OPTICAL SWITCHING DEVICE

摘要

A hydrogen permeable optical reflective layer (4) of a transition metal is deposited on transition metal (hydride) layer (3) which can switch from a black absorbing state. A hydrogen permeable catalytic layer (5) of a transition metal is deposited on top of the reflective layer (4). Ti and/or Pd may be used as transition metal(s) in all of the three layers (3,4,5). Co-sputtering may be used to deposit a transition metal (hydride) switching layer (3) with a maximum thickness of 100 nm on a substrate (2) which can be of any material. The thickness of the optical reflective layer (4), which is larger than the thickness of the switching layer (3), is more than 10 nm (but preferably 50-200 nm) so that there is (no or) little transmission. The thickness of the catalytic layer (5) is about 10 nm. If a detector (11) is included one can produce a hydrogen sensor. Alternatively, one can produce a temperature controlled solar energy converter (17) by including a fluid heater (18).