Electrochromic element, optical filter, lens unit, imaging apparatus, and window member

• US 10,444,588 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2016
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Kenji, Kubo, Wataru, Igawa, Satoshi, Ito, Kentaro, Ota, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Alexander, William R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parbadia, Balram T
• Application Number:
  US15/554,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20180052375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 9/02 Organic tenebrescent materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/205 Neutral density filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1503 caused by oxidation-reduction reactions in organic liquid solutions, e.g. viologen solutions
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/15145 the electrochromic layer comprises a mixture of anodic and cathodic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1635 the pixel comprises active switching elements, e.g. TFT

Abstract

Provided is an electrochromic element, including: a pair of electrodes; and an electrochromic layer disposed between the pair of electrodes and containing a plurality of kinds of organic electrochromic compounds, in which: at least one kind of the plurality of kinds of organic electrochromic compounds includes an organic electrochromic compound having an absorption peak in a wavelength region of 700 nm or more during coloring thereof; and when an optical density in a decolored state thereof is defined as 0, a fluctuation ratio of a transmittance in a wavelength region of from 650 nm or more to 700 nm or less with respect to a central transmittance is within ±15% at an optical density of 0.3.

Claims

1. An electrochromic element, comprising:

a pair of electrodes; and

an electrochromic layer disposed between the pair of electrodes and containing a plurality of organic electrochromic compounds,

wherein when an optical density in a decolored state thereof is defined as 0, a fluctuation ratio of a transmittance in a first wavelength region of 650 nm to 700 nm with respect to a first central transmittance in the first wavelength region is within ±

15% at an optical density of 0.3.

2. The electrochromic element according to claim 1, wherein when the optical density during decoloring is defined as 0, the fluctuation ratio is within ±

10% at the optical density of 0.3.

3. The electrochromic element according to claim 1, wherein when the optical density during decoloring is defined as 0, the fluctuation ratio is within ±

40% at an optical density of 0.9.

4. The electrochromic element according to claim 1, wherein when the optical density during decoloring is defined as 0, the fluctuation ratio is within ±

20% at an optical density of 0.9.

5. The electrochromic element according to claim 1, wherein when the optical density during decoloring is defined as 0, the fluctuation ratio is within ±

50% at an optical density of 1.5.

6. The electrochromic element according to claim 1, wherein when the optical density during decoloring is defined as 0, the fluctuation ratio of the transmittance in a second wavelength region of 430 nm to 700 nm with respect to a second central transmittance in the second wavelength region is within ±

20% at the optical density of 0.3.

7. The electrochromic element according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of organic electrochromic compounds comprise a first compound, a second compound, a third compound, a fourth compound, and a fifth compound, which are different from each other, and

wherein, in a colored state thereof:

a maximum absorption peak wavelength of the first compound is 430 nm or less;

a maximum absorption peak wavelength of the second compound is more than 430 nm to 510 nm;

a maximum absorption peak wavelength of the third compound is more than 510 nm to 570 nm;

a maximum absorption peak wavelength of the fourth compound is more than 570 nm to less than 700 nm; and

a maximum absorption peak wavelength of the fifth compound is 700 nm or more.

8. The electrochromic element according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the second compound and the third compound comprises a phenazine derivative.

9. The electrochromic element according to claim 7, wherein the fourth compound comprises a viologen derivative.

10. The electrochromic element according to claim 7, wherein a wavelength difference between the fourth compound and the fifth compound is 80 nm to 130 nm.

11. The electrochromic element according to claim 7, wherein the fifth compound has an absorption peak in a wavelength region of 700 nm to 730 nm.

12. The electrochromic element according to claim 7, wherein a wavelength difference between the fourth compound and the fifth compound is 20 nm to 35 nm.

13. The electrochromic element according to claim 1, wherein when the optical density during decoloring is defined as 0, the fluctuation ratio of the transmittance in a wavelength region of 430 nm to 700 nm with respect to the central transmittance is within ±

40% at an optical density of 0.9.

14. The electrochromic element according to claim 1, wherein the electrochromic layer comprises a solution layer, and

wherein a solution of the solution layer contains the plurality of organic electrochromic compounds.

15. An optical filter, comprising:

the electrochromic element of claim 1; and

an active element connected to the electrochromic element.

16. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

the optical filter of claim 15; and

a light-receiving element configured to receive light transmitted through the optical filter.

17. A window member, comprising:

the electrochromic element of claim 1; and

an active element connected to the electrochromic element.

18. The electrochromic element according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of organic electrochromic compounds comprises an organic electrochromic compound having an absorption peak in a wavelength region of 700 nm or more in a colored state thereof.

19. The electrochromic element according to claim 18, wherein the organic electrochromic compound having the absorption peak in the wavelength region of 700 nm or more during coloring contains an aromatic amine skeleton.

20. The electrochromic element according to claim 1, wherein the decolored state is a state in which when 0 V is continuously applied between the pair of electrodes, the transmittance of the electrochromic element does not to change.

21. The electrochromic element according to claim 1, wherein absorption spectra of the plurality of organic electrochromic compounds are different from each other.