Origins of high visible light transparency and solar heat-shielding performance in LaB6

We investigated the optical properties of LaB6 using first-principles calculations within the framework of density functional theory. It was found that our calculated results are in excellent agreement with the previously reported available and experimental findings. Analysis of the dielectric functions showed that LaB6 has the unique optical behavior in the visible and near infrared range and revealed that origins of solar heat-shielding performance and high visible transparency for LaB6 should be ascribed to its plasmonic behaviors.