1. A multi-layer insulation (MLI) composite material, comprising:
a first thermally-reflective layer;
a second thermally-reflective layer spaced from the first thermally-reflective layer, at least one of the first or second thermally-reflective layers including bandgap material that is reflective to infrared electromagnetic radiation and transmissive to at least one of visible electromagnetic radiation or radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation, wherein the bandgap material includes at least one of a photonic crystal, a semiconductor material that exhibits an electronic bandgap, or a material that exhibits both an electronic bandgap and at least one photonic bandgap; and
a region between the first and second thermally-reflective layers that impedes heat conduction between the first and second thermally-reflective layers, wherein the region is at least partially evacuated or includes at least one of a low thermal conductivity aerogel, a low thermal conductivity foam, or a low thermal conductivity mass of fibers.
2. The MLI composite material of claim 1, wherein the first and second thermally-reflective layers are transmissive to the visible electromagnetic radiation over at least part of the visible wavelength spectrum.
3. The MLI composite material of claim 1, wherein the first and second thermally-reflective layers are transmissive to the radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation over at least part of the radio-frequency wavelength spectrum.
4. The MLI composite material of claim 1, wherein the bandgap material includes at least one photonic crystal that is reflective to the infrared electromagnetic radiation over a range of wavelengths.
5. The MLI composite material of claim 1, wherein the at least one photonic crystal includes a one-dimensional photonic crystal, a two-dimensional photonic crystal, or a three-dimensional photonic crystal.
6. The MLI composite material of claim 5, wherein the at least one photonic crystal includes a one-dimensional photonic crystal that is reflective to the infrared electromagnetic radiation regardless of a wavevector of the infrared electromagnetic radiation.
7. The MLI composite material of claim 1, wherein
the first thermally-reflective layer includes the bandgap material, the bandgap material being a first bandgap material reflective to infrared electromagnetic radiation over a first range of wavelengths; and
the second thermally reflective layer includes a second bandgap material reflective to infrared electromagnetic radiation over a second range of wavelengths.
8. The MLI composite material of claim 1, wherein the bandgap material includes:
a first bandgap material that is reflective to infrared electromagnetic radiation over a first range of wavelengths; and
a second bandgap material that is reflective to infrared electromagnetic radiation over a second range of wavelengths, wherein the first range of wavelengths and the second range of wavelengths are different.
9. The MLI composite material of claim 1, wherein the bandgap material includes at least one semiconductor material having an electronic bandgap with a magnitude such that the at least one semiconductor material reflects the infrared electromagnetic radiation over a range of wavelengths.
10. The MLI composite material of claim 1, wherein the first and second thermally-reflective layers are spaced from each other by an electrostatic repulsive force.
11. The MLI composite material of claim 1, wherein the first and second thermally-reflective layers are spaced from each other by a magnetic repulsive force.
12. The MLI composite material of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or second thermally-reflective layers includes a substrate on which the bandgap material is disposed.
13. The MLI composite material of claim 12, wherein the substrate comprises an inorganic substrate.
14. The MLI composite material of claim 12, wherein the substrate comprises a flexible, polymeric substrate.
15. The MLI composite material of claim 1, wherein the bandgap material is reflective to the infrared electromagnetic radiation over a range of wavelengths.
16. The MLI composite material of claim 15, wherein the range of wavelengths is between about 1 \u03bcm to about 15 \u03bcm.
17. The MLI composite material of claim 16, wherein the range of wavelengths is about 8 \u03bcm to about 12 \u03bcm.
18. The MLI composite material of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional layer spaced from the second thermally-reflective layer and including an additional bandgap material reflective to electromagnetic radiation that falls outside of the infrared electromagnetic radiation spectrum; and a second region between the second thermally-reflective layer and at least one additional layer that impedes heat conduction between the second thermally-reflective layer and the at least one additional layer.
19. A storage container, comprising:
a container structure defining at least one storage chamber, the container structure configured to allow ingress of an object into the at least one storage chamber and egress of the object from the at least one storage chamber, the container structure including multi-layer insulation (MLI) composite material having at least one thermally reflective layer including bandgap material that is reflective to infrared electromagnetic radiation, wherein the bandgap material includes at least one of a photonic crystal, a semiconductor material that exhibits an electronic bandgap, or a material that exhibits both an electronic bandgap and at least one photonic bandgap.
20. The storage container of claim 19, wherein the at least one thermally-reflective layer is transmissive to visible electromagnetic radiation over at least part of the visible wavelength spectrum.
21. The storage container of claim 19, wherein the at least one thermally-reflective layer is transmissive to radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation over at least part of the radio-frequency wavelength spectrum, and further comprising:
a first device located within the container structure, the first device being configured to communicate via one or more radio-frequency signals with at least one second device that is external to the container structure.
22. The storage container of claim 19, wherein the at least one photonic crystal includes a one-dimensional photonic crystal, a two-dimensional photonic crystal, or a three-dimensional photonic crystal.
23. The storage container of claim 22, wherein the at least one photonic crystal includes a one-dimensional photonic crystal that is reflective to the infrared electromagnetic radiation regardless of a wavevector of the infrared electromagnetic radiation.
