DOE PAGES title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Electro-Optical Device with Tunable Transparency Using Colloidal Core/Shell Nanoparticles

Journal Article · · ACS Photonics

Here, suspended particle devices (SPDs) adapted for controlling the transmission of electromagnetic radiation have become an area of considerable focus for smart window technology due to their desirable properties, such as instant and precise light control and cost-effectiveness. Here, we demonstrate a SPD with tunable transparency in the visible regime using colloidal assemblies of nanoparticles. The observed transparency using ZnS/SiO2 core/shell colloidal nanoparticles is dynamically tunable in response to an external electric field with increased transparency when applied voltage increases. The observed transparency change is attributed to structural ordering of nanoparticle assemblies and thereby modifies the photonic band structures, as confirmed by the finite-difference time-domain simulations of Maxwell’s equations. The transparency of the device can also be manipulated by changing the particle size and the device thickness. In addition to transparency, structural colorations and their dynamic tunability are demonstrated using α-Fe2O3/SiO2 core/shell nanomaterials, resulting from the combination of inherent optical properties of α-Fe2O3/SiO2 nanomaterials and coloration due to their tunable structural particle assemblies in response to electric stimuli.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-07NA27344
OSTI ID:
1466126
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL--740703; 894509
Journal Information:
ACS Photonics, Journal Name: ACS Photonics Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 5; ISSN 2330-4022
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (31)

Quasi-Amorphous Colloidal Structures for Electrically Tunable Full-Color Photonic Pixels with Angle-Independency journal August 2010
Structural Colored Liquid Membrane without Angle Dependence journal May 2009
Electrooptical behaviour and control of a suspended particle device journal January 2007
Durability of switching behaviour after outdoor exposure for a suspended particle device switchable glazing journal April 2017
Homogeneous, Core−Shell, and Hollow-Shell ZnS Colloid-Based Photonic Crystals journal February 2007
Vapor Pressures of Propylene Carbonate and N , N -Dimethylacetamide journal January 2005
Photonic Crystal Chemical Sensors:  pH and Ionic Strength journal October 2000
Tunable Amorphous Photonic Materials with Pigmentary Colloidal Nanostructures journal January 2017
Quasicubic α-Fe 2 O 3 Nanoparticles with Excellent Catalytic Performance journal February 2006
Beiträge zur Optik trüber Medien, speziell kolloidaler Metallösungen journal January 1908
Structure and optical function of amorphous photonic nanostructures from avian feather barbs: a comparative small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis of 230 bird species journal May 2012
Highly Tunable Superparamagnetic Colloidal Photonic Crystals journal October 2007
Performance requirements for electrochromic smart window journal September 2015
Synthesis and Characterization of Monodisperse Core−Shell Colloidal Spheres of Zinc Sulfide and Silica journal August 2001
Self-assembled colloidal structures for photonics journal January 2011
Properties, requirements and possibilities of smart windows for dynamic daylight and solar energy control in buildings: A state-of-the-art review journal February 2010
Effect of sky conditions on light transmission through a suspended particle device switchable glazing journal February 2017
Hyper-Rayleigh scattering in solution journal June 1991
Performance, materials and coating technologies of thermochromic thin films on smart windows journal October 2013
A Photonic Crystal Laser from Solution Based Organo-Lead Iodide Perovskite Thin Films journal March 2016
Measured overall heat transfer coefficient of a suspended particle device switchable glazing journal December 2015
Controlled growth of monodisperse silica spheres in the micron size range journal January 1968
Effect of exposure to growth media on size and surface charge of silica based Stöber nanoparticles: a DLS and ζ-potential study journal September 2014
Thermally Driven Unidirectional Crystallization of Charged Colloidal Silica journal March 2007
Beer-Lambert Law journal July 1997
Full Color Tunable Photonic Crystal from Crystalline Colloidal Arrays with an Engineered Photonic Stop-Band journal October 2012
A Ceramic Photonic Crystal Temperature Sensor journal August 1999
Hybrid vertical‐cavity laser with lateral emission into a silicon waveguide journal April 2015
Temperature tuning of the stop band in transmission spectra of liquid-crystal infiltrated synthetic opal as tunable photonic crystal journal August 1999
Facile fabrication of tunable colloidal photonic crystal hydrogel supraballs toward a colorimetric humidity sensor journal January 2013
Electrochromic smart windows: energy efficiency and device aspects journal February 2003

Cited By (2)

Ultrasonic Influence on Plasmonic Effects Exhibited by Photoactive Bimetallic Au-Pt Nanoparticles Suspended in Ethanol journal June 2019
Ultrasonic Influence on Plasmonic Effects Exhibited by Photoactive Bimetallic Au-Pt Nanoparticles Suspended in Ethanol journal June 2019