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US 5,757,537 AGranted
Electrochromic devices and methods
AssigneeSun Active Glass Electrochromics, Inc.
InventorsFrank B. Ellis, Jr., John E. Van Dine, Vijay D. Parkhe
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Abstract
Electrochromic devices are disclosed which may be used for large surface area applications. The devices utilize optical tuning to minimize optical interference between layers of the structure and to maximize uniform optical transparency. Optical tuning also enables transparent conductive oxide layers to be replaced by thin conductive metal layers, thereby reducing the overall thickness of these devices and facilitating the manufacturing process.
Claims33
An electrochemic device, comprising
- an electrochromic structure including an electrode formed from an electrochromic material, a counterelectrode and transporting means for transporting ions between said electrode and said counterelectrode,
- conductive means including at least two electrically conductive layers sandwiching said electrochromic structure for applying an electric potential across said electrochromic structure, and
- enhancing means for enhancing the transmission of radiation through at least one of said electrically conductive layers, said electrochromic material having a first index of refraction, said counterelectrode having a second index of refraction and said transporting means having a third index of refraction, said first, second and third indices of refraction being about equal.
An electrochromic device, comprising
- an electrochromic structure including an electrode formed from an electrochromic material, a counterelectrode and transporting means for transporting ions between said electrode and said counterelectrode,
- conductive means including at least two electrically conductive layers sandwiching said electrochromic structure for applying an electric potential across said electrochromic structure,
- a substrate, and
- enhancing means for enhancing the transmission of radiation through at least one of said electrically conductive layers, said enhancing means including a series of optically transparent layers beginning with a first optically transparent layer arranged between said substrate and said at least one electrically conductive layer and ending with an nth optically transparent layer arranged between said substrate and said first optically transparent layer, said at least one electrically conductive layer having a first index of refraction, said substrate having a second index of refraction less than said first index of refraction, said first optically transparent layer having a third index of refraction less than said first index of refraction, said nth optically transparent layer having a fourth index of refraction greater than said second index of refraction, and said index of refraction of each one of said series of optically transparent layers decreasing monotonically from said third index of refraction to said fourth index of refraction.
1 more element
An electrochromic device, comprising
- an electrochromic structure including an electrode formed from an electrochromic material, a counterelectrode and transporting means for transporting ions between said electrode and said counterelectrode,
- conductive means including at least two electrically conductive layers sandwiching said electrochromic structure for applying an electric potential across said electrochromic structure, and
- enhancing means for enhancing the transmission of radiation through at least one of said electrically conductive layers, said enhancing means including two optically transparent layers, one of said optically transparent layers being proximate to said at least one electrically conductive layer and another one of said optically transparent layers being distal to said at least one electrically conductive layer, said at least one electrically conductive layer having a first index of refraction, said one of said optically transparent layers having an index of refraction which is less than said first index of refraction, and said another one of said optically transparent layers having an index of refraction which is greater than said index of refraction of said one of said optically transparent layers.
An electrochromic device, comprising
- an electrochromic structure including an electrode formed from an electrochromic material, a counterelectrode and transporting means for transporting ions between said electrode and said counterelectrode,
- conductive means including at least two electrically conductive layers sandwiching said electrochromic structure for applying an electric potential across said electrochromic structure, at least one of said electrically conductive layers including a layer of an electrically conductive oxide, and
- enhancing means for enhancing the transmission of radiation through said electrically conductive oxide layer, said electrochromic material having a first index of refraction, said counterelectrode having a second index of refraction, said transporting means having a third index of refraction, and said electrically conductive oxide layer having a fourth index of refraction, said first, second, third and fourth indices of refraction being about equal.
An electrochromic combination, comprising
- a transparent substrate, and
- an electrochromic device arranged on said transparent substrate, said electrochromic device including an electrochromic structure having an electrode formed from an electrochromic material, a counterelectrode and transporting means for transporting ions between said electrode and said counterelectrode, conductive means including at least two electrically conductive layers sandwiching said electrochromic structure for applying an electric potential across said electrochromic structure, and enhancing means for enhancing the transmission of radiation through at least one of said electrically conductive layers, said electrochromic material having a first index of refraction, said counterelectrode having a second index of refraction and said transporting means having a third index of refraction, said first, second and third indices of refraction being about equal.
