Electrically-Controlled Light Transmission Glazing for Automotive Applications Based on NCAP Technology

The first commercially available, large area, electrically-controllable glazing products based on nematic droplet/polymer film (NCAP) technology are described. The products, which are sold under the tradename VARILITE™, can be switched in milliseconds between a highly translucent state (for privacy and glare control) to a transparent state (for good visibility} with the application of an AC voltage. The optical and environmental properties are reviewed and future applications to automotive glazing are considered. The requirements for laminating large area, complex-curved shapes are discussed and some initial results are presented.