Electrochromic devices
First Claim
1. An electrochromic device precursor comprising:
- (a) a substrate;
(b) a first transparent conducting oxide layer on the substrate;
(c) a stack on the first transparent conducting oxide layer, the stack comprising;
(i) an electrochromic layer comprising an electrochromic material;
(ii) a counter electrode layer comprising a counter electrode material that serves as a reservoir of ions;
where the stack does not comprise an ion conducting and electrically insulating region between the electrochromic layer and the counter electrode layer; and
(d) a second transparent conducting oxide layer on top of the stack;
wherein at least one of the electrochromic material and the counter electrode material contains lithium.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Conventional electrochromic devices frequently suffer from poor reliability and poor performance. Improvements are made using entirely solid and inorganic materials. Electrochromic devices are fabricated by forming an ion conducting electronically insulating interfacial region that serves as an IC layer. In some methods, the interfacial region is formed after formation of an electrochromic and a counter electrode layer, which are in direct contact with one another. The interfacial region contains an ion conducting electronically insulating material along with components of the electrochromic and/or the counter electrode layer. Materials and microstructure of the electrochromic devices provide improvements in performance and reliability over conventional devices. In addition to the improved electrochromic devices and methods for fabrication, integrated deposition systems for forming such improved devices are also disclosed.
118 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. An electrochromic device precursor comprising:
-
(a) a substrate; (b) a first transparent conducting oxide layer on the substrate; (c) a stack on the first transparent conducting oxide layer, the stack comprising; (i) an electrochromic layer comprising an electrochromic material; (ii) a counter electrode layer comprising a counter electrode material that serves as a reservoir of ions;
where the stack does not comprise an ion conducting and electrically insulating region between the electrochromic layer and the counter electrode layer; and(d) a second transparent conducting oxide layer on top of the stack; wherein at least one of the electrochromic material and the counter electrode material contains lithium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method of fabricating an electrochromic device from an electrochromic device precursor, the method comprising:
-
(a) receiving an electrochromic device precursor comprising; (i) an electrochromic layer comprising an electrochromic material, (ii) a counter electrode layer comprising a counter electrode material that serves as a reservoir of ions, wherein there is not a layer of material that is substantially ion conducting and substantially electronically insulating positioned between the electrochromic layer and the counter electrode layer, wherein at least one of the electrochromic layer and the counter electrode layer contains lithium; and (b) after receiving the electrochromic device precursor, forming a material that is substantially ion conducting and substantially electronically insulating between the electrochromic material in the electrochromic layer and the counter electrode material in the counter electrode layer, thereby forming the electrochromic device. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
Specification