The aim of the project is to develop optically anisotropic layers that can be used over large areas as intelligent solar control films, since more light is absorbed at grazing incidence (midday) than at vertical incidence and thus the view to the outside is also little impaired. Simple tinted films that cannot be adjusted in their transparency and blinds that can be adjusted mechanically can be regarded as the state of the art. The switchable liquid crystal windows recently presented by Merck should also be mentioned, but they will be considerably more expensive than the coatings to be developed in the current project, since the former must be electrically contacted and require a corresponding peripheral. The following unique selling points emerge:
– Exploiting the alignment of molecular transition dipole moments allows the cost-effective realization of optically anisotropic coatings.
– These optical layers can be fabricated with controllable supramolecular structure in a continuous process.
Novel photonic coatings for improving the quality of life and work will be fabricated using a novel process. In particular, the project will further establish the Langmuir-Blodgett technique as the core technology of the semiconductor nanostructures group, open it up for applications, and make it scalable by linking it to the roll-to-roll technique. These technological advances to be realized in the project are essential for further developments, such as photo-switchable membranes or window-integrated transparent solar cells, and thus form a bridge between the photonic, interface and semiconductor topics of the research department and the IPHT.

The project is funded by VDIB-ZIM-NKF under the number 16KN068437.