An electrochromic device, comprising
- an electrochromic structure including an electrode formed from an electrochromic material, a counterelectrode and transporting means for transporting ions between said electrode and said counterelectrode,
- conductive means including at least two electrically conductive layers sandwiching said electrochromic structure for applying an electric potential across said electrochromic structure,
- a substrate, and
- enhancing means including at least one layer of an optically transparent material arranged between said substrate and at least one of said electrically conductive layers for enhancing the transmission of radiation through said at least one electrically conductive layer, said substrate having a first index of refraction, said at least one electrically conductive layer having a second index of refraction, and said enhancing means having a third index of refraction about equal to the square root of the mathematical product of said first and second indices of refraction.
1 more element
An electrochromic device, comprising
- an electrochromic structure including an electrode formed from an electrochromic material, a counterelectrode and transporting means for transporting ions between said electrode and said counterelectrode,
- conductive means including at least two electrically conductive layers sandwiching said electrochromic structure for applying an electric potential across said electrochromic structure,
- a substrate, and
- enhancing means including at least one layer of an optically transparent material arranged between said substrate and at least one of said electrically conductive layers for enhancing the transmission of radiation through said at least one electrically conductive layer, said enhancing means having a thickness between about 60 nm and about 90 nm, said substrate having a first index of refraction, said at least one electrically conductive layer having a second index of refraction, and said enhancing means having a third index of refraction between said first and second indices of refraction.
1 more element
An electrochromic device, comprising
- an electrochromic structure including an electrode formed from an electrochromic material, a counterelectrode and transporting means for transporting ions between said electrode and said counterelectrode,
- conductive means including at least two electrically conductive layers sandwiching said electrochromic structure for applying an electric potential across said electrochromic structure,
- a substrate, and
- enhancing means including at least one layer of an optically transparent material arranged between said substrate and at least one of said electrically conductive layers for enhancing the transmission of radiation through said at least one electrically conductive layer, said substrate having a first index of refraction, said at least one electrically conductive layer having a second index of refraction, and said enhancing means having a third index of refraction between said first and second indices of refraction, said enhancing means having a thickness which is inversely proportional to said third index of refraction.
1 more element
An electrochromic device, comprising
- an electrochromic structure including an electrode formed from an electrochromic material, a counterelectrode and transporting means for transporting ions between said electrode and said counterelectrode, said transporting means including at least one layer formed from an ion conducting material sandwiched between said electrode and said counterelectrode, said ion conducting material including a polymer,
- conductive means including at least two electrically conductive layers sandwiching said electrochromic structure for applying an electric potential across said electrochromic structure,
- a substrate, and
- enhancing means including at least one layer of an optically transparent material arranged between said substrate and at least one of said electrically conductive layers for enhancing the transmission of radiation through said at least one electrically conductive layer, said substrate having a first index of refraction, said at least one electrically conductive layer having a second index of refraction, and said enhancing means having a third index of refraction between said first and second indices of refraction.
1 more element
An electrochromic device, comprising
- an electrochromic structure including an electrode formed from an electrochromic material, a counterelectrode and transporting means for transporting ions between said electrode and said counterelectrode,
- conductive means including at least two electrically conductive layers sandwiching said electrochromic structure for applying an electric potential across said electrochromic structure,
- a substrate, and
- enhancing means including at least two optically transparent layers arranged between said substrate and at least one of said electrically conductive layers for enhancing the transmission of radiation through said at least one electrically conductive layer, one of said optically transparent layers being proximate to said at least one electrically conductive layer and another one of said optically transparent layers being distal to said at least one electrically conductive layer, said substrate having a first index of refraction, said at least one electrically conductive layer having a second index of refraction, said enhancing means having a third index of refraction between said first and second indices of refraction, said one of said optically transparent layers having an index of refraction which is less than said second index of refraction, and said another one of said optically transparent layers having an index of refraction which is greater than said index of refraction of said one of said optically transparent layers.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.