Traditional electrochromic technologies have experienced some success in niche markets but have failed to produce sufficiently broad capabilities to expand their application. Here we report a new electrochromic material using molecular plasmons to unlock synthesis-free color tuning and ultralow-power, multicolor switching in a single pixel. Visible molecular plasmon resonances in charged Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) exhibit geometric tunability analogous to spatially-confined graphene plasmons in the mid- to far-infrared spectral regions. Additionally, these PAH plasmon resonances are sensitive to the addition of single electrons and holes, thereby permitting electrically controlled light modulation. This charge dependence of PAH plasmons is exploited in a single-layer device, and multicolor switching is achieved by reversibly adding a single electron or hole to the neutral PAH in a supporting ion gel. We also report an additional device type combining the distinct optical resonances of two charged PAH species to switch between transmissive and black optical states. The efficiency by which these charged states are switched yields devices with higher coloration efficiency and drastically lower power consumption compared to other leading electrochromic and display technologies. This work demonstrates the novel electrochromic properties of PAH molecular plasmons and the advantages they provide over existing technologies.

Molecular plasmonics for ultralow-power, multicolor electrochromic devices

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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