# US 11,079,648 B2 · Fabrication of electrochromic devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,079,648 B2 - Document ID: US11079648B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/794,805 - Filed: 2017-10-26 - Published: 2018-02-15 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2009-03-31 - Assignees: View, Inc. - Applicants: View, Inc. - Inventors: Robert T. Rozbicki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079648B2 ## CPC - G02F 1/15: based on an electrochromic effect - C23C 14/028: {Physical treatment to alter the texture of the substrate surface, e.g. grinding, polishing} - C23C 14/06: characterised by the coating material ({C23C14/0021} , C23C14/04 take precedence) - C23C 14/0635: {Carbides} - C23C 14/0641: {Nitrides (C23C14/0617 takes precedence)} - C23C 14/0652: {Silicon nitride} - C23C 14/0676: {Oxynitrides} - C23C 14/08: Oxides (C23C14/10 takes precedence) - C23C 14/081: {of aluminium, magnesium or beryllium} - C23C 14/083: {of refractory metals or yttrium} - C23C 14/086: {of zinc, germanium, cadmium, indium, tin, thallium or bismuth} - C23C 14/34: Sputtering - G02F 1/1309: {Repairing; Testing} - G02F 1/133345: {Insulating layers (G02F1/1335, G02F1/1337, G02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence)} - G02F 1/1523: comprising inorganic material - G02F 1/1524: Transition metal compounds - G02F 1/1533: {structural features not otherwise provided for} - G02F 1/155: Electrodes - H01B 5/14: comprising conductive layers or films on insulating-supports - H01B 13/00: Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing conductors or cables - H01J 37/3429: {Plural materials} - H01J 37/3476: {Testing and control} - G02F 2001/1536: {additional, e.g. protective, layer inside the cell} - G02F 2001/1555: {Counter electrode} - G02F 2201/508: Pseudo repairing, e.g. a defective part is brought into a condition in which it does not disturb the functioning of the device - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K}) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract Electrochromic devices and methods may employ the addition of a defect-mitigating insulating layer which prevents electronically conducting layers and/or electrochromically active layers from contacting layers of the opposite polarity and creating a short circuit in regions where defects form. In some embodiments, an encapsulating layer is provided to encapsulate particles and prevent them from ejecting from the device stack and risking a short circuit when subsequent layers are deposited. The insulating layer may have an electronic resistivity of between about 1 and 108 Ohm-cm. In some embodiments, the insulating layer contains one or more of the following metal oxides: aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, silicon aluminum oxide, cerium oxide, tungsten oxide, nickel tungsten oxide, and oxidized indium tin oxide. Carbides, nitrides, oxynitrides, and oxycarbides may also be used. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of fabricating an electrochromic device, the method comprising: (a) forming a first electrochromic layer of the electrochromic device on a substrate, the first electrochromic layer comprising tungsten oxide; (b) after (a), performing a first particle removal operation to remove particles from the first electrochromic layer; (c) after (b), forming a second layer of the electrochromic device, the second layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of cerium, titanium, aluminum, zinc, tin, silicon aluminum, tungsten, nickel tungsten, tantalum, oxidized indium tin, oxides thereof, nitrides thereof, carbides thereof, oxynitrides thereof, oxycarbides thereof, and combinations thereof; (d) after (c), performing a second particle removal operation on a surface of the substrate; and (e) after (d), completing fabrication of the electrochromic device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second particle removal operations comprises contact cleaning the substrate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the contact cleaning uses static attraction and/or adhesion to remove the particles. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the contact cleaning comprises contacting the substrate with at least one roller, strip, or brush. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second particle removal operations comprises applying acoustic energy to the substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the acoustic energy is ultrasonic, supersonic, or megasonic. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the acoustic energy is ultrasonic. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second particle removal operations comprises applying fluid to the substrate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the fluid comprises carbon dioxide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the fluid is sprayed onto the substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first particle removal operation removes the particles from the surface of the substrate, thereby forming one or more gaps where the particles were previously positioned in the first electrochromic layer of the electrochromic device, wherein the second layer of the electrochromic device is formed on the first electrochromic layer of the electrochromic device, thereby at least partially filling the one or more gaps. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a third particle removal operation, wherein the third particle removal operation is performed on the surface of the substrate prior to (a). ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein (a) is performed immediately after the third particle removal operation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the second layer of the electrochromic device is formed directly on the first electrochromic layer of the electrochromic device, without any intervening layers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second layer of the electrochromic device is formed directly on the first electrochromic layer of the electrochromic device, without any intervening layers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second layer of the electrochromic device comprises superstoichiometric oxygen. ### Claim 17 A method of fabricating an electrochromic device, the method comprising: (a) forming a first electrochromic layer of the electrochromic device on a substrate; (b) after (a), performing a first particle removal operation to remove particles from the first electrochromic layer of the electrochromic device; (c) after (b), forming a second layer of the electrochromic device; (d) after (c), performing a second particle removal operation on a surface of the substrate; and (e) after (d), completing fabrication of the electrochromic device, wherein the first particle removal operation removes the particles from the first electrochromic layer of the electrochromic device, thereby forming one or more gaps where the particles were previously positioned in the first electrochromic layer of the electrochromic device, wherein the second layer of the electrochromic device is formed on the first electrochromic layer of the electrochromic device, thereby at least partially filling the one or more gaps. ### Claim 18 A method of fabricating an electrochromic device, the method comprising: (a) forming a first electrochromic layer of the electrochromic device on a substrate; (b) after (a), performing a first particle removal operation to remove particles from the first electrochromic layer; (c) after (b), forming a second layer of the electrochromic device; (d) after (c), performing a second particle removal operation on a surface of the substrate; and (e) after (d), completing fabrication of the electrochromic device, wherein at least one of the first and second particle removal operations comprises contact cleaning without contacting the substrate with a brush while delivering fluid.