Material that blocks visible light but not uv light

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the possibility of materials that can block visible light while allowing ultraviolet (UV) light to pass through. Participants explore theoretical and practical examples, including specific materials and their properties, as well as the challenges associated with creating such materials.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that a certain bandgap in materials could allow for the selective blocking of high wavelength waves while permitting low wavelength waves to pass.
  • One participant mentions a recent experiment where aluminum was made transparent to extreme ultraviolet radiation by knocking out electrons, although practical applications are limited due to the small sample size and the extreme conditions required.
  • Another participant notes that gamma rays and X-rays can pass through materials more easily than visible light, suggesting a potential relationship between material structure and wave interaction.
  • Wood's glass is cited as an example of a material that is opaque to visible light but transparent to near ultraviolet light.
  • Some participants mention commercially available glass filters that can block visible light while allowing UV light to pass.
  • There are references to "tan through" fabrics that are designed to be transparent to UV light, particularly for swimwear applications.
  • One participant raises a question about whether clouds can be considered a material that blocks visible light while allowing UV light to pass.
  • Filters for blacklights that block visible light while allowing UV light through are also mentioned.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of ideas and examples, but there is no consensus on a definitive solution or material that meets the criteria discussed. Multiple competing views and examples are presented without resolution.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the practical challenges of creating materials that can selectively block visible light while allowing UV light to pass, as well as the dependence on specific experimental conditions and definitions of materials.

k33g0rz
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is it possible to have a material block high wavelength waves but not low length waves? Gamma rays can pass through objects that visible light cannot. Any thoughts?

I was thinking a certain bandgap?
 
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k33g0rz said:
is it possible to have a material block high wavelength waves but not low length waves? Gamma rays can pass through objects that visible light cannot. Any thoughts?

I was thinking a certain bandgap?

Aluminium; as long as you carefully knock out electrons from the atoms. A recent experiment used a laser to carefully knock out the electrons, and succeeded in making a small sample of aluminium transparent to "extreme ultraviolet radiation". I am not sure how transparent it would be to ordinary light.

Difficulties with practical applications for this material are as follows:
  • Scientists only managed to get a tiny sample into this transparent state: less than a 20th of the width of a human hair in diameter.
  • The laser required needed a power burst similar to what is needed for providing electricity to an entire city (briefly).
  • The material remained in this state for about 40 femtoseconds.

See Transparent aluminium is 'new state of matter at physorg.com; and the paper Turning solid aluminium transparent by intense soft X-ray photoionization by Bob Nagler et al in Nature Physics 5, pp 693 - 696 (2009), doi:10.1038/nphys1341

There may be other materials that are easier to use... but I enjoyed reading about this one.
 
wow, that was interesting! i guess people are still way off from figuring it out. Interesting that it seems like its a spacing problem, as gamma/xrays also pass through material with ease. anyone else have any articles on this type?
 
k33g0rz said:
is it possible to have a material block high wavelength waves but not low length waves? Gamma rays can pass through objects that visible light cannot. Any thoughts?

I was thinking a certain bandgap?

There are much less exotic materials that the weird aluminium one I mentioned at first. I've just had a quick look.

"Wood's glass" (wikipedia link) is a form of glass that is treated to be opaque to almost all visible light, but transparent to near ultraviolet. You can also buy glass filters that are transparent to ultraviolet and opaque to visible. See this commercial site for some of the filters you can obtain.
 
I think there are also "tan through" fabrics that are transparent to UV for swimwear.
 
i think clouds can also do the same thing but am not sure whether it is a material or not?
 
There are filters for blacklights (UV fluorescent lamps with short and long UV Hg lines) that block visible light.
Bob S
 

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