阅读说明：本技术 非发光可变透射设备及其制造工艺 (Non-luminous variable transmission device and manufacturing process thereof ) 是由 李文 弗洛伦特·马丁 让-克里斯托弗·吉龙 罗伯特·纽科姆 埃里克·乔恩·比约纳尔 于 2018-11-16 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供了一种非发光可变透射设备,所述非发光可变透射设备可包括第一基底、第一透明导电层、电致变色层、第二透明导电层、第二基底；以及设置在所述第一基底与所述第二基底之间的中间层。构造所述非发光可变透射设备,使得所述非发光可变透射设备出现失效情况的可能性低于另一非发光可变透射设备,所述另一非发光可变透射设备中的所述中间层直接接触所述第二透明导电层并且具有至少0.08wt％的含水量。在一个实施例中,所述中间层具有至多0.05wt％的含水量。在另一个实施例中,所述非发光可变透射设备进一步包括设置在所述第二透明导电层与所述中间层之间的阻挡层,其中所述阻挡层至少部分地延伸穿过所述第二透明导电层或封闭通道。(A non-emissive variable transmission device may include a first substrate, a first transparent conductive layer, an electrochromic layer, a second transparent conductive layer, a second substrate; and an intermediate layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. Configuring the non-emissive variable transmission device such that the non-emissive variable transmission device is less likely to experience a failure condition than another non-emissive variable transmission device in which the intermediate layer is in direct contact with the second transparent conductive layer and has a moisture content of at least 0.08 wt%. In one embodiment, the intermediate layer has a water content of at most 0.05 wt%. In another embodiment, the non-emissive variable transmission device further comprises a barrier layer disposed between the second transparent conductive layer and the intermediate layer, wherein the barrier layer extends at least partially through the second transparent conductive layer or closed channels.)

1. A non-emissive variable transmission device comprising:

a first substrate;

a first transparent conductive layer covering the first substrate;

an electrochromic layer overlying the first transparent conductive layer;

a second transparent conductive layer overlying the electrochromic layer;

a second substrate; and

an intermediate layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate,

wherein the non-emissive variable transmission device is configured such that the non-emissive variable transmission device involving the intermediate layer is less likely to experience a failure condition than another non-emissive variable transmission device in which the intermediate layer is in direct contact with the second transparent conductive layer and has a water content of at least 0.08 wt%.

2. A non-emissive variable transmission device according to claim 1, wherein:

the intermediate layer has a water content of at most 0.05 wt%; or

The non-emissive variable transmission device further comprises a barrier layer disposed between the second transparent conductive layer and the intermediate layer, wherein the barrier layer extends at least partially through the second transparent conductive layer.

3. A non-emissive variable transmission device comprising:

a first substrate;

a first transparent conductive layer covering the first substrate;

an electrochromic layer overlying the first transparent conductive layer;

a second transparent conductive layer overlying the electrochromic layer;

a second substrate; and

an intermediate layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate,

wherein:

the intermediate layer has a water content of at most 0.05 wt%; or

A barrier layer is disposed between the second transparent conductive layer and the intermediate layer, and the barrier layer extends at least partially through the second transparent conductive layer or covers a channel extending at least partially through the second transparent conductive layer.

4. A process of manufacturing a non-emissive variable transmission device, the process comprising:

forming a first transparent conductive layer covering the first substrate;

forming an electrochromic layer overlying the first transparent conductive layer;

forming a second transparent conductive layer overlying the electrochromic layer;

bonding the first and second substrates with an intermediate layer disposed between the second conductive layer and the second substrate,

wherein:

the intermediate layer has a water content of at most 0.05 wt%; or

The process further includes forming a barrier layer extending at least partially through the second transparent conductive layer, wherein the bonding of the first substrate and the second substrate is performed after forming the barrier layer.

5. The process of claim 4, wherein a void or channel extends through at least the second transparent conductive layer after forming the second transparent conductive layer and before joining the first and second substrates.

6. The process of claim 5, further comprising ejecting particles located beneath the second transparent conductive layer, leaving voids or channels extending at least through the second transparent conductive layer.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein forming an electrochromic stack comprises:

introducing the particles over the substrate; and is

Depositing a layer of the electrochromic stack over the particles.

8. The process of claim 7, wherein the first transparent conductive layer is exposed along a portion of the void or the channel.

9. The process of claim 6, wherein the act