An optical filter with angular selectivity of the light transmission

Abstract

Features of the application of a novel optical filter with angular selectivity of the light transmission to architectural glazing are considered. The filter consists of a sheet transparent substrate with thin-film grating layers on both surfaces. The gratings formed by directionally transmissive strips, alternating with absorptive, reflective, or scattering strips. Their relative position on the input and output surfaces provides angular selectivity of the directional light transmission – as the incidence angle changes, the proportion of radiation that passes through both gratings of the filter also changes. Chromogenic materials currently used in the laminated smart windows, providing control over the intensity and spectrum of the transmitted solar radiation, cannot achieve the selective regulation on the ranges of incidence angles. Such a regulation requires the use of additional daylight-redirecting devices, especially blinds, to dynamically adapt to the position of the sun. The grating optical filter provides angular selectivity of the light transmission of a window without such devices. The features of using this filter in the single and double glazed windows are described. A graphic analytical calculation method is proposed for estimating the effect of geometrical and optical parameters of the filter on the angular characteristics of the light transmission. An algorithm to optimize filtering solar radiation taking into account the geographical coordinates of terrain, time of day and year and the orientation of the window to the cardinal is set. An algorithm to calculating geometrical parameters of the filter with pre-specified characteristics of the light transmission is obtained.