Solid state complementary electrochromic display devices

• US 4,482,216 A
• Filed: 11/05/1981
• Issued: 11/13/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Limited (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Limited (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Eigo, Nanya, Takanori
• Primary Examiner(s): ARNOLD, BRUCE
• Application Number:
  US06/318,332
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 350/357
• US Class Current: 359/268
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1524 Transition metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15245 based on iridium oxide or hydroxide
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1525 characterised by a particular ion transporting layer, e.g. electrolyte

Abstract

A solid state complementary electrochromic display device in which a first electrochromic material layer which permits an oxidation-reduction reaction and is colored in a reduction state, an ion permeable insulating layer, a second electrochromic material layer which permits an oxidation-reduction reaction and is colored in an oxidation state are prepared between two electrodes and the first electrochromic material layer and the second electrochromic material layer are colored or bleached simultaneously. The ion permeable insulating layer comprises a halogenide. As a result, high coloration concentration can be obtained at a low potential.

Claims

1. A solid state complimentary electrochromic display device comprising:

a substrate made of an optically transparent material;

a first electrode which is contact with said substrate and made of an optically transparent material;

a fist solid state electrochromic material which is in contact with said first electrode, permits an oxidation-reduction reaction, and is one of a reduction coloration type electrochromic material and an oxidation coloration type electrochromic material;

a solid state ion permeable insulating layer which is in contact with said first electrochromic material layer and is made of halogenide;

a second solid state electrochromic material layer which is in contact with said ion permeable insulating layer, permits the oxidation-reduction reaction, and is the other of a reduction coloration type electrochromic material and an oxidation coloration type electrochromic material; and

a second electrode which is in contact with said second electrochromic material layer;

whereby on applying a voltage in which the electrode in contact with the reduction coloration type electrochromic material layer is negative and the electrode in contact with the oxidation coloration type electrochromic material layer is positive, the first and second solid state electrochromic material layers are simultaneously colored, and on applying a voltage in which the electrode in contact with the reduction coloration type electrochromic material layer is positive and the electrode in contact with the oxidation coloration type electrochromic material layer is negative, the first and second solid state electrochromic material layers are simultaneously bleached.

2. The solid state complementary electrochromic display device according to claim 1 further comprising an electron conduction blocking layer interposed between said solid state ion permeable insulating layer and one of said first and second solid state electrochromic material layers.

3. The solid state complementary electrochromic display device according to claim 2 further comprising a second substrate which is in contact with said second electrode.

4. The solid state complementary electrochromic display device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said first solid state electrochromic material layer is tungsten trioxide and said second electrochromic material layer is one material selected from the group consisting of iridium oxide, rhodium oxide and nickel oxide.

5. The solid state complementary electrochromic display device according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said halogenide is alkali halide.

6. The solid state complementary electrochromic display device according to claim 5 wherein said alkali halide is lithium iodide.

7. The solid state complementary electrochromic display device according to claim 2 or 3 wherein said electron conduction blocking layer is silicon monoxide.

8. The solid state complementary electrochromic display device according to claim 3 wherein the outside surface between said first substrate and said second substrate is sealed around the periphery thereof.

9. The solid state complementary electrochromic display device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 8 wherein at least one of said first and the second solid state electrochromic material layers is formed in a display pattern.

10. The solid state complementary electrochromic display device according to claim 9 wherein at least one of said first and second solid state electrochromic material layers is formed in a display pattern and said material layer comprises iridium oxide.

11. The solid state complementary electrochromic display device according to claim 9 wherein said pattern is segmented.

12. The solid state complementary electrochromic display device according to claim 10 wherein one electrode of said first and second electrodes in contact with one of said first and second electrochromic material layers having said pattern is a segmented electrode and the other electrode is a common electrode, wherein a locating position of said segmented electrode is larger than said pattern, and wherein said common electrode is formed to cover said segmented electrode.