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Methods and apparatus for transparent display using up-converting nanoparticles

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1327921

Disclosed herein are transparent color displays with nanoparticles made with nonlinear materials and/or designed to exhibit optical resonances. These nanoparticles are embedded in or hosted on a transparent substrate, such as a flexible piece of clear plastic or acrylic. Illuminating the nanoparticles with invisible light (e.g., infrared or ultraviolet light) causes them to emit visible light. For example, a rare-earth doped nanoparticle may emit visible light when illuminated simultaneoulsy with a first infrared beam at a first wavelength .lamda..sub.1 and a second infrared beam at a second wavelength .lamda..sub.2. And a frequency-doubling nanoparticle may emit visible light when illuminated with a single infrared beam at the nanoparticle's resonant frequency. Selectively addressing these nanoparticles with appropiately selected pump beams yields visible light emitted from the nanoparticles hosted by the transparent substrate in a desired pattern.

Research Organization:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
SC0001299; SC0001299
Assignee:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA
Patent Number(s):
9,458,989
Application Number:
14/143,558
OSTI ID:
1327921
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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