Patent ID: 8259381

Claim:
An optical limiting structure comprising: a metal layer comprising at least one metal particle, the at least one metal particle having a size no greater than about 1000 nanometers; and a phase-change material layer disposed adjacent at least a portion of the metal layer, the phase-change material layer comprising a phase-change material; wherein optical properties of the optical limiting structure are modified in relation to optical properties of the phase-change material prior to integration into the optical limiting structure such that, in response to the optical limiting structure transitioning from a first optical state to a second optical state, the optical limiting structure substantially limits transmittance of light of at least one wavelength through the optical limiting structure at the second optical state, the at least one wavelength at which the optical limiting structure substantially limits transmittance of light is different from any wavelength of light at which transmittance is substantially limited through the phase-change material prior to integration into the optical limiting structure, and the optical limiting structure substantially limits tranmittance of light having wavelengths from about 500 nm to about 570 nm at the second optical state.