A new technique allows you to create a conductive glass that lets even more light than normal

Canadian scientists from the University of British Columbia have created a method of applying a metallic coating on glass , increasing its ability to transmit light by 10%. This discovery brings us closer to a future in which “smart” windows with variable characteristics will appear, and window glass can be used as electronic devices.

According to University professor Kenneth Chau, the first thing that immediately becomes possible after the invention of such technology is to adjust the glass to reflect or absorb heat, depending on the needs of people using the building with such windows.
')
“This discovery is interesting because it is counterintuitive - it goes against the notion that metals should be opaque,” ​​says Chau. - It seems to me that one of the most important consequences of this research is the potential possibility of creating “smart” windows. When we watch fantastic movies, we see glass displays everywhere. This study is a small step in that direction. ”

To achieve this unusual effect, Chau, together with Lois Markley [Loic Markley], sprayed silver atoms on the glass under vacuum to obtain a deposition thickness of the order of 10 nm. The resulting sandwich showed better throughput than ordinary glass.

The engineers came up with this method, inspired by the method known since the 1950s , by which transparent metal films are covered with a dielectric, as a result of which their transparency increases. This method is used to produce heat-reflecting windows. Studying it, the engineers thought - and what can be obtained, if on the contrary, to cover the dielectric with a layer of metal. As a result, their discovery may lead to the emergence of more energy-efficient buildings and new unusual electronic devices using transparent screens.

Last December, American scientists presented a new transparent metal that could replace indium tin oxide (ITO). The new material does not lag behind the currently widely used ITO in terms of transparency, conductivity and ease of manufacture, while overtaking it in the cost of the final product.