ELECTROCHROMIC (EC) MIRROR WHICH RAPIDLY CHANGES REFLECTIVITY

• US 3,807,832 A
• Filed: 11/09/1972
• Issued: 04/30/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George Augustus Castellion
• Original Assignee: George Augustus Castellion
• Inventors: Castellion, George Augustus
• Primary Examiner(s): Wibert, Ronald L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Godwin, Paul K.
• Application Number:
  US05/305,205
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 350/16R,290
• US Class Current: 359/267
• CPC Class Codes: E21F 17/06 Distributing electric power; Cable networks; Conduits for cables circuit arrangements for supplying or distributing electric power in general H02J
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1524 Transition metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/157 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1552 Inner electrode, e.g. the electrochromic layer being sandwiched between the inner electrode and the support substrate

Abstract

Electro-optical device useful in modulation of reflected light, and the like, typically comprising an electrochromic device containing a reflecting mirror surface, said electrochromic device being a sandwich arrangement of a transparent electrode, an electrochromic layer, a reflecting and support layer disposed in a liquid electrolyte and a counterelectrode. The electrochromic device exhibits coloration and bleaching thereof at ambient temperature by control of the polarity of an applied electric field, whereby light reaching the reflecting layer electrode is modulated in intensity, thus modulating, in turn, the reflected light.

Claims

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said persistent electrochromic material is tungsten oxide.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said persistent electrochromic material is molybdenum oxide.

4. A variable light transmission process as defined in claim 1 comprising control means coupled to said device for selectively applying across said electrodes a potential of one polarity, a potential of opposite polarity and an effective short circuit.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein at least one of the selectively applied potential is variable over a given range.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said control means is put into operation by photoactivatable means activated by the radiation to be reflected.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said counter electrode comprises a persistent electrochromic material.