Normally transparent smart window with haze enhancement via inhomogeneous alignment surface

ABSTRACT

Smart windows which switch between transparent and scattering states can be used not only as privacy window in buildings and cars, but also as information displays, and motorcycle helmet visors. Here, we have proposed a reverse mode polymer-stabilised liquid crystals (PSLCs) smart window based on inhomogeneous alignment surface, which greatly enhances the haze by 42% when compared to device without inhomogeneity treatment. A 100-cm² window that switches between the power-off clear state (~4% haze) and a power-on scattering state (64% haze at 15 V) in less than 3.5 ms is demonstrated. Since no high-temperature treatment (< 80°C) is involved in device fabrication, further development on plastic films is feasible.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Reactive mesogen
• inhomogeneity
• scattering
• smart window

Acknowledgements

We are sincerely grateful for the support from Research Grants Council (RGC 614413) and partners State Key Laboratory on Advanced Displays and Optoelectronics Technologies of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors. Cuiling MENG and Man Chun Tseng distributed equally to this work.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Research Grants Council [614413].