Tunable Approach to Structural Color Powers Displays, Cuts Energy

Researchers at Linköping University have discovered a way to generate structural color that could potentially be applied to the manufacture of low-cost, energy-efficient displays and electronic labels. The method uses monochromic conducting polymer films, which the researchers prepared on metallic surfaces (that is, mirrors) using vapor phase polymerization (VPP) and a single ultraviolet (UV) light patterning step. “We have developed a simple method to produce structural color images with electrically conducting plastics, or conducting polymers,” researcher Shangzhi Chen said. “The polymer is applied at nanoscale thicknesses onto a mirror by a technique known as vapor phase polymerization, after the substrate...