Light-enhanced self-cleaning film system and method of forming same

A self-cleaning film system comprising:

• a substrate;
• a film disposed on the substrate and including:
• a monolayer formed from a fluorinated material selected from the group consisting of fluorinated organic compounds, fluorinated inorganic compounds, and combinations thereof;
• and
• a first plurality of regions disposed within the monolayer and spaced apart from one another such that each of the first plurality of regions abuts, is surrounded by, and is not covered by the fluorinated material, wherein each of the first plurality of regions includes a photocatalytic material;
• a wave guide disposed adjacent the substrate and including:
• a first light source configured for emitting a first portion of electromagnetic radiation towards the film, wherein the first portion of electromagnetic radiation has an ultraviolet wavelength of from 10 nm to 400 nm;
• and
• a second light source configured for emitting a second portion of electromagnetic radiation towards the film, wherein the second portion of electromagnetic radiation has an infrared wavelength of from 700 nm to 1 mm;
• a display configured for emitting a ray of light towards the substrate;
• and
• a dielectric coating sandwiched between the substrate and the display and configured for reflecting the first portion of electromagnetic radiation towards the film.

A method of forming a self-cleaning film system configured for reducing a visibility of a contaminant, the method comprising:

• depositing a monolayer formed from a fluorinated material selected from the group consisting of fluorinated organic compounds, fluorinated inorganic compounds, and combinations thereof onto a substrate;
• after depositing, ablating the monolayer to define a first plurality of cavities therein, wherein each of the first plurality of cavities is spaced apart from an adjacent one of the first plurality of cavities along the monolayer;
• and
• after ablating, embedding a photocatalytic material into each of the first plurality of cavities to form a film on the substrate and thereby form the self-cleaning film system;
• wherein the film includes a first plurality of regions including the photocatalytic material;
• wherein the first plurality of regions are disposed within the monolayer and spaced apart from one another such that each of the first plurality of regions abuts, is surrounded by, and is not covered by the fluorinated material;
• wherein the self-cleaning film system further includes:
• a wave guide disposed adjacent the substrate and including:
• a first light source configured for emitting a first portion of electromagnetic radiation towards the film, wherein the first portion of electromagnetic radiation has an ultraviolet wavelength of from 10 nm to 400 nm;
• and
• a second light source configured for emitting a second portion of electromagnetic radiation towards the film, wherein the second portion of electromagnetic radiation has an infrared wavelength of from 700 nm to 1 mm;
• and
• after embedding, irradiating the film with:
• the second portion of electromagnetic radiation to thereby move the contaminant towards the first plurality of regions;
• and
• the first portion of electromagnetic radiation to thereby increase a photocatalytic degradation of the contaminant at the first plurality of regions and reduce the visibility of the contaminant.