Transparent electrode, manufacturing method thereof and electronic device employing the transparent electrode

• US 10,431,702 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2018
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Shida, Naomi, Naito, Katsuyuki, Saito, Mitsunaga, Niimoto, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, David S
• Application Number:
  US15/919,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20190027622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 257 59, 438 57, 438 85, 438 96, 438104
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/401 Multistep manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022425 for solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022475 composed of indium tin oxide [ITO]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022483 composed of zinc oxide [ZnO]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 2102/103 comprising indium oxides, e.g. ITO
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/82 Transparent electrodes, e.g. indium tin oxide [ITO] electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/15 Hole transporting layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/816 Multilayers, e.g. transparent multilayers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/00 Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

The present embodiments provide a transparent electrode having a laminate structure of:

• • a first metal oxide layer having an amorphous structure and electroconductivity,
  • a metal layer made of a metallic material containing silver or copper,
  • a second metal oxide layer having an amorphous structure and electroconductivity, and
  • a third metal oxide layer having an amorphous structure and continuity, stacked in this order.

Claims

1. A transparent electrode having a laminate structure comprising:

a first metal oxide layer having an amorphous structure and electroconductivity,

a metal layer which comprises a metallic material comprising silver or copper,

a second metal oxide layer having an amorphous structure and electroconductivity, and

a third metal oxide layer having an amorphous structure and continuity,

stacked in this order.

2. The transparent electrode according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the first metal oxide layer and the second metal oxide layer comprises a substance selected from the group consisting of indium-doped tin oxide, aluminum-doped zinc oxide, and fluorine-doped tin oxide.

3. The transparent electrode according to claim 1, wherein the third metal oxide layer comprises a substance selected from the group consisting of titanium oxide, tin oxide, zinc oxide, and zirconium oxide.

4. The transparent electrode according to claim 1, wherein the third metal oxide layer comprises a substance selected from the group consisting of copper oxide, nickel oxide, molybdenum oxide, iron oxide and tungsten oxide.

5. The transparent electrode according to claim 1, wherein the third metal oxide layer comprises a substance selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide and aluminum oxide.

6. The transparent electrode according to claim 1, wherein the first metal oxide layer and the second metal oxide layer comprise an indium-doped tin oxide, and the metal layer comprises a metallic material comprising silver.

7. The transparent electrode according to claim 1, further comprising a graphene layer in direct contact with the third metal oxide layer.

8. The transparent electrode according to claim 7, wherein the graphene layer is doped with nitrogen atoms.

9. The transparent electrode according to claim 1, wherein the third metal oxide layer is doped with other metal ions having a valence different from that of the metal constituting the metal oxide.

10. The transparent electrode according to claim 1, wherein the third metal oxide layer is thinner than the second metal oxide layer.

11. The transparent electrode according to claim 1, wherein the third metal oxide layer comprises carbon or nitrogen.

12. The transparent electrode according to claim 1, wherein the third metal oxide layer comprises alkoxy-metal bonds.

13. An electronic device comprising the transparent electrode according to claim 1 and a counter electrode.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13, further comprising a UV-cut layer or a gas-barrier layer.

15. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the counter electrode is a second transparent electrode.

16. A method for manufacturing a transparent electrode, comprising:

(I) preparing a laminate structure comprising;

a first metal oxide layer having an amorphous structure and electroconductivity,

a metal layer which comprises a metallic material comprising silver or copper, and

a second metal oxide layer having an amorphous structure and electroconductivity;

and thereafter

(II) coating the surface of the second metal oxide layer with a metal alkoxide solution, and then drying and heating the applied solution at 150°

C. or less in a water-containing atmosphere, to form a third metal oxide layer.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising forming a graphene layer before or after (II).

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the forming a graphene layer comprises:

applying a solution of graphene oxide and then reducing the applied solution with hydrazine hydrate.