# US 10,502,879 B1 · Systems with colored infrared-transparent layers

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- Number: US 10,502,879 B1
- Document ID: US10502879B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/703,846
- Filed: 2017-09-13
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-21
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: Malcolm J. Northcott; Arthur Y. Zhang; Bradford J. Zercoe; Matthew E. Last; Jack E. Graves; Irene Perali
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502879B1

## CPC

- G02B 5/008: {Surface plasmon devices (diffractive gratings with a pitch less than or comparable to the wavelength G02B5/1809; surface plasmons in integrated optics G02B6/1226; optical analysis of materials by means of surface plasmons G01N21/553)}
- B22F 1/056: {Submicron particles having a size above 100 nm up to 300 nm}
- G01V 8/10: Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers (by reflection from the object G01S17/00)
- G02B 1/10: Optical coatings produced by application to, or surface treatment of, optical elements (G02B1/08 takes precedence)
- G02B 1/115: Multilayers
- G02B 1/116: including electrically conducting layers
- G02B 5/206: {comprising particles embedded in a solid matrix}
- G02B 5/208: {for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. for separating visible light from infrared and/or ultraviolet radiation}
- G02B 5/26: Reflecting filters (G02B5/28 takes precedence)
- G02B 5/281: {designed for the infrared light}
- B22F 1/054: Nanosized particles
- B22F 7/08: with one or more parts not made from powder {(B22F7/062 takes precedence)}
- B22F 2007/042: {characterised by the layer forming method}
- B22F 2998/10: Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps
- G02B 2207/101: Nanooptics
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02)

## Abstract

A system such as a vehicle system, building, or electrical equipment may be provided with one or more optical components. The optical components may include a near-infrared camera or other components that operate at near-infrared wavelengths. A visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer may overlap the optical component. The visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer may have an infrared-transparent substrate. A polymer layer may be formed on the substrate and may contain plasmonic nanoparticles that reflect white light. Colorant may be incorporated into the polymer layer or into an additional polymer coating to impart a desired color to the reflected white light and thereby provide the visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer with a desired appearance.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising:
an infrared optical component; and
a visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer that overlaps the infrared optical component and that includes:
a substrate layer;
a first coating on the substrate layer that is formed from a polymer containing plasmonic nanoparticles; and
a second coating on the first coating,
wherein the plasmonic nanoparticles include at least first and second plasmonic nanoparticles with first and second distinct light-scattering spectrums.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system defined in claim 1 wherein the plasmonic nanoparticles include at least first, second, and third plasmonic nanoparticles with first, second, and third distinct light-scattering spectrums.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system defined in claim 2 wherein the first plasmonic nanoparticles comprise spherical metal nanoparticles.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system defined in claim 3 wherein the second and third plasmonic nanoparticles comprise metal-coated-dielectric-core plasmonic nanoparticles.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system defined in claim 1 wherein the second coating comprises a polymer and a colorant in the polymer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system defined in claim 5 wherein the plasmonic nanoparticles include solid metal nanoparticles and metal-coated-dielectric-core nanoparticles.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The system defined in claim 5 wherein the colorant comprises dye, wherein the visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer blocks at least 70% of visible light at wavelengths of 400-700 nm, and wherein the visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer transmits at least 90% of infrared light at wavelengths of 900-1000 nm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The system defined in claim 5 wherein the colorant comprises pigment, wherein the visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer blocks at least 70% of visible light at wavelengths of 400-700 nm, and wherein the visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer transmits at least 90% of infrared light at wavelengths of 900-1000 nm.

### Claim 9

A system, comprising:
an infrared optical component;
a visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer that overlaps the infrared optical component and that includes:
a substrate layer,
a first coating on the substrate layer that is formed from a polymer containing plasmonic nanoparticles, and
a second coating on the first coating, and
vehicle structures adjacent to the visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer that are color matched to the visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer.

### Claim 10

Apparatus, comprising:
an infrared optical component; and
a visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting structure that overlaps the infrared optical component and that includes:
an infrared-transparent support structure; and
a layer on the infrared-transparent support structure that contains plasmonic nanoparticles and colorant, wherein the plasmonic nanoparticles are configured to reflect white light and wherein the colorant is configured to impart a color to the reflected white light.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein the layer on the infrared-transparent support structure comprises polymer and wherein the polymer contains the plasmonic nanoparticles and the colorant.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein the colorant comprises a colorant selected from the group consisting of: a dye and a pigment.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The apparatus defined in claim 12 wherein the plasmonic nanoparticles comprise solid metal nanoparticles having diameters of less than 300 nm.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The apparatus defined in claim 13 wherein the plasmonic nanoparticles comprise metal-coated plasmonic nanoparticles with dielectric cores.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus defined in claim 14 wherein the infrared optical component comprises an infrared optical component selected from the group consisting of: a lidar device, an infrared camera, and infrared light source, and an infrared camera.

### Claim 16

A vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle body;
a support structure coupled to the vehicle body;
an infrared camera;
a visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer supported by the support structure, wherein infrared light passes through the visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer to the infrared camera and wherein the visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer comprises:
a polymer containing plasmonic nanoparticles that are configured to reflect white light; and
non-black colorant that colors the visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting layer by coloring the reflected white light.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The vehicle defined in claim 16 wherein the plasmonic nanoparticles comprise solid metal plasmonic nanoparticles having diameters of less than 300 nm.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The vehicle defined in claim 17 wherein the plasmonic nanoparticles include first and second metal-coated nanoparticles with dielectric cores of first and second different respective diameters.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The vehicle defined in claim 18 wherein the vehicle support structure comprises a portion of a vehicle dashboard.

### Claim 20 (depends on 10)

The apparatus defined in claim 10, further comprising:
vehicle structures adjacent to the visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting structure that are color matched to the visible-light-reflecting-and-infrared-light-transmitting structure.