Single Layer Smart Window Coating for Visible Light Transmittance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing smart windows with thermochromic properties face challenges in achieving high visible light transmittance due to high phase transition temperatures, and methods to improve transmittance, such as multilayer coatings, increase processing time and cost while reducing infrared transmittance.
Innovation Solution
A single-layer smart window with a substrate coated using a composite of vanadium oxide and a low reflective material, such as alumina, formed through a co-sputtering process, achieving high visible light transmittance and infrared blocking ability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a multilayer smart window is manufactured by coating a substance capable of improving transmittance on a vanadium dioxide coating film, then visible light transmittance is improved, but processing time and cost increase and infrared transmittance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple materials (vanadium dioxide and low reflective material) into a single composite coating layer, eliminating the need for separate multilayer coating processes. This merging approach achieves both improved visible light transmittance and simplified manufacturing in one step.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite material consisting of vanadium dioxide and low reflective material in a single coating layer. This composite structure provides the optical properties of both materials simultaneously, achieving high visible light transmittance while maintaining infrared blocking capability.
2Illumination intensity
If a multilayer smart window is manufactured by coating a substance capable of improving transmittance on a vanadium dioxide coating film, then visible light transmittance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple materials (vanadium dioxide and low reflective material) into a single composite coating layer, eliminating the need for separate multilayer coating processes. This merging approach achieves both improved visible light transmittance and simplified manufacturing in one step.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite material consisting of vanadium dioxide and low reflective material in a single coating layer. This composite structure provides the optical properties of both materials simultaneously, achieving high visible light transmittance while maintaining infrared blocking capability.
3Illumination intensity
If a multilayer smart window is manufactured by coating a substance capable of improving transmittance on a vanadium dioxide coating film, then visible light transmittance is improved, but infrared transmittance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by giving different parts of the single coating layer different functions through concentration gradients. The vanadium dioxide provides infrared blocking while the low reflective material enhances visible light transmittance, with their concentrations varying locally to achieve optimal performance for each wavelength range.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite material consisting of vanadium dioxide and low reflective material in a single coating layer. This composite structure provides the optical properties of both materials simultaneously, achieving high visible light transmittance while maintaining infrared blocking capability.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If materials with thermochromic properties are used, then infrared blocking ability is improved, but visible light transmittance is reduced due to high phase transition temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material consisting of vanadium dioxide and low reflective material in a single coating layer. This composite structure provides the optical properties of both materials simultaneously, achieving high visible light transmittance while maintaining infrared blocking capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical parameters of the coating by combining materials with different properties. The low reflective material modifies the optical parameters to enhance visible light transmittance while the vanadium dioxide maintains infrared blocking through its thermochromic properties.
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 provides a simple structure with high visible light transmittance and efficient infrared blocking, reducing manufacturing time and cost while maintaining excellent energy-saving properties.
Implementation Method 1
The thermochromic property is as follows: the crystal structure of a material changes around a specific temperature and its physical properties change rapidly. The smart window using the thermochromic property transmits visible light when the temperature exceeds a certain temperature, but it can prevent the rise of the room temperature by blocking near infrared rays and infrared rays
Implementation Method 2
the single layered coating is formed on the substrate using a co-sputtering process, wherein the co-sputtering process includes sputtering first and second targets simultaneously, wherein the first target includes a vanadium metal or vanadium oxide and the second target includes at least one selected from a group consisting of alumina (Al2O3), silicon dioxide (SiO2), titanium dioxide (TiO2), tungsten trioxide (WO3), zinc oxide (ZnO), hafnium oxide (HfO2), silicon nitride (SiN), indium tin oxide (ITO), chromium oxide (Cr2O3), cerium oxide (CeO2), or tin oxide (SnO2)
Data Source
AI summary
A single layered smart window may include a substrate; and a single layered coating formed on the substrate, wherein the coating includes a composite of a vanadium oxide and a low reflective material. The single layered smart window has high visible light transmittance and is capable of blocking infrared ray as a temperature is increased.