Optical switching device
AssigneeU.S. Philips Corporation
InventorsPeter Alexander Duine, Paul Van Der Sluis
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Abstract
A description is given of a switching device (1) comprising a transparent substrate (3) and a switching film (5) which incldes a hydride of a trivalent metal, such as gadolinium, and which is covered with a palladium layer (7). Between the substrate (3) and the switching film (5) a thin magnesium layer (4) is interposed. By exchange of hydrogen, the switching film can be reversibly switched from a transparent state to a highly reflective state. The conversion between both states is reversible, and this phenomenon can be used, for example, in a luminaire or for climate control.
Claims7
An optical switching device comprising a substrate and a switching film which comprises a hydride of a trivalent metal, which hydride can be reversibly switched between a low-hydrogen, mirror-like composition and a high-hydrogen transparent composition by an exchange of hydrogen, characterized in that a thin magnesium layer is arranged between the substrate and the switching film.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.