Transparent electrode, manufacturing method thereof and electronic device employing the transparent electrode

• US 10,644,172 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2019
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Shida, Naomi, Naito, Katsuyuki, Saito, Mitsunaga, Niimoto, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, David S
• Application Number:
  US16/548,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20190378940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 257 Days
• Field of Search: 438 57, 438 85, 438 96, 438104
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/401 Multistep manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022425 for solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022475 composed of indium tin oxide [ITO]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022483 composed of zinc oxide [ZnO]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/103 comprising indium oxides, e.g. ITO
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/82 Transparent electrodes, e.g. indium tin oxide [ITO] electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/15 Hole transporting layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/816 Multilayers, e.g. transparent multilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

The present embodiments provide a transparent electrode having a laminate structure of:

• • a first metal oxide layer having an amorphous structure and electroconductivity,
  • a metal layer made of a metallic material containing silver or copper,
  • a second metal oxide layer having an amorphous structure and electroconductivity, and
  • a third metal oxide layer having an amorphous structure and continuity, stacked in this order.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an electronic device, the method comprising:

(I) preparing a transparent substrate,

(II) preparing a laminate structure of

a first metal oxide layer having an amorphous structure and electroconductivity,

a metal layer which comprises a metallic material containing silver or copper, and

a second metal oxide layer having an amorphous structure and electroconductivity,

on said transparent substrate,

(III) forming a third metal oxide layer having an amorphous structure and continuity on a surface of said second metal oxide layer,

(IV) forming a photoelectric conversion layer on a surface of said third metal oxide layer, and

(V) forming a counter electrode on a surface of said photoelectric conversion layer.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

(IIIa) forming a graphene layer which is placed in direct contact with said third metal oxide layer before or after the forming (III).

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming a charge buffer layer or a charge transport layer between said photoelectric conversion layer and said third metal oxide layer or between said photoelectric conversion layer and said counter electrode.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the forming (III) comprises coating a metal alkoxide solution on the surface of said second metal oxide layer and drying.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the forming (IIIa) comprises coating an aqueous solution of graphene oxide to form a coated film and then treating said coated film with hydrazine hydrate to form said graphene layer.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the forming (IIIa) comprises forming said graphene layer on a copper foil by a CVD process and then transferring said graphene layer.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said counter electrode is formed by lamination in the forming (V).

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein said metal alkoxide solution further comprises other ion having a valence different from a metal constituting said metal oxide.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

forming a UV-cut layer or a gas-barrier layer.