A novel multifunctional thermochromic structure with skin comfort design for smart window application

In this paper, we reported a VO₂-based thermochromic window using bistratal glasses of TiO₂ antireflection coating as well as Al: ZnO/SiO₂ coatings, respectively. The thermochromic behavior of VO₂ was modulated by TiO₂ antireflection layers based on skin comfort design for the first time. The film thickness of TiO₂(240 nm)/VO₂(70 nm)/TiO₂(10 nm)/Glass structure has been optimized based on modulation of 1350 ~ 2500 nm solar radiation by calculation. A remarkable improvement in mid-infrared reflectivity was obtained using Al: ZnO with SiO₂ layer, and the film thickness has been optimized as SiO₂ (~100 nm)/Al: ZnO (300 nm)/Glass to achieve a suitable integrated luminous transmittance. This two multilayered stacks were combined together with different orders to form a multifunctional window for energy efficient fenestration. This work provides a new insight for structural design of multilayer thin films and serves as starting points for developing novel coatings for windows with superior energy efficiency.