An electrochromic device according to an embodiment includes a first transparent conductive layer, an ion storage layer, an electrolyte layer, an electrochromic layer, and a second transparent conductive layer. The electrolyte layer includes a tantalum atom. The electrochromic layer includes a tungsten atom. The ion storage layer includes an iridium atom and a tantalum atom. The ion storage layer is hydrogenated in bleached state and the electrochromic device has a transmittance of 64.1% or more in bleached state. A difference between the transmittance of the electrochromic device in bleached state and the transmittance of the electrochromic device in colored state is 8.4% or more.

An electrochromic device according to an embodiment includes a first transparent conductive layer, an ion storage layer, an electrolyte layer, an electrochromic layer, and a second transparent conductive layer. The electrolyte layer includes a tantalum atom. The electrochromic layer includes a tungsten atom. The ion storage layer includes an iridium atom and a tantalum atom. The ion storage layer is hydrogenated in bleached state and the electrochromic device has a transmittance of 64.1% or more in bleached state. A difference between the transmittance of the electrochromic device in bleached state and the transmittance of the electrochromic device in colored state is 8.4% or more.

Disclosed herein is augmented reality (AR) eyewear with at least one array of individually-adjustable optical elements whose levels of light transmission and/or reflectivity are selectively and individually adjusted by application of electrical current, or by exposure to an electromagnetic field, via transparent (or translucent) electroconductive pathways. Optical elements in this array collectively comprise a section of a Fresnel Reflector which has been selected (e.g. extracted or “cut out”) from the right side or the left side of a Fresnel Reflector.

Disclosed herein is augmented reality (AR) eyewear with at least one array of individually-adjustable optical elements whose levels of light transmission and/or reflectivity are selectively and individually adjusted by application of electrical current, or by exposure to an electromagnetic field, via transparent (or translucent) electroconductive pathways. Optical elements in this array collectively comprise a section of a Fresnel Reflector which has been selected (e.g. extracted or “cut out”) from the right side or the left side of a Fresnel Reflector.

Disclosed are electrochemically tunable metamaterials which are capable of complete reversibility such that the metamaterial itself can physically disappear (out of the active region) and reappear later, in a controllable manner. Some variations provide an electrochemically tunable, solid-state metamaterial-based device comprising a plurality of metamaterial unit cells, wherein each of the metamaterial unit cells comprises: an ion conductor containing mobile metal ions; a first electrode in contact with the ion conductor, wherein the first electrode is contained in a metasurface negative space disposed on the ion conductor; a second electrode in contact with the ion conductor, wherein the second electrode is electrically isolated from the first electrode; and a metal-containing region containing one or more metals, wherein the metal-containing region is contained within a metasurface positive space disposed on the ion conductor.

Disclosed are electrochemically tunable metamaterials which are capable of complete reversibility such that the metamaterial itself can physically disappear (out of the active region) and reappear later, in a controllable manner. Some variations provide an electrochemically tunable, solid-state metamaterial-based device comprising a plurality of metamaterial unit cells, wherein each of the metamaterial unit cells comprises: an ion conductor containing mobile metal ions; a first electrode in contact with the ion conductor, wherein the first electrode is contained in a metasurface negative space disposed on the ion conductor; a second electrode in contact with the ion conductor, wherein the second electrode is electrically isolated from the first electrode; and a metal-containing region containing one or more metals, wherein the metal-containing region is contained within a metasurface positive space disposed on the ion conductor.

A backplane, a dimming method thereof, and a display device having same are disclosed. The display device includes the backplane which has a first substrate and a second substrate opposite to each other, an electrolyte layer, and a driving electrode which is connected to the first substrate and the second substrate, respectively. When the driving electrode is controlled to apply different voltages between the first substrate and the second substrate, the electrolyte layer shows different translucent states.

A backplane, a dimming method thereof, and a display device having same are disclosed. The display device includes the backplane which has a first substrate and a second substrate opposite to each other, an electrolyte layer, and a driving electrode which is connected to the first substrate and the second substrate, respectively. When the driving electrode is controlled to apply different voltages between the first substrate and the second substrate, the electrolyte layer shows different translucent states.

A system and method are disclosed of electrostatic alignment and surface assembly of photonic crystals for dynamic color exhibition. The method includes aligning a plurality of photonic crystal chains in a solution to exhibit color.

A system and method are provided for spectral shaping of light from a broadband source including multiple wavelengths. The system includes a beam splitter (BS) to receive and transmit an input beam, a dispersive element to disperse the input beam into dispersed beams separated by wavelength, and optic-elements to direct the dispersed beams onto a spatial light modulator (SLM). The SLM selectively modulates the dispersed beams reflected from the SLM, and the optic elements transmit a 0.sup.th-order of the reflected light through the dispersive element, which recombines the beams to form a reflected beam directed toward the BS. The BS separates the reflected beam from the input beam and directs it to an optical output of the system. The SLM includes multiple electrostatically deflectable reflective ribbons suspended over a reflective surface of a substrate, wherein the ribbons are separated by a distance equal to a width of the ribbons.