Electrode for use in electro-optical devices

• US 6,472,804 B2
• Filed: 06/25/1999
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mueller, Peter, Riess, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Vip
• Assistant Examiner(s): QUARTERMAN, KEVIN J
• Application Number:
  US09/340,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20020130605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 313/326, 313/504, 313/505, 313/510, 313/517
• US Class Current: 313/326
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2211/225 Material of electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022408 for devices characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022425 for solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022433 Particular geometry of the grid contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/38 with a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/805 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/805 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

An electrode for an electro-optical device is provided. Light is passing through this electrode which comprises a pattern of conductive elements. The elements have dimensions small compared to the wavelength of light, so that the electrode appear transparent. The light intensity distribution after having penetrated the electrode compared with the light intensity distribution before having penetrated the electrode is influenced by forward scattering.

Claims

1. A light transmitting electrode for an electro-optical device, said light transmitting electrode comprising a plurality of conductive elements arranged for transmitting light having a wavelength from 10 nm to 10 μ

m through said light transmitting electrode, each of said plurality of conductive elements having a cross-section perimeter smaller than a wavelength of said light, said light transmitting electrode causing more forward scattering than backward scattering of said light.

2. A light transmitting electrode according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of conductive elements causes Mie scattering to occur.

3. The light transmitting electrode according to claim 1, wherein said light transmitting electrode has a topside modifier and/or a backside modifier.

4. The light transmitting electrode according to claim 1, wherein said light transmitting electrode is manufactured using a technique selected from the group consisting of:

microcontact processing, photolithography, thermal evaporation, sputtering, coating, etching and combinations thereof.

5. The light transmitting electrode according to claim 1, wherein said light transmitting electrode is a conductor or a conductor element.

6. The light transmitting electrode according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of conductive elements are longitudinally arranged in a periodic pattern.

7. The light transmitting electrode according to claim 6, wherein said pattern of said plurality of conductive elements determines a direction of said light.

8. The light transmitting electrode according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of conductive elements has a surface coverage of about 1% to 20% of said light transmitting electrode and said light transmitting electrode has a resistance of about 0.01 Ω

/□

to 100 Ω

/□

.

9. The light transmitting electrode according to claim 8, wherein said plurality of conductive elements has a surface coverage of smaller than 10% of said light transmitting electrode.

10. The light transmitting electrode according to claim 8, wherein said electrode has a resistance of less than 1 Ω

/□

.

11. An electro-optical device emitting light, said electro-optical device comprising a light transmitting electrode, said light transmitting electrode comprising a plurality of conductive elements arranged for transmitting light having a wavelength from 10 nm to 10 μ

m through said light transmitting electrode, each of said plurality of conductive elements having a perimeter smaller than a wavelength of said light, said light transmitting electrode causing more forward scattering than backward scattering of said light.

12. An electro-optical device receiving light, said electro-optical device comprising a light transmitting electrode, said light transmitting electrode comprising a plurality of conductive elements arranged for transmitting light having a wavelength from 10 nm to 10 μ

m through said light transmitting electrode, each of said plurality of conductive elements having a perimeter smaller than a wavelength of said light, said light transmitting electrode causing more forward scattering than backward scattering of said light.