Electro-optical element including metallic films and methods for applying the same

• US 7,864,398 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2007
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex C, Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Neuman, George A., Guarr, Thomas F., Luten, Henry A., Eaton, David L., Kloeppner, Leroy J., Tonar, William L., Dozeman, Gary J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson; Timothy J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tra; Tuyen Q
• Application Number:
  US11/682,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20070201122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 359265-275, 359/900, 438/82, 438/99, 438/681, 257/40
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/36 Micro- or nanomaterials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/90 Methods

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an electrochromic element comprises providing a first substrate having first and second surfaces opposite one another and a first edge surface, providing a second substrate having third and fourth surfaces opposite one another and a second edge surface, wherein the third surfaces faces the second surface, and providing an electrochromic medium located between the first and second substrates, wherein the electrochromic medium has a light transmittance that is variable upon the application of electric field thereto. The method further complies applying a conductive layer on at least a portion of at least a select one of a first, second, third, and fourth surfaces and the first and second edge surfaces, wherein applying the conductive layer is accomplished at substantially atmospheric pressure and including applying at least a select one of metallic particles, an organometallic, a metallo-organic, and combinations thereof, and wherein the conductive layer has a bulk resistivity of less than or equal to 150 μΩ·cm. Other aspects of this invention comprise applying the conductive layer via ink jetting, ultrasonic spraying, auger pumping and jet pumping.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an electrochromic element, the method comprising:

providing a first substrate having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a first edge surface;

providing a second substrate having a third surface facing the second surface, a fourth surface opposite the third surface, and a second edge surface;

providing an electrochromic medium located between the first and second substrates, wherein the electrochromic medium has a light transmission that is variable upon the application of an electric field thereto; and

depositing a conductive layer on at least a portion of at least a select one of the first surface, the second surface, the first edge surface, the third surface, the fourth surface, and the second edge surface, wherein the deposition of the conductive layer is accomplished at substantially atmospheric pressure and includes depositing at least a select one of metallic particles, an organometallic, a metallo-organic, and combinations thereof, and wherein the conductive layer has a bulk resistivity of less than or equal to 150 μ

Ω

·

cm.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the conductive layer provides the conductive layer with a bulk resistivity of less then or equal to 100 μ

Ω

·

cm.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of depositing the conductive layer provides the conductive layer with a bulk resistivity of less then or equal to 50 μ

Ω

·

cm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the conductive layer provides the conductive layer with a peak-to-valley roughness of less than or equal to 20 nm.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of depositing the conductive layer provides the conductive layer with a peak-to-valley roughness of less than or equal to 10 nm.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of depositing the conductive layer provides the conductive layer with a peak-to-valley roughness of less than or equal to 5 nm.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the conductive layer provides the conductive layer with a reflectance of greater than or equal to 35% at a wavelength of about 550 nm.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of depositing the conductive layer provides the conductive layer with a reflectance of greater than or equal to 55% at a wavelength of about 550 nm.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of depositing the conductive layer provides the conductive layer with a reflectance of greater than or equal to 70% at a wavelength of about 550 nm.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the conductive layer provides the conductive layer as reflective.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the conductive layer provides the conductive layer as transmissive.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the conductive layer provides the conductive layer as transflective.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the conductive layer includes depositing metallic nanoparticles.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the conductive layer further includes depositing an organometallic metal precursor.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the conductive layer includes at least a select one of ink jet printing, ultrasonic spraying, auger pumping, and jet pumping.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising curing the conductive layer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the curing step includes curing the conductive layer with the use of at least a select one of UV light, a microwave, and convective heating.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the conductive layer includes providing the conductive layer as an electrode deposited on at least a select one of the second surface and the third surface.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate on which the conductive layer is deposited comprises glass.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the conductive layer further comprises at least a select one of chemical vapor deposition, flame spray deposition, and laser sintering.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing the conductive layer comprises depositing of at least one of an electrical bus conductor, an electrical resistance heater, a metallic line, a metallic stripe, a metallic grid, a metallic pattern, a conductive trace for electronic circuitry, a base layer providing enhanced solder wetting, a specularly-reflective metallic film, a specularly-reflective transflective metallic film, and a metallic film ring.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing a conductive layer comprises a depositing of an electrical bus conductor having an electrical resistance of less than 10 Ohms per linear foot.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing a conductive layer comprises a depositing of an electrical bus conductor having an electrical resistance of less than 5 Ohms per linear foot.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing a conductive layer comprises a depositing of an electrical bus conductor having an electrical resistance of less than 1 Ohms per linear foot.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing a conductive layer comprises depositing of a conductive layer containing at least one of silver, nickel, copper, gold, silver-copper, silver-palladium, palladium-gold, and transparent conductive oxide.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the depositing a conductive layer comprising transparent conductive oxide includes depositing a conductive layer containing at least one of indium-tin oxide, antimony-dopes tin oxide, aluminum-doped zinc oxide, and indium-doped zinc oxide.