 50-500 nm) with a polymer matrix material to create a composite optical filter. This composite structure enables high near-infrared absorption through the conductive nanodisks while the polymer matrix maintains thin profile and high visible light transmittance, resolving the contradiction between NIR blocking and thickness control
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive nanodisks are distributed at specific concentrations (0.1-10 wt%) within the polymer matrix, creating localized light absorption centers. This local concentration approach allows the filter to achieve effective NIR blocking only where needed, while maintaining overall thinness and high visible transmittance in other regions
2Loss of energy
If a conventional optical filter is used to block near-infrared light, then near-infrared absorption is achieved, but visible light transmittance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes critical parameters including nanodisk size (50-500 nm diameter), concentration (0.1-10 wt%), and polymer matrix selection to achieve selective wavelength filtering. By adjusting these parameters, the filter achieves high NIR absorption while maintaining 70-90% visible light transmittance, resolving the contradiction between NIR blocking and visible light transmission
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional thick-layer mechanical filtering approaches with a nanoscale composite system. The conductive nanodisks provide electromagnetic light absorption at the nanoscale, substituting for traditional thick optical layers and enabling simultaneous NIR blocking and high visible transmittance
3Loss of energy
If the optical filter uses thicker layers to improve near-infrared absorption, then absorption efficiency increases, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the optical filter into discrete conductive nanodisk elements distributed within a polymer matrix, rather than using a continuous thick layer. This segmentation into nanoscale units achieves effective NIR absorption through cumulative effect of many small particles, simplifying the overall structure and enabling easier manufacturing through conventional coating techniques
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves enhanced light absorption in the near-infrared spectrum while ensuring high transmittance in the visible spectrum, effectively blocking near-infrared wavelengths and reducing crosstalk, thereby improving image quality and selectively filtering light in electronic devices.
Implementation Method 1
The light absorbing layer may include a near-infrared absorbing material configured to absorb light of a first wavelength spectrum, the first wavelength spectrum encompassed within a near-infrared wavelength spectrum
Implementation Method 2
The conductive nanodisk may be configured to absorb, reflect, or scatter light of a second wavelength spectrum, the second wavelength spectrum at least partially overlapping the first wavelength spectrum
Implementation Method 3
The conductive nanodisk may be configured to absorb, reflect, or scatter light of a second wavelength spectrum
Implementation Method 4
The conductive nanodisk may be configured to absorb, reflect, or scatter light of a second wavelength spectrum
Data Source
AI summary
An optical filter includes a light absorbing layer and a conductive nanodisk. The light absorbing layer includes a near-infrared absorbing material configured to absorb light of a first wavelength spectrum within a near-infrared wavelength spectrum. The conductive nanodisk is configured to absorb or reflect light of a second wavelength spectrum within the first wavelength spectrum. An image sensor includes the optical filter, a camera module includes the optical filter, and an electronic device includes the optical filter.