Infrared modulating material comprising a liquid crystal and a medium

摘要

An infrared modulating material comprising a first infrared transmissive phase dispersed in a second infrared transmissive phase. One of the phases comprises a liquid crystal phase and the other comprises a medium phase. The liquid crystal phase has an ordinary index of refraction for infrared radiation matched to an index of refraction of the medium for infrared radiation so that infrared radiation is scattered by the material in the absence of an external field and transmitted in the presence of an external field. In addition, the dispersed first phase has a feature size matched to a range of wavelengths of infrared radiation to be modulated so as to enhance the scattering of the radiation by the material in the absence of an applied field.