Fabrication of low defectivity electrochromic devices

• US 9,904,138 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2016
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: View Incorporated
• Original Assignee: View Incorporated
• Inventors: Kailasam, Sridhar Karthik, Friedman, Robin, Pradhan, Anshu A., Rozbicki, Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkney, Dawayne A
• Application Number:
  US15/214,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20160327846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 359296, 359253-254, 359245-247, 359290-291, 359298, 359265-275, 359277, 359242, 349 33, 345 49, 345105, 345107, 430 31- 32
• 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:

a) depositing one or more metal oxide layers on a substrate, the one or more metal oxide layers comprising either an electrochromic material layer or an electrochromic material layer and a counter electrode material layer; and

b) depositing lithium metal onto the one or more metal oxide layers;

wherein the substrate is in a substantially vertical orientation while the lithium metal is deposited on the one or more metal oxide layers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the lithium metal is deposited onto either or both of the electrochromic material layer and the counter electrode material layer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrochromic material layer comprises tungsten oxide.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the counter electrode material layer comprises nickel oxide.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the counter electrode material layer comprises nickel tungsten oxide.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the nickel tungsten oxide is doped with tantalum.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the ratio of thicknesses of the electrochromic material layer to the counter electrode material layer is between about 1.7:

1 and 2.3;

1.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the counter electrode material layer comprises at least one metal oxide selected from the group consisting of tungsten oxide, molybdenum oxide, niobium oxide, titanium oxide, copper oxide, iridium oxide, chromium oxide, manganese oxide, vanadium oxide, nickel oxide, and cobalt oxide.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the one or more metal oxide layers on the substrate further comprises depositing an ion conductor layer between the electrochromic material layer and the counter electrode material layer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the one or more metal oxide layers on the substrate comprises depositing the electrochromic material layer, an ion conducting layer, and the counter electrode material layer on the substrate, in that order.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the one or more metal oxide layers on the substrate comprises depositing the counter electrode material layer, an ion conducting layer, and the electrochromic material layer, on the substrate, in that order.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a glass substrate and comprises a first transparent conducting oxide layer deposited thereon, and wherein the one or more metal oxide layers of the electrochromic device are deposited on the first transparent conducting oxide layer.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising depositing a second transparent conducting oxide layer on the one or more metal oxide layers after depositing lithium metal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second transparent conducting layer comprises indium tin oxide.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the first and second transparent conducting layers has a thickness between about 10 nm and about 1,000 nm.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the first and second transparent conducting layers has a sheet resistance of about 5 to about 30 ohms per square.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the glass substrate comprises a sodium diffusion barrier between the first transparent conducting oxide layer and the glass substrate.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the glass substrate is soda lime float glass.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the glass substrate is tempered.

20. The method of claim 1,

wherein depositing the one or more metal oxide layers comprises depositing an all solid state and inorganic electrochromic device stack;

and

wherein the method further comprises tempering the all solid state and inorganic electrochromic device stack.