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OPTICAL DEVICE WITH THERMALLY SWITCHING PHASE CHANGE MATERIAL

  • US 20190064555A1
  • Filed: 01/25/2017
  • Published: 02/28/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An optical device comprising a layer structure with:

  • a thermally conducting, optical reflector;

    a thermally conducting spacer, which is transmissive to light and arranged above the reflector; and

    a phase change material, or PCM, arranged above the spacer and having at least two reversibly switchable states, in which the PCM exhibits two different values of refractive index,wherein,the reflector, the spacer and the PCM are successively stacked along a stacking direction of the layer structure,and wherein the optical device further comprises;

    a heating element, opposite to the PCM with respect to the reflector, the layer structure being configured so as to electrically insulate the PCM from the heating element, while the heating element is in thermal communication with the PCM via the reflector and the spacer; and

    a controller configured to energize the heating element, so as to heat the PCM and thereby reversibly change a refractive index and/or an absorption of said PCM.

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