SBIR Phase II: Thin Film Patterned Optical Retarders for Low Energy Smart Glass Applications

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目将开发一种低成本的智能窗口技术。该项目将利用当代显示工业制造和加工技术来创造独特的大面积光学薄膜。这些薄膜随后将用于建造节能的智能窗户，可以根据命令调节光的传输或反射。用这种技术制造的窗户、天窗和其他玻璃将有能力根据命令变暗。在这个第二期项目中，将设计、建造和评估窗口大小的原型。生产，材料成本，和原型操作将被考虑。这些原型的成功制造将使智能窗户能够以电化学被动的方式制造，简化其在现有窗户中的安装，最大限度地降低前期成本，并最终降低能源费用。该技术还具有独特的应用能力，可作为售后或改造解决方案。这个项目的广泛影响将是，仅在美国就可能节省数十亿美元的能源成本，并减少碳足迹。在美国，建筑消耗了70%的电力。作为采光/自然采暖策略的一部分，智能窗技术因其降低建筑能耗的能力而受到广泛关注。不幸的是，现有的智能窗产品在使用寿命、可扩展性和成本方面都受到严重限制。这项有待开发的技术是一种与智能窗户截然不同的方法，因为它利用稳定的薄膜而不是电化学过程。这为消费者提供了更高的化学稳定性、更长的使用寿命、更好的制造可扩展性、电源独立性（通过手动操作）和更低的成本。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)Phase II project will develop a low-cost smart-window technology. This project will utilize contemporary display industry fabrication and processing technologies to create unique large-area optical films. These films will be subsequently used to construct energy-efficient smart windows that modulate transmission or reflection of light on command. Windows, skylights, and other glazings made with this technology will have the ability to darken on command. In this Phase II project, window-size prototypes will be designed, constructed and evaluated. Production, material costs, and prototype operation will be considered. Successful fabrication of these prototypes will enable smart windows to be manufactured in an electrochemically passive manner, simplifying their installation in existing windows, minimizing up-front costs, and ultimately reducing energy bills. The technology is also uniquely capable of being applied as an aftermarket or retrofit solution.The broader impact of this project will be a potential savings of billions of dollars in energy costs in the United States alone, and a reduction of carbon footprint. Buildings are responsible for seventy percent of the electricity consumed in the United States. As part of a daylighting /natural heating strategy, smart window technologies have received much attention for their ability to reduce building energy consumption. Unfortunately, existing smart window products suffer from severe limitations in lifespan, scalability and cost. The technology to be developed is a radically different approach to smart windows because instead of electrochemical processes, it utilizes stable films. This affords more chemical stability, longer life, better manufacturing scalability, power independence (via manual operation), and lower costs to the consumer.