Patent Description:
There has been a desire for improved optical filters whose spectral characteristics can be customised, which are stable and feasible to fabricate, and which are compact. There are real-world applications for such optical devices in at least the visible and infrared parts of the spectrum.

In some fields it is desirable to be able to change the transmission properties in use, such as for see-through displays, security applications or for light and/or heat control.

<CIT> discloses an interference filter structure with a partially reflecting/transmitting thin metal layer, dielectric spacers on each sides of the partially transparent layer and a semi-absorbing film.

<CIT> discloses a multilayered optical information recording medium with a semitransmission reflection film.

<NPL>) discloses a transmissive optical device comprising a layer of phase-change material between two transparent dielectric layers.

The present invention has been devised in view of the above problems.

Throughout this specification, the terms 'optical' and 'light' are used, because they are the usual terms in the art relating to electromagnetic radiation, but it is understood that in the context of the present specification they are not limited to visible light. It is envisaged that the invention can also be used with wavelengths outside the visible spectrum, such as infrared and ultraviolet light.

A first embodiment of a transmissive optical device will now be described with reference to <FIG>, which shows schematically a layered structure in cross-section. A solid layer of light absorber material <NUM> is provided. This layer is also knows as a thin film absorber, and the material typically has an imaginary component of refractive index (k) that is non-zero over a wide range of wavelengths. Many suitable materials can be used, and some specific examples are given later. The layer <NUM> is generally less than <NUM> nanometres thick, such as in the range of <NUM> to <NUM> nanometres thick. In this specific embodiment, the absorber material is Ge<NUM>Sb<NUM>Te<NUM> (GST) and the layer <NUM> is <NUM> nanometres thick.

The absorber material layer <NUM> is provided on a partially reflective layer <NUM>. A spacer layer <NUM> is sandwiched between the absorber layer <NUM> and the partially-reflective layer <NUM>. An optional capping layer <NUM> is provided on the front side of the device. In this specific embodiment, the spacer layer <NUM> and the capping layer <NUM> are made of indium tin oxide (ITO), which is electrically conductive, and so provides electrical contact with the material of the absorber layer <NUM>, however, in general, it is not necessary for them to be electrically conductive, nor to be made of the same material. The spacer layer <NUM> and the capping layer <NUM> are both optically transmissive, and are ideally as transparent as possible.

Light incident from the left of <FIG> on to the front side of the device (capping layer <NUM>), indicated by the solid arrows, is at least partially transmitted through the device and exits as shown by the dashed arrows in <FIG> because the layer <NUM> is only partially reflective. However, absorption by the absorber material layer <NUM>, and interference effects between the layer <NUM> and the layer <NUM> governed by the thickness t of the spacer layer <NUM>, alters the spectrum of the transmitted light. In other words, the transmission through the device varies as a function of wavelength. <FIG> shows the transmission percent as a function of wavelength for five different values of thickness t of the spacer layer <NUM>. Clearly, significantly different transmission spectra are obtained for different thicknesses t. So the device can act as a color filter, and has a colored appearance when substantially white light is viewed through it.

<FIG> relates to the specific embodiment in which the absorber layer <NUM> is composed of GST, a phase-change material (PCM). The transmission spectra of <FIG> are for the device when the GST is deposited in amorphous form. However, by applying a suitable voltage pulse from a voltage source <NUM>, the GST can undergo an induced reversible phase change to cause it to crystallise. <FIG> shows the corresponding transmission spectra with the GST in the crystalline form. As can be seen, a significantly different set of spectral responses (different broadband color filters) are obtained.

<FIG> shows the reflection spectra for the same device for several different thicknesses t of the spacer layer <NUM>. Interestingly, the color (spectrum) observed in reflection is different depending on which side the device is illuminated and viewed from; the plots in the left hand graph of <FIG> are for reflection viewed form the front side (capping layer <NUM>); and the plots in the right hand graph of <FIG> are for the device viewed from the back side (partially-reflective layer <NUM>).

