Display for an aerosol-generating device
A display is provided for an aerosol-generating device, the display including: a notification window; and a nano-photonic material extending over a front surface of the notification window, the nano-photonic material being configured to, in response to a light wave comprising at least one predetermined wavelength backlighting the notification window and being incident on the nano-photonic material, increase an amplitude of the at least one predetermined wavelength and emit therefrom a light wave comprising the at least one predetermined wavelength with the increased amplitude. An aerosol-generating device including the display is also provided.
1 . An aerosol-generating device, comprising:
a display;
a housing; and
a light source enclosed within the housing,
wherein the display comprises:
a notification window; and
a nano-photonic material extending over a front surface of the notification window,
the light source in optical communication with the notification window for backlighting the notification window with a light wave consisting of a single predetermined wavelength or wavelength composition to fall incident on the nano-photonic material, and
the nano-photonic material being configured to, in response to the light wave consisting of the single predetermined wavelength or wavelength composition backlighting the notification window and being incident on the nano-photonic material, increase an amplitude of the single predetermined wavelength or wavelength composition and emit therefrom a light wave comprising the single predetermined wavelength or wavelength composition with the increased amplitude.
2 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the nano-photonic material comprises a plurality of nano-structures, the nano-structures comprising either nano-cavities, nano-particles, or their combination, the nano-structures being arranged, sized, or formed to, in response to the light wave consisting of the single predetermined wavelength or wavelength composition backlighting the notification window and being incident on the nano-photonic material, increase the amplitude of the single predetermined wavelength or wavelength composition and emit therefrom the light wave comprising the single predetermined wavelength or wavelength composition with the increased amplitude.
3 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of nano-structures are arranged and sized to, in response to the light wave consisting of the single predetermined wavelength or wavelength composition backlighting the notification window and being incident on the nano-photonic material, diffract the incident light wave.
4 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of nano-structures comprise at least a first diffraction site and a second diffraction site, the first and the second diffraction sites being arranged and sized to each diffract the at least one single predetermined wavelength or wavelength composition of the incident light wave by a predetermined amount, such that the diffracted single predetermined wavelength or wavelength composition of light from the first diffraction site and the diffracted single predetermined wavelength or wavelength composition of light from the second diffraction site intersect with and reinforce each other.
5 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 2 , wherein the nano-structures comprise nano-particles, and the nano-particles have a diameter in a range of between 9 nm to 120 nm.
6 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 2 , wherein the nano-structures comprise nano-cavities, and the nano-cavities have a diameter in a range of between 100 nm to 500 nm.
7 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the nano-photonic material is comprised of a crystalline lattice defining a network of nano-cavities.
8 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 7 , wherein individual nano-particles or clusters of nano-particles are provided in the crystalline lattice between the nano-cavities.
9 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , further comprising the light source in optical communication with the notification window and being configured to generate the light wave to backlight the notification window, the light wave comprising the single predetermined wavelength or wavelength composition.
10 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the display is a dead-front display in which the notification window comprises a material configured to attenuate light at one or more predetermined attenuation wavelengths, and
wherein the single predetermined wavelength or wavelength composition is within 50 nm of the one or more predetermined attenuation wavelengths.
11 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the nano-photonic material is provided as a layer of nano-photonic material extending over the front surface of the notification window.
12 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the aerosol-generating device further comprises a heating element configured to apply heat to an aerosol-forming substrate located within the aerosol-generating device.
13 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein a color of the notification window in response to the light source backlighting the notification window with a light wave provides a notification of a status of the aerosol-generating device.
14 . The aerosol-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the aerosol-generating device is a smoking article configured to generate aerosol for inhalation by a user, or being configured to cooperate with a smoking article so as to induce the smoking article to generate aerosol for inhalation by a user.