Upgrading capabilities for 'smart' windows

The new material allows control of light and temperature, helping to create new "smart" window generations than ever before.

AFP, the new material that controls light, sees both near-infrared light producing heat.

New materials make windows smarter - (Photo: Berkeley Lab)

According to a report in Nature, experts have created a thin film made of nanocrystalline crystals, capable of changing wavelengths of light.

"We provide the first solution that allows both temperature and light to be controlled ," said co-author Delia Milliron of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California.

Accordingly, the window is coated with a thin layer of nanocrystals on the glass that automatically adjusts the light as the rays penetrate the window, thereby maximizing energy saving and maintaining the temperature. Comfortable in various weather conditions.

With a new coating, the window can be completely dark, covering both heat and light, or remain in transparent mode.

Experts hope to soon expand the range of smart window applications, from buildings to car glass or even on aircraft.