The layer <NUM> is provided as an ultra-thin absorber layer, preferably less than <NUM> thick. Examples of suitable materials for the absorber include any of the phase change materials mentioned below. The stoichiometry can be changed and doping can be used to create the desired absorber properties. In fact, it is not necessary to use materials that absorb light in the bulk state; such materials can be engineered to create metamaterials that have the desired properties in terms of absorption.

Many suitable phase-change materials are available, either separately or in combination, including compounds or alloys of the combinations of elements selected from the following list: GeSbTe, GeTe, GeSb, GaSb, AgInSbTe, InSb, InSbTe, InSe, SbTe, TeGeSbS, AgSbSe, SbSe, GeSbMnSn, AgSbTe, AuSbTe, and AlSb. It is also understood that various stoichiometric forms of these materials are possible; for example GexSbyTez; and another suitable material is Ag<NUM>In<NUM>Sb<NUM>Te<NUM> (also known as AIST). Other suitable materials include any of the so-called "Mott memristors" (materials that undergo a metal-to-insulator transition, MIT, at some specific temperature), for example VOx or NbOx. Furthermore, the material can comprise one or more dopants, such as C or N.

Such so-called phase-change material (PCM), undergoes a drastic change in both the real and imaginary refractive index when switched between amorphous and crystalline phases. The switching is achieved either by heating induced by suitable electric pulses, or by thermal heating using electrical resistive heating of an adjacent layer that is in thermal contact with the phase change material. There is a substantial change in the refractive index when the material is switched between amorphous and crystalline phases. The material is stable in either state. Switching can be performed an effectively limitless number of times. However, it is not essential that the switching is reversible.

A further enhancement applicable to all embodiments is that the material of the layer <NUM> does not have to be switched simply between a fully crystalline and a fully amorphous state. A mixture of phases can be achieved, such as <NUM>% crystalline, <NUM>% crystalline etc. The resulting effective refractive index of the material is somewhere between the two extremes of fully crystalline and fully amorphous depending on the degree of partial crystallisation. Between <NUM> and <NUM> distinct mixed phases can be readily achieved, having the corresponding number of different detectable reflectivities, but with appropriate control, the number can be much higher, such as <NUM>.

Although some embodiments described herein mention that the material layer is switchable between two states such as crystalline and amorphous phases, the transformation could be between any two solid phases, including, but not limited to: crystalline to another crystalline or quasi-crystalline phase or vice-versa; amorphous to crystalline or quasi-crystalline/semi-ordered or vice versa, and all forms in between. Embodiments are also not limited to just two states.

In the preferred embodiment, the absorber material layer <NUM> is composed of is Ge<NUM>Sb<NUM>Te<NUM> (GST) less than <NUM> thick, and preferably less than <NUM> thick, such as <NUM> or <NUM> thick.

The spacer layer <NUM> and the (optional) capping layer <NUM> are both optically transmissive, and are ideally as transparent as possible. In the first example, the spacer layer <NUM> and the capping layer <NUM> are made of indium tin oxide (ITO), but it is not necessary for them to be electrically conductive (unless used in switchable devices where those layers act as electrodes), nor is it necessary for them to be made of the same material. Other suitable materials include silica, alumina, zinc sulfide, and polymeric materials, but any solid transparent or semi-transparent material could be used. An example of the thickness of the spacer layer <NUM> is anything less than <NUM>. The capping layer <NUM> protects the surface and examples have a thickness in the range of from <NUM> to <NUM>, for example <NUM>.

The partially-reflective layer <NUM> is a thin metal film, typically with a thickness in the range of from <NUM> to <NUM>, composed for example of Au, Ag, Al, or Pt.

The whole structure shown in <FIG> can be provided on a substrate (not shown) such as a glass, quartz, or plastics material, polycarbonate, PET etc. The layers are deposited using sputtering in the case of inorganic material layers such as the absorber material <NUM>, ITO, SiO<NUM>, and so on, which can be performed at a relatively low temperature of 100C or even 70C or lower. Polymeric layers can be formed by spin-coating and curing. Additional layers may also be provided as necessary. The low temperature process means that the optical device does not have to be fabricated at the same time as the article comprising the substrate (the article might be, for example, window glazing); the optical device can be retro-fitted as a surface coating applied later e.g. to existing windows or panels.

