Composite Filter for Visible Light Transmission and Long Wave Reflection

Abstract

Systems and methods disclosed herein are directed towards the fabrication of a nanomesh composite filter (NCF) that can be manufactured according to various embodiments, all of which are intended to be fabricated in order to control the transmission, reflection, and absorption of various wavelengths bands. In particular, the disclosed embodiments may be used for heat shielding applications where certain wavelength ranges may be desirable to transmit and others may be desirable to reflect.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composite filter comprising:
 a plurality of nanomesh structures, a substrate, and a plurality of dielectric layers;   wherein a first nanomesh structure of the plurality of nanomesh structures is disposed on the substrate,   wherein a first dielectric layer is disposed on the first nanomesh structures, and   wherein each of the plurality of dielectric layers are disposed in an alternating fashion with each of the plurality of nanomesh structures.   
     
     
         2 . The composite filter of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is transparent. 
     
     
         3 . The composite filter of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is opaque. 
     
     
         4 . The composite filter of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is semi-transparent. 
     
     
         5 . The composite filter of  claim 1 , wherein each nanomesh structure of the plurality of nanomesh structures comprises a plurality of metallic components and a plurality of holes formed by an arrangement of the plurality of metallic components. 
     
     
         6 . The composite filter of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of metallic components are metallic wires. 
     
     
         7 . The composite filter of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of metallic components are metallic nano-rods. 
     
     
         8 . The composite filter of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of dielectric layers are formed of a single composition of dielectric. 
     
     
         9 . The filter of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dielectric layers comprises at least a first layer formed of a first composition of dielectric and a second layer formed of a second composition of dielectric. 
     
     
         10 . A composite filter comprising:
 a plurality of dielectric layers; and   a plurality of nanomesh structures, each of the nanomesh structures comprising a plurality of metallic wires and a plurality of holes formed by an arrangement of the plurality of metallic wires;   wherein the plurality of dielectric layers are disposed in an alternating fashion with the plurality of nanomesh structures, and wherein the plurality of dielectric layers comprises at least a first layer formed of a first composition of dielectric and a second layer formed of a second composition of dielectric.   
     
     
         11 . The composite filter of  claim 10 , wherein a first nanomesh structure of the plurality of nanomesh structures is disposed on a substrate, wherein a dielectric layer of the first composition is disposed on the first nanomesh structure, and wherein a dielectric layer of the second composition is disposed on the first nanomesh structure. 
     
     
         12 . The composite filter of  claim 10 , wherein a first nanomesh structure of the plurality of nanomesh structures is disposed on a substrate, wherein a dielectric layer of the first composition is disposed on the first nanomesh structure, wherein a second nanomesh structure is disposed on the dielectric layer of the first composition, and wherein a dielectric layer of the second composition is disposed on the second nanomesh structure. 
     
     
         13 . The composite filter of  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of dielectric layers are at least one of TiO 2 , SiO 2 , and Al 2 O 3 . 
     
     
         14 . The composite filter of  claim 10 , wherein the first composition comprises a first type of oxide, and wherein the second composition comprises a different type of oxide from the first type of oxide. 
     
     
         15 . The composite filter of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of metallic wires comprise at least one of gold (Au), copper (Cu), silver (Ag), and alloys and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The composite filter of  claim 10 , wherein each wire of the plurality of metallic wires is less than about 200 nm thick. 
     
     
         17 . The composite filter of  claim 10 , wherein each wire of the plurality of metallic wires is greater than about 20 nm thick. 
     
     
         18 . The composite filter of  claim 10 , wherein the composite filter further comprises glass. 
     
     
         19 . The composite filter of  claim 10 , wherein the composite filter transmits about 50-80% of wavelengths from about 400 nm to about 800 nm. 
     
     
         20 . A heat-shielding structure, comprising:
 a plurality of nanocomposite filters, wherein each nanocomposite filter of the plurality of nanocomposite filters comprises:
 a substrate; 
 a plurality of dielectric layers of a first composition; 
 a plurality of dielectric layers of a second composition;
 wherein each of the plurality of dielectric layers of a first composition are disposed in an alternating fashion with each of the plurality of dielectric layers of the second composition thereby constituting a layer stack; and 
 
   a nanomesh structure disposed in contact with the layer stack and the substrate.   
     
     
         21 . The heat-shielding structure of  claim 20 , wherein the heat-shielding structure transmits about 50-80% of wavelengths from about 400 nm to about 800 nm. 
     
     
         22 . A heat-shielding structure, comprising:
 a plurality of nanocomposite filters, wherein each nanocomposite filter of the plurality of nanocomposite filters comprises:   a substrate;
 a plurality of dielectric layers; and 
 a plurality of nanomesh structures; 
 wherein a first nanomesh structure of the plurality of nanomesh structures is disposed on the substrate; and 
 wherein the plurality of dielectric layers are disposed in an alternating fashion with the plurality of nanomesh structures, wherein each structure of the plurality of nanomesh structures comprises a plurality of metallic wires and a plurality of holes formed by an arrangement of the plurality of metallic wires. 
   
     
     
         23 . The heat-shielding structure of  claim 22 , wherein the heat-shielding structure transmits about 50-80% of wavelengths from about 400 nm to about 800 nm.