Optical switching device comprising switchable hydrides
First Claim
1. An optical switching device comprising a substrate and a switching film which comprises hydrides of an alloy of trivalent metal and magnesium or a multilayer thereof, which hydrides can be reversibly switched from a low-hydrogen, mirror-like composition to a supersaturated, high-hydrogen transparent composition by an exchange of hydrogen.
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Abstract
A description is given of a switching device (1) comprising a transparent substrate (3), a switching film (5) including hydrides of gadolinium or other trivalent metal, and magnesium, covered with a palladium layer (7). By exchange of hydrogen, the switching film can be reversibly switched from a transparent state to a mirror-like state with zero transmission via an intermediate black absorbing state. The conversion between both states is reversible, and this phenomenon can be used, for example, in an optical switching element or sun roof.
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Citations
10 Claims
- 1. An optical switching device comprising a substrate and a switching film which comprises hydrides of an alloy of trivalent metal and magnesium or a multilayer thereof, which hydrides can be reversibly switched from a low-hydrogen, mirror-like composition to a supersaturated, high-hydrogen transparent composition by an exchange of hydrogen.
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10. An optical switching device comprising a first and a second electrode separated by an ion-conducting electrolyte, the first electrode comprising a switching film of hydrides of a trivalent metal and magnesium, which switching film is provided with an electrocatalytic metal layer in contact with the electrolyte, so that by applying a potential or current between the electrodes a change in optical transmission of the switching layer is detectable when the hydride is electrochemically converted from a low-hydrogen, mirror-like state to a high-hydrogen transparent state by an exchange of hydrogen, and vice versa.
Specification