Electro-optic device including a low sheet resistance, high transmission transparent electrode

• US 5,923,457 A
• Filed: 04/02/1997
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Tonar, William L., Bauer, Frederick T., Byker, Harlan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lester, Evelyn A.
• Application Number:
  US08/831,812
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265-275, 427/166, 427/255.1-255.3, 428/432
• US Class Current: 359/271
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes

Abstract

An improved electro-optic device for rearview mirror for motor vehicles and windows, the device incorporating a multi-layer transparent electrode having a first layer of tin-doped indium oxide and a second layer of fluorine-doped tin oxide. This multi-layer transparent conductive coating stack, which may also include additional coatings to provide color suppression, exhibits sheet resistances as low as about 10Ω/□, while still being high in visible light transmission. This coating stack has surprising advantages for use in electro-optic devices. First, ITO base coat provides low sheet resistance and high light transmission, which is particularly valuable for large area electro-optic mirrors and windows, where resistance in the transparent coating limits speed and uniformity of coloration. Second, the FTO over-coat provides significant processing and environmental stability improvements as compared with ITO alone, and further allows the ITO/FTO stack to maintain low sheet resistance and high light transmission during and after the process steps used to make an electro-optic device.

Claims

1. An electro-optic device, comprising:

front and rear spaced elements each having front and rear surfaces;

a layer of a multi-layer transparent conductive material disposed on said rear surface of said front element and said front surface of said rear element, said layer including a base layer of a tin-doped indium oxide and an over-coat layer of a fluorine-doped tin oxide; and

a sealing member sealably bonding together said front and rear spaced elements in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber therebetween, said chamber containing an electro-optic medium.

2. The electro-optic device of claim 1, wherein said electro-optic medium is selected from group consisting of:

electrochromic, dipolar suspension, suspended particle, photoelectrochromic, and polymer dispersed liquid crystal.

3. The electro-optic device of claim 2, wherein said electro-optic medium is an electrochromic medium in which the electrochromic materials are selected from the group consisting of:

solution-phase, surface-confined, and electrodeposition.

4. The electro-optic device of claim 1, wherein said multi-layer transparent conductive material has a sheet resistance of ten ohms per square or less.

5. The electro-optic device of claim 1, wherein said multi-layer transparent conductive material has high transmission to visible light.

6. The electro-optic device of claim 1, wherein said multi-layer transparent conductive material is scratch resistant.

7. The electro-optic device of claim 1, wherein said multi-layer transparent conductive material is not oxygen sensitive.

8. The electro-optic device of claim 1, wherein said front element is tempered glass.

9. The electro-optic device of claim 8, wherein said rear element is tempered glass.

10. The electro-optic device of claim 1, wherein said rear element is tempered glass.

11. The electro-optic device of claim 1, further comprising a color suppressing material disposed between said base coat and said front element.

12. An electro-optic variable reflectance mirror for automotive vehicles, comprising:

front and rear spaced elements each having front and rear surfaces;

a layer of a multi-layer transparent conductive material disposed on said rear surface of said front element, said layer including a base layer of a tin-doped indium oxide and an over-coat layer of a fluorine-doped tin oxide;

a reflector disposed on one side of said rear element provided that, if said reflector is on said rear surface of said rear element, then said front surface of said rear element contains a layer of a transparent conductive material; and

a sealing member sealably bonding together said front and rear spaced elements in a spaced-apart relationship to define a chamber therebetween said chamber containing an electro-optic medium.

13. The electro-optic mirror of claim 12, wherein said electro-optic medium is selected from group consisting of:

electrochromic, dipolar suspension, suspended particle, photoelectrochromic, and polymer dispersed liquid crystal.

14. The electro-optic mirror of claim 13, wherein said electro-optic medium is an electrochromic medium in which the electrochromic materials are selected from the group consisting of:

solution-phase, surface-confined, and electrodeposition.

15. The electro-optic mirror of claim 12, wherein said multi-layer transparent conductive material has a sheet resistance of ten ohms per square or less.

16. The electro-optic mirror of claim 12, wherein said multi-layer transparent conductive material has high transmission to visible light.

17. The electro-optic mirror of claim 12, wherein said multi-layer transparent conductive material is scratch resistant.

18. The electro-optic mirror of claim 12, wherein said multi-layer transparent conductive material is not oxygen sensitive.

19. The electro-optic mirror of claim 12, wherein said each of front and said rear elements are tempered glass.

20. The electro-optic mirror of claim 12, where, if said reflector is disposed on said rear surface of said rear element, another layer of a multi-layer transparent conductive material is disposed on said front surface of said rear element, said another layer including a base layer of a tin-doped indium oxide and an over-coat layer of a fluorine-doped tin oxide.

21. The electro-optic mirror of claim 12, further comprising a color suppressing material disposed between said base coat and said front element.

22. The electro-optic mirror of claim 12, where said front and rear elements are bent.

23. The electro-optic mirror of claim 22, where said front and rear elements are bent in an aspheric or convex shape.

24. An electro-optic device comprising:

front and rear spaced elements each having front and rear surfaces;

at least one layer of a multi-layer transparent conductive material disposed on at least one of said rear surface of said front element and said front surface of said rear element, said at least one multi-layer transparent conductive material including a base layer of a tin-doped indium oxide and an overcoat of a fluorine-doped tin oxide; and

a sealing member sealably bonding together said front and rear spaced element in a spaced apart relationship to define a chamber there between, said chamber containing an electro-optic medium.