Temperable electrochromic devices
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating an electrochromic device on a glass substrate, the method comprising:
- a) forming a lithium diffusion barrier on the glass substrate;
b) forming a first transparent conducting oxide layer on the glass substrate;
c) forming a stack on the first transparent conducting oxide layer, the stack comprising;
(i) an electrochromic layer comprising an electrochromic material; and
(ii) a counter electrode layer comprising a counter electrode material;
d) introducing lithium to the stack in excess of that required for the electrochromic device to operate in transitioning between optical states, wherein the lithium is introduced to the stack prior to tempering;
e) forming a second transparent conducting oxide layer on top of the stack of layers; and
f) tempering the glass substrate after operation e).
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Accused Products
Abstract
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for tempering or chemically strengthening glass substrates having electrochromic devices fabricated thereon. In one aspect, an electrochromic device is fabricated on a glass substrate. The glass substrate is then tempered or chemically strengthened. The disclosed methods may reduce or prevent potential issues that the electrochromic device may experience during the tempering or the chemical strengthening processes, including the loss of charge carrying ions from the device, redistribution of charge carrying ions in the device, modification of the morphology of materials included in the device, modification of the oxidation state of materials included in the device, and the formation of an interfacial region between the electrochromic layer and the counter electrode layer of the device that impacts the performance of the device.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating an electrochromic device on a glass substrate, the method comprising:
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a) forming a lithium diffusion barrier on the glass substrate; b) forming a first transparent conducting oxide layer on the glass substrate; c) forming a stack on the first transparent conducting oxide layer, the stack comprising; (i) an electrochromic layer comprising an electrochromic material; and (ii) a counter electrode layer comprising a counter electrode material; d) introducing lithium to the stack in excess of that required for the electrochromic device to operate in transitioning between optical states, wherein the lithium is introduced to the stack prior to tempering; e) forming a second transparent conducting oxide layer on top of the stack of layers; and f) tempering the glass substrate after operation e). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 29, 30, 31)
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14. A method of fabricating an electrochromic device on a glass substrate, the method comprising:
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a) forming a lithium diffusion barrier on the glass substrate; b) forming a first transparent conducting oxide layer on the glass substrate; c) forming a stack on the first transparent conducting oxide layer, comprising; (i) forming an electrochromic layer comprising an electrochromic material, wherein the electrochromic layer is formed to include a superstoichiometric oxygenated region of the electrochromic material; and (ii) forming a counter electrode layer comprising a counter electrode material; d) forming a second transparent conducting oxide layer on top of the stack; e) providing lithium ions in the electrochromic device; f) driving the lithium ions in the electrochromic device into the electrochromic layer, the counter electrode layer, and/or a region between the electrochromic layer and the counter electrode layer; and
,g) after driving the lithium ions, tempering the glass substrate. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method comprising:
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fabricating an electrochromic device disposed on a glass substrate; providing a lithium source disposed on a surface of the electrochromic device; and tempering the glass substrate after fabricating the electrochromic device on the glass substrate. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification