Photo: Contributed - UBC

UBC Associate Professor Kenneth Chau.

Recent UBC Okanagan research could have big implications for future technologies.

While it may seem counterintuitive, research by UBC associate professor Kenneth Chau has shown that putting an extremely thin layer of metal over glass can increase the amount of light coming through the glass.

“I think one of the most important implications of this research is the potential to integrate electronic capabilities into windows and make them smart,” said Chau.

This is because in addition to increasing light transmission, the metal also allows the glass to conduct electricity.

This could allow for the possibility of adding technology, like television or a touch screen, to windows or other glass objects.

“Engineers are constantly trying to expand the scope of materials that they can use for display technologies, and having thin, inexpensive, see-through components that conduct electricity will be huge,” said Chau.

The next step in Chau’s research is to try to selectively filter waves coming through the glass, to adjust light and heat transmission depending on the season or time of day.

Chau’s research was published this week in the open access journal, Scientific Reports.