Optical devices according to any of the embodiments herein can be used as switchable transmissive color (spectral) filters, such as ultra-thin color filters for LCD/OLED displays and projectors. They can also be used in see-through displays, such as head-up displays (HUDs).

Optical devices according to any of the embodiments herein could be used as transmissive security marks, applied to articles, packaging, ID badges/passes, bank notes and so forth. A pattern can be stored in the phase change material layer by setting the crystallographic state of different regions. The pattern could simply be a recognisable image, or could encode specific information, such as being in the form of a bar code, QR code, or other suitable code. A pattern is not essential because one could just relying on the predetermined color change or spectral response intrinsic to the optical device that is difficult to replicate.

In one embodiment, the security mark is on a flexible substrate, such as a smart label or ID film, which can be bent to reveal a known change in color or to reveal a pattern to security personnel. The change in color and/or revelation of a pattern occurs because bending the device modifies the thickness of the layers, particularly the spacer layer, and so changes the spectral transmission response of the device.

A further variant is when the mark is defined using a pattern of mott memristor, such as VOx or NbOx, as the phase change material. A change in color contrast occurs when the mark is heated above the transition temperature, so the security mark can be revealed by heating the device, and the mark disappears when it cools down again.

A device reader incorporating a simple spectrometer could assess the color variation of the mark at different angles (with or without bending) and compare that with a previously stored response to validate the authenticity of the mark with extremely high confidence.

Another device reader uses one or more low-power laser diodes to measure the transmissivity at fixed wavelength as a function of angle, and compares with a known response.

In the case of a pattern written into the mark, a device reader could include a camera to capture one or more images of the mark under particular illumination wavelengths or angles, and could employ contrast comparison and or image recognition to verify the mark.

With any of the security marks described above, the mark can, of course, be erased and/or rewritten using appropriate switching means, as previously described (such as laser, electric or thermal). This enables versatile security hierarchies, for example where the user's card is verified at a first checkpoint at which the device reader also writes second information to the mark. A second checkpoint then verifies that the second information is present and then erases and/or writes further information. In this way, the checkpoints can only be passed in sequence; and bypassing a checkpoint will cause access as subsequent checkpoints to be denied.

Another application of the optical device not according to the claimed invention is as a mechanically active color changing film e.g. as a force sensor, as well as in security marks discussed above. Referring to <FIG>, the middle illustration shows the device in the relaxed state transmitting light with a particular spectrum. When a force F is applied to the layered device, the thickness t of the spacer layer <NUM> changes, which affects the apparent color of the device. The left-hand portion of <FIG> shows a compressive force F applied to the device, and the right-hand portion of <FIG> shows an expansive force F applied to the device. The resulting change in color is instantaneous, reversible (within the elastic boundaries of the material), and directly related to the applied force over a wide range. Therefore, the optical device provides a force sensor. To read the force, the color of the device is compared to calibrated colors (spectra) with known applied force. This can be done by eye, or with a simple camera, or with a more sophisticated spectrometer. The precision of the force measurement is defined by the quality of the optical measurement.

In the force sensor, the spacer <NUM> can be any optically transmissive (ideally transparent) material that can be compressed by force to change thickness t and hence change color of the device. The elastic modulus of the material will dictate the sensitivity and working range of forces of the device. The material must work within its elastic regime, otherwise permanent deformation will alter the device characteristics and calibration. In the preferred configuration, the spacer <NUM> is a soft material with high compressibility, such as an elastomer. Any substantially transparent elastomer is appropriate. One example is PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate); another example is any silicone, such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). A typical thickness of the spacer <NUM> is in the range from <NUM> to <NUM>, for example <NUM>.

Other means for changing the thickness t of the spacer layer <NUM> to change the transmission spectrum of the device include:.

Although the transmission spectra of <FIG> relate principally to the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum, transmissive-type films can also be used to modulate other parts of the spectrum, such as infrared (IR) light. Thus, IR filters for transmission or reduction of particular bands can be fabricated. The device can be applied as a surface coating for glazing for thermal management e.g. for buildings. A large change in transmittance in the infrared part of the spectrum can be achieved between the amorphous and crystalline states of the absorber layer such that the change in total infrared energy transmitted through the device can be switched by more than <NUM>%. Thus solar infrared light energy can be transmitted through the glazing to provide heating for the interior of the building, or the device can be switched to reflect more infrared to reduce unwanted heating of the interior of the building.

By appropriate choice of materials and layer thicknesses, the device can provide a large change across the infrared part of the spectrum, whilst only affecting the visible light to a much smaller degree. For example the total energy transmitted at the visible wave lengths may be effected by less than <NUM>%. In this way, the brightness of visible light admitted into the building through the glazing can be maintained, while still unobtrusively regulating the heat energy (infrared) transmitted. In other words, the visible appearance does not necessarily change or appear tinted even when changing the infrared transmission. A specific example of a structure for this application comprises <NUM> of ITO as a capping layer and electrode; a <NUM> thick layer of GST as the switchable absorber layer; a <NUM> thick layer of ITO as spacer layer (and second electrode for switching the GST); and a <NUM> thick silver layer as the partially-reflective layer.

There is a type of spectrometer known as a broadband-filter-based spectrometer. Light representing the spectrum to be analysed is passed through a broadband filter with known transmission characteristics as a function of wavelength. Different bands are attenuated by different amounts and the resulting light reaches a single detector which provides a single resulting total intensity value. This process is repeated with multiple broadband filters, each of which modifies the spectrum in a different way. From the known transmission spectra of all of the broadband filters, and the intensity measurements, the original spectrum can be reconstructed computationally.

The spectrometer can be made more efficient by measuring the set of intensities simultaneously. One embodiment for doing this is illustrated in <FIG>. A substrate <NUM> is provided with a two dimensional array of a detectors <NUM>, such as charge-coupled devices (CCDs). In front of the detector array is a set of spectral filters <NUM> each comprising a transmissive filter, such as previously described, with at least a layer of light absorber material, a spacer layer, and a partially-reflective layer. By adjusting the composition and/or thicknesses of the layers, the spectral transmission of each filter <NUM> can be different.

Although illustrated in <FIG> as one filter <NUM> per detector <NUM>, this does not have to be the case, and one filter could serve multiple detector elements. Furthermore, the filters <NUM> do not each have to be discretely fabricated. One technique for creating a continuous filter array is illustrated in <FIG>. A thin metal layer as the partially-reflective layer <NUM> is deposited on an array of detectors <NUM>. The device is then tilted with respect to a sputtering gun <NUM>. A spacer layer <NUM> is then sputtered on to the device, but a natural thickness gradient is created in the layer <NUM> because the parts further away from the gun will have less material deposited. Next, the gun and substrate are reset such that the remaining layers e.g. <NUM> and <NUM> of <FIG> are deposited with uniform thickness.

This structure and technique makes the device simple to fabricate cheaply and quickly on a CCD array to provide a spectrometer-on-a-chip. The device can be used as a spectrometer for infrared and ultraviolet, as well as visible, and is stable on exposure to electromagnetic radiation across the spectrum. The number of different filters <NUM> and detectors <NUM> in the array can be of the order of a few hundred, or even many more, and this number will determine the spectral resolution. A spectral resolution of +/- <NUM> can be achieved.

Claim 1:
A transmissive optical device comprising:
a layer of light absorber material (<NUM>) in the solid state, wherein the light absorber material (<NUM>) is a phase-change material having a refractive index that is settable to at least two values which confer different optical transmission properties to the device;
a switching means configured to switch the phase-change material between different set values of the refractive index by heating induced by passing an electric pulse through the phase-change material or by electrical resistive heating of an adjacent layer that is in thermal contact with the phase-change material;
a partially-reflective layer (<NUM>), wherein the partially-reflective layer (<NUM>) is less than <NUM> thick, and the partially-reflective layer (<NUM>) comprises metal; and
a spacer layer (<NUM>) between the layer of light absorber material (<NUM>) and the partially-reflective layer (<NUM>).