ELECTROCHROMIC DEVICES

摘要

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.

主权项

1. An apparatus for fabricating an electrochromic device, comprising:
(a) an integrated deposition system comprising:
(i) a first deposition station containing a first target comprising a first material for depositing a layer of an electrochromic material on a substrate when the substrate is positioned in the first deposition station, wherein the layer of electrochromic material is configured to function as a first electrochromic electrode of the electrochromic device, and(ii) a second deposition station containing a second target comprising a second material for depositing a layer of a counter electrode material on the substrate when the substrate is positioned in the second deposition station, wherein the layer of counter electrode material is configured to function as a second electrochromic electrode of the electrochromic device; and (b) a controller containing program instructions provided on a non-transitory medium for passing the substrate through the first and second deposition stations in a manner that sequentially deposits a stack on the substrate, the stack comprising the layer of electrochromic material in direct contact with the layer of counter electrode material, without an ion conductor layer between the layer of electrochromic material and the layer of counter electrode material.