Electrically switchable window using a suspension of TiOxNy particles

A dipole particle suspension device was fabricated by sandwiching rodlike TiOxNy particles dispersed in a poly(dimethylsiloxane) derivative between two indium-tin-oxide coated glass substrates. On applying and removing an electric field of 2 kV mm−1 with a frequency of 200 Hz, a reversible solar transmittance change as much as 54.1% was obtained. The transmittance change was attributed to the large absorption coefficient (∼105 cm−1) of the particle and a drastic decrease in the number of particles taking part in the light absorption due to particle chain formation along the electric field.