Etching process for making electrodes

• US 6,652,981 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2000
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Ram, Jyothsna, Lennhoff, Nancy S.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAM, CATHY FONG FONG
• Application Number:
  US09/570,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20030129424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 428/1.1, 428/1.51, 428/418, 428/432, 428/458, 428/472, 428/697, 428/699, 428/702, 428/333, 428/434, 428/469
• US Class Current: 428/472
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 13/04 containing an inorganic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/051 Inorganic, e.g. glass or silicon oxide
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/32134 by liquid etching only
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1884 Manufacture of transparent electrodes, e.g. TCO, ITO
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24917 including metal layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/261 In terms of molecular thickness or light wave length
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31529 Next to metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 Of metal

Abstract

Substantially transparent electrodes are formed on a substrate by a process including forming on the substrate, in order, a bottom high index layer, a metallic conductive layer, and a top high index layer with a conductivity of at least about 400 Ω/square; and chemically etching the bottom high index layer, the top high index layer and the conductive layer to form discrete electrodes in the metallic conductive layer.

Claims

1. A substantially transparent electrode assembly comprising:

a substrate having deposited thereon, in order, a bottom high refractive index layer, a metallic conductive layer, and a top high refractive index layer with a conductivity of at least about 400 Ω

/square and a thickness of from about 40 nm to about 100 nm, wherein the conductive layer comprises a plurality of discrete electrodes formed by chemically etching the bottom high refractive index layer, the top high refractive index layer and the conductive layer;

wherein the substrate further comprises a silica layer on at least one surface thereof.

2. A substantially transparent electrode assembly comprising:

a substrate having deposited thereon, in order, a bottom high refractive index layer, a metallic conductive layer, and a top high refractive index layer with a conductivity of at least about 400 Ω

/square, wherein the conductive layer comprises a plurality of discrete electrodes formed by chemically etching the bottom high refractive index layer, the top high refractive index layer and the conductive layer;

wherein the substrate comprises on a surface thereof the following layers in order;

a first silica layer, a hardcoat layer, and a second silica layer.