ELECTROCHROMIC DEVICES HAVING IMPROVED STRUCTURE FOR REDUCING CURRENT LEAKAGE ACROSS LOWER TRANSPARENT CONDUCTOR LAYERS

摘要

One object of the present invention is to provide an electrochromic device having improved insulating film structure to reduce electrical leakage. The improved structure includes a lower conductive layer, upper transparent conductive layer, an electrochromic electrode layer, a counter electrode layer, and at least one ion-conductor layer sandwiched between the electrochromic electrode layer and the counter electrode layer. The lower transport conductive layer is scribed and the gap formed from the scribing is filled with the layer(s) formed above the lower conductive layer, such as the electrode layer formed directly above the lower conductive layer. The effective linewidth of the scribe is greater than the migration length of the lithium ions intercalated into the electrode layer, such that the electrode materials occupying the gap do not convert the electrode layer into an electrically conductive region.

主权项

1. An electrochromic device comprising:
a lower transparent conductive layer, a first portion of said lower transparent conductive layer coupled to a first conductive element and a second portion, physically separate from the first portion, of said lower transparent conductive layer coupled to a second conductive element; a upper transparent conductive layer, a first portion of said upper transparent conductive layer coupled to the first conductive element and a second portion, physically separate from the first portion, of said upper transparent conductive layer coupled to the second conductive element; a first electrode layer comprising one of a counter electrode layer and an electrochromic layer, between said lower transparent conductive layer and said upper transparent conductive layer and in contact with each of the first portion and the second portion of said lower transparent conductive layer; a second electrode layer comprising the other of the counter electrode layer and the electrochromic electrode layer, between said lower transparent conductive layer and said upper transparent conductive layer; an ion-conductor layer for conducting ions between and in communication with said first electrode layer and said second electrode layer, wherein the first portion and second portion of the lower transparent conductive layer are spaced apart more than the migration length of a charge compensating ion occupying the first electrode layer.