Fabrication of low defectivity electrochromic devices

• US 9,429,809 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: View Incorporated
• Original Assignee: View Incorporated
• Inventors: Kailasam, Sridhar, Friedman, Robin, Pradhan, Anshu, Rozbicki, Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): PINKNEY, DAWAYNE
• Application Number:
  US13/610,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20130107345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 359/296, 359253-254, 359245-247, 359290-291, 359/298, 359265-275, 359/277, 359/242, 349/33, 345/49, 345/105, 345/107, 430 31- 32
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/06 to obtain multicolour or other optical effects B05D5/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/10 making use of vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic welding
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3417 all coatings being oxide coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/94 Transparent conductive oxide layers [TCO] being part of a multilayer coating
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2211/183 of the refractory metals, i.e. Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta or W
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2211/187 of the iron group metals, i.e. Fe, Co or Ni
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 9/00 Tenebrescent materials, i.e. materials for which the range of wavelengths for energy absorption is changed as a result of excitation by some form of energy
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 10/28 using solids, e.g. powders, pastes
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/021 Cleaning or etching treatments
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/022 by means of bombardment with energetic particles or radiation
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/024 Deposition of sublayers, e.g. to promote adhesion of the coating C23C14/027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/046 Coating cavities or hollow spaces, e.g. interior of tubes; Infiltration of porous substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/08 Oxides C23C14/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/083 of refractory metals or yttrium
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/085 of iron group metals
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/086 of zinc, germanium, cadmium, indium, tin, thallium or bismuth
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/14 Metallic material, boron or silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/185 by cathodic sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/3407 Cathode assembly for sputtering apparatus, e.g. Target
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/568 Transferring the substrates through a series of coating stations C23C14/562 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/58 : After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/5806 : Thermal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/5853 : Oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1524 : Transition metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/153 : Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1533 : structural features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 : Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1536 : additional, e.g. protective, layer inside the cell

Abstract

Prior electrochromic devices frequently suffer from high levels of defectivity. The defects may be manifest as pin holes or spots where the electrochromic transition is impaired. This is unacceptable for many applications such as electrochromic architectural glass. Improved electrochromic devices with low defectivity can be fabricated by depositing certain layered components of the electrochromic device in a single integrated deposition system. While these layers are being deposited and/or treated on a substrate, for example a glass window, the substrate never leaves a controlled ambient environment, for example a low pressure controlled atmosphere having very low levels of particles. These layers may be deposited using physical vapor deposition.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating an electrochromic device, the method comprising, in the following order:

a. depositing a first portion of a metal oxide layer;

b. lithiating the first portion of the metal oxide layer with elemental lithium; and

then

c. depositing a second portion of the metal oxide layer on the first portion of the metal oxide laver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide layer is a counter electrode layer of the electrochromic device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the metal oxide layer comprises nickel tungsten oxide.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide layer is an electrochromic layer of the electrochromic device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing a transparent conducting layer on the second portion of the metal oxide layer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the transparent conducting layer comprises indium tin oxide.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein b. is performed via direct current (DC) sputtering.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein b. is performed at a pressure of between about 1 mTorr and about 20 mTorr.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein b is performed at a power density of between about 1 Watts/cm² and about 10 Watts/cm².

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

d. lithiating the second portion of the metal oxide layer with elemental lithium; and

e. depositing a third portion of the metal oxide layer on the second portion of the metal oxide layer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide layer is a counter electrode layer of the electrochromic device, and wherein the metal oxide layer comprises nickel tungsten oxide doped with tantalum.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein lithiating the first portion with elemental lithium comprises providing elemental lithium to the first portion of the metal oxide layer disposed on a substrate in a substantially vertical orientation.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide layer comprises at least one oxide selected from a group consisting of:

nickel oxide, nickel tungsten oxide, nickel vanadium oxide, nickel chromium oxide, nickel aluminum oxide, nickel manganese oxide, nickel magnesium oxide, chromium oxide, manganese oxide, Prussian blue, cerium titanium oxide (CeO₂—

TiO₂), cerium zirconium oxide (CeO₂—

ZrO₂), vanadium oxide (V₂O₅), nickel tungsten oxide doped with tantalum and a mixture thereof.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide layer is an ion conducting layer of the electrochromic device.

15. The method claim 1, further comprising depositing an ion conducting layer of the electrochromic device on the second portion of the metal oxide layer.

16. An electrochromic device comprising a metal oxide layer formed, in the following order:

a. depositing a first portion of the metal oxide layer;

b. lithiating the first portion with elemental lithium; and

then

c. depositing a second portion of the metal oxide layer on the first portion of the metal oxide layer.

17. The electrochromic device of claim 16, wherein the metal oxide layer is a counter electrode layer of the electrochromic device.

18. The electrochromic device of claim 17, wherein the metal oxide layer comprises nickel tungsten oxide.

19. The electrochromic device of claim 16, wherein the metal oxide layer is an electrochromic layer of the electrochromic device.

20. The electrochromic device of claim 16, further comprising a transparent conductive oxide deposited on the second portion.

21. The electrochromic device of claim 20, wherein the transparent conductive oxide comprises indium tin oxide.

22. The electrochromic device of claim 19, further comprising a counter electrode layer.

23. The electrochromic device of claim 16, wherein the metal oxide layer is a counter electrode layer of the electrochromic device, and wherein the metal oxide layer comprises nickel tungsten oxide doped with tantalum.

24. The electrochromic device of claim 16, wherein the metal oxide layer comprises at least one oxide selected from a group consisting of:

nickel oxide, nickel tungsten oxide, nickel vanadium oxide, nickel chromium oxide, nickel aluminum oxide, nickel manganese oxide, nickel magnesium oxide, chromium oxide, manganese oxide, Prussian blue, cerium titanium oxide (CeO₂—

TiO₂), cerium zirconium oxide (CeO₂—

ZrO₂), vanadium oxide (V₂O₅), nickel tungsten oxide doped with tantalum and a mixture thereof.

25. The electrochromic device of claim 16, wherein the metal oxide layer is an ion conducting layer of the electrochromic device.