Dichroic glass can display a variety of colors under different lighting. It's a special glass material. It is a composite non-translucent glass. Made of stacked layers of metal oxide. This is why it has different colors in different angles. The commercial name "dichroic" can also show three or more colors (tricolor). In some cases, it can even display rainbow colors. Its unique optical properties make it widely used in the fields of art, science and technology.
The early history of dichroic glass
Ancient craft
The concept of dichroic glass dates back to ancient civilizations. As early as the Roman Empire, artisans had mastered the process of making glass with dichroic effects. For example, the famous Lechugus Cup. This is a Roman glass from the fourth century. The cup is carved from a single solid piece of material and is one of the few complete glassware from the period. It is dichroic glass, which can appear green during the day and red at night. You can appreciate different degrees of beauty from each Angle. This dichroic effect is achieved by adding tiny metal particles to the glass. These particles can produce interference effect under the irradiation of light, thus showing dichroic effect.
Medieval development
With the development of The Times, to the Middle Ages. Dichroic glass technology has also been further developed. Artisans use technology in the stained glass Windows of the church. To increase color variation and visual effects. This kind of glass is beautiful both internally and externally. The cast shadow is also colorful, adding a unique artistic charm to the decoration of the church, making the church full of vitality and agility.
Stained glass Windows are not only beautiful, but also have religious and educational significance. Stained glass Windows are also important glass symbols of that era. Some famous churches, such as Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and Milan Cathedral, are famous for their exquisite stained glass Windows. It's not just a display of medieval prowess. It is also an important cultural heritage of that era. Today, it is still attracting countless tourists.
The birth of modern dichroic glass
The breakthrough of the 20th century
The real breakthrough in modern dichroic glass came in the 1960s. At the time, NASA scientists were working on high-performance optical filters and protective materials. A new multilayer coating technique has been developed. The technology was originally intended for aerospace applications. Mainly the window and instrument panel of the spacecraft. To protect equipment from the effects of intense solar radiation.
NASA contribution
NASA's research team includes optical engineers and materials scientists. They discovered the dichroic effect by accident while controlling the reflection and transmission properties of light in their research on multilayer coating technology. This discovery led them to further study and develop the effect. The hope is that different materials can be invented according to this effect.
Because ordinary transparent substances are unable to protect human vision from the intense rays of sunlight. Devices ranging from the human body to spacecraft and computers can be harmed by solar radiation if not protected. Dichroic glass, because it contains trace amounts of metal, can block the damage of strong sunlight. So the research team eventually invented dichroic glass in the modern sense. The new material can show different colors under different lighting. It has unique optical properties.
