Laser cuts to reduce electrical leakage

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 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 conductive layer and the electrochromic electrode layer are scribed and the gap formed from the scribing is filled with the layers formed above the electrochromic electrode layer. In some aspects, the ion-conductor layer is also scribed with the lower conductor and electrochromic electrode layers and the gap formed from the scribing is filled with the layers formed above the ion-conductor layer. In further aspects, the insulating film may include one or more buffer layers formed above an ion-conductor layer, further separating the upper conductive layer from the lower conductive layer.

主权项

1. An electrochromic device comprising:
a discontinuous lower conductive layer, a first portion of said lower conductive layer coupled to a first conductive element and a second portion, discontinuous from the first portion, of said lower conductive layer coupled to a second conductive element; a discontinuous upper conductive layer, a first portion of said upper conductive layer coupled to the first conductive element and a second portion, discontinuous from the first portion, of said upper conductive layer coupled to the second conductive element, wherein the discontinuous lower conductive layer is between a substrate supporting the electrochromic device and the discontinuous upper conductive layer; a first electrode layer comprising one of a counter electrode layer and an electrochromic layer, between said lower conductive layer and said upper conductive layer and in contact with each of the first portion and the second portion of said upper conductive layer; a discontinuous second electrode layer comprising the other of the counter electrode layer and the electrochromic electrode layer, between said lower conductive layer and said upper conductive layer, a first portion of said second electrode layer in contact with the first portion of said lower conductive layer, and a second portion, discontinuous from the first portion, of said second electrode layer in contact with the second portion of said lower conductive layer; and a continuous ion-conductor layer for conducting ions between and in communication with said first electrode layer and said second electrode layer, the ion-conductor layer being in contact with each of said first portion and said second portion of said second electrode layer.