# US 8,772,776 B2 · Electro-optic device and method for manufacturing the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,772,776 B2 - Document ID: US8772776B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/142,595 - Filed: 2009-12-29 - Published: 2012-02-02 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-29 - Assignees: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek TNO; Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. - Applicants: Antonius Maria Bernardus van Mol; Joanne Sarah Wilson; Chia-Chen Fan; Herbert Lifka; Erik Dekempeneer; Edward Willem Albert Young - Inventors: Antonius Maria Bernardus van Mol; Joanne Sarah Wilson; Chia-Chen Fan; Herbert Lifka; Erik Dekempeneer; Edward Willem Albert Young - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772776B2 ## CPC - H10K 77/10: Substrates, e.g. flexible substrates - H10K 50/814: combined with auxiliary electrodes, e.g. ITO layer combined with metal lines - H10K 50/8426: {Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants} - H10K 50/8445: {multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers} - H10K 50/856: comprising reflective means - H10K 2102/311: {Flexible OLED} - Y02E 10/549: Organic PV cells - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract An electro-optic device may include a substrate that supports a first and a second electrode, a functional structure including at least one functional layer that is electrically coupled to the electrodes, and an etched metal structure electrically coupled to at least one of the electrodes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Electro-optic device, comprising: a substrate that supports a first electrode and a second electrode; a functional structure comprising at least one functional layer, that is electrically coupled to said first and second electrodes; and an etched metal structure being electrically coupled to at least one of the electrodes, said at least one of the electrodes being formed as a layer, wherein a surface of the etched metal structure directly contacts the layer, wherein said layer is a transparent conductive electrode that is attached directly to ribs of the etched metal structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Electro-optic device according to claim 1, wherein the etched metal structure is embedded in a barrier structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) Electro-optic device according to claim 2, wherein a barrier structure is applied at a surface of the transparent conductive electrode opposite a surface of said transparent conductive electrode at which it is attached to the ribs of the etched metal structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Electro-optic device according to claim 1, wherein ribs of the etched metal structure are provided with a remaining photo-resist or lacquer layer at a side opposite the transparent electrically conductive layer, said remaining photo-resist or layer extending on both sides of the ribs. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Electro-optic device according to claim 1, wherein the functional structure and the other one of the first and the second electrodes blanketwise cover the transparent electrically conductive electrode and the etched metal structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Electro-optic device according to claim 1, wherein in a barrier structure is applied at a surface of the transparent conductive electrode opposite a surface of said transparent conductive electrode at which it is attached to the ribs of the etched metal structure. ### Claim 7 Method of manufacturing an electro-optic device comprising the following subsequent steps of: providing a first, metal substrate; providing a second substrate; and selectively etching the metal substrate to form an etched metal structure, wherein the first metal substrate is provided with a transparent electrically conductive layer before the step of selectively etching the metal substrate and wherein the first metal substrate is provided with a transparent electrically conductive layer before the step of providing a second substrate and that the transparent electrically conductive layer is applied by an APCVD process. ### Claim 8 Method of manufacturing an electro-optic device comprising the following subsequent steps of: providing a first, metal substrate; providing a second substrate; selectively etching the metal substrate to form an etched metal structure; and depositing a functional structure, wherein the step of selectively etching the metal substrate is proceeded with a step of homogeneously reducing a thickness of the metal substrate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) Method according to claim 8, characterized in that a thickness of the metal substrate is homogeneously reduced with at least a factor 2. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) Method according to claim 8, wherein the functional structure is deposited blanketwise over the etched metal structure. ### Claim 11 Method of manufacturing an electro-optic device comprising the following subsequent steps of: providing a first, metal substrate; providing a second substrate; selectively etching the metal substrate to form an etched metal structure; and depositing a functional structure, wherein the step of selectively etching the metal substrate is succeeded with a step of homogeneously reducing a thickness of the metal substrate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) Method according to claim 11, characterized in that a thickness of the metal substrate is homogeneously reduced with at least a factor 2. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) Method according to claim 11, wherein the functional structure is deposited blanketwise over the etched metal structure. ### Claim 14 Method of manufacturing an electro-optic device comprising the following subsequent steps of: providing a first, metal substrate; providing a second substrate; selectively etching the metal substrate to form an etched metal structure; and depositing a functional structure, wherein the second substrate is removed after the etched metal structure is embedded into a third substrate, and wherein the functional structure is applied at the place of the second substrate. ### Claim 15 Method of manufacturing an electro-optic device comprising the following subsequent steps of: providing a first, metal substrate; providing a second substrate; selectively etching the metal substrate to form an etched metal structure; and depositing a functional structure, wherein the second substrate is directly applied at the first, metal substrate.