Video-Rate Switching of High-Reflectivity Hybrid Cavities Spanning All Primary Colors

Abstract

Dynamically tunable reflective structural colors are attractive for reflective displays (electronic paper). However, it is challenging to tune a thin layer of structural color across the full red–green–blue (RGB) basis set of colors at video rates and with long-term stability. In this work, this is achieved through a hybrid cavity built from metal–insulator–metal (MIM) “nanocaves” and an electrochromic polymer (PProDOTMe2). The reflective colors are modulated by electrochemically doping/dedoping the polymer. Compared with traditional subpixel-based systems, this hybrid structure provides high reflectivity (>40%) due to its “monopixel” nature and switches at video rates. The polymer bistability helps deliver ultralow power consumption (≈2.5 mW cm−2) for video display applications and negligible consumption (≈3 µW cm−2) for static images, compatible with fully photovoltaic powering. In addition, the color uniformity of the hybrid material is excellent (over cm−2) and the scalable fabrication enables large-area production.