24. The storage container of claim 19, wherein the at least one thermally-reflective layer of the MLI composite material includes:
a first thermally-reflective layer including the bandgap material, the bandgap material being a first bandgap material reflective to infrared electromagnetic radiation over a first range of wavelengths; and
a second thermally-reflective layer including a second bandgap material reflective to infrared electromagnetic radiation over a second range of wavelengths.
25. The storage container of claim 19, wherein the bandgap material includes:
a first bandgap material that is reflective to infrared electromagnetic radiation over a first range of wavelengths; and
a second bandgap material that is reflective to infrared electromagnetic radiation over a second range of wavelengths, wherein the first range of wavelengths and the second range of wavelengths are different.
26. The storage container of claim 19, wherein the bandgap material of the at least one thermally-reflective layer includes at least one semiconductor material having an electronic bandgap with a magnitude such that the at least one semiconductor material reflects the infrared electromagnetic radiation over a range of wavelengths.
27. The storage container of claim 19, wherein the at least one thermally-reflective layer includes first and second thermally-reflective layers spaced from each other by an electrostatic repulsive force.
28. The storage container of claim 19, wherein the at least one thermally-reflective layer includes first and second thermally-reflective layers spaced from each other by a magnetic repulsive force.
29. The storage container of claim 19, wherein the at least one thermally-reflective layer includes:
a first thermally-reflective layer;
a second thermally-reflective layer spaced from the first thermally-reflective layer; and
a region between the first and second thermally-reflective layers that impedes heat conduction therebetween.
30. The storage container of claim 29, wherein the region includes at least one low-thermal conductivity material selected from the group consisting of an aerogel, a foam, and a mass of fibers.
31. The storage container of claim 19, wherein the at least one thermally-reflective layer includes a substrate on which the bandgap material is disposed.
32. The storage container of claim 31, wherein the substrate comprises an inorganic substrate.
33. The storage container of claim 31, wherein the substrate comprises a flexible, polymeric substrate.
34. The storage container of claim 19, wherein the MLI composite material includes at least another thermally-reflective layer that is reflective to electromagnetic radiation that can damage a biological substance positioned within the at least one storage chamber.
35. The storage container of claim 19, wherein the bandgap material of the at least one thermally-reflective layer is reflective to the infrared electromagnetic radiation over a range of wavelengths.
36. The storage container of claim 35, wherein the range of wavelengths is between about 1 \u03bcm to about 15 \u03bcm.
37. The storage container of claim 36, wherein the range of wavelengths is about 8 \u03bcm to about 12 \u03bcm.
38. The storage container of claim 19, wherein the MLI composite material forms at least part of a window in the container structure for viewing an object positioned in the at least one storage chamber.
39. The storage container of claim 19, wherein the MLI composite material forms at least part of a window in the container structure for radio-frequency communication with an object positioned in the at least one storage chamber.
40. The storage container of claim 19, wherein the MLI composite material forms at least a portion of the container structure.
41. The storage container of claim 19, wherein the container structure includes:
a receptacle; and
a lid configured to be attached to the receptacle.
42. The storage container of claim 19, wherein the container structure includes one or more interlocks configured to provide controllable egress of an object stored in the at least one storage chamber.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An electro-optical device comprising:
a plurality of thin films laminated on a substrate;
a transistor formed by a part of the plurality of laminated thin films including a semiconductor layer, the semiconductor layer includes a channel region, a source region, a drain region, a first LDD region between the channel region and the source region, and a second LDD region between the channel region and the drain region;
a pixel electrode electrically connected to one of the source region and the drain region; and
a light-shielding insulating layer that forms a part of the plurality of thin films, the light-shielding insulating layer being formed in an island shape that covers, in plan view, at least one of the first LDD region and the second LDD region that is between the one the source and drain regions that is electrically connected to the pixel electrode.
2. The electro-optical device according to claim 1,
wherein the light-shielding insulating layer is laminated in the island shape on the substrate so as to cover the entire semiconductor layer in plan view.
3. The electro-optical device according to claim 1,
wherein the light-shielding insulating layer is laminated above the semiconductor layer in direct contact with the semiconductor layer.
4. The electro-optical device according to claim 1,
wherein the light-shielding insulating layer is laminated below the semiconductor layer in direct contact with the semiconductor layer.
5. The electro-optical device according to claim 1,
wherein the light-shielding insulating layer is formed of a high dielectric constant material.
6. The electro-optical device according to claim 5,
wherein the light-shielding insulating layer is formed of a hafnium oxide or a zirconium oxide.
7. The electro-optical device according to claim 5,
wherein the transistor includes:
the semiconductor layer;
a gate insulating layer that is laminated on the semiconductor layer and is formed of a silicon oxide; and
a gate electrode laminated on the gate insulating layer so as to be opposite to the channel region, and
the light-shielding insulating layer is formed of a material having a lower transmittance of visible light than the silicon oxide.
8. The light-emitting device according to claim 1,
wherein the light-shielding insulating layer is formed on the semiconductor layer excluding a region where a gate electrode of the transistor is formed.