Variable emittance materials

Traditional models and theories for material properties and device operations assume that the physical quantities are described by continuous variables and are valid only for length larger than about 100 nanometers. When at least one dimension of a material structure is under this critical length, distinct behavior often emerges that cannot be explained by traditional models and theories. In the semiconductor device field, for instance, quantum effects (turmel effect, discrete energy levels...) appear when the active layer thickness is smaller than 10 nm. Reducing the dimensions of structures leads to entities, such as carbon nanotubes, quantum wires and dots, thin films, DNA-based structures, and laser emitters, which have unique properties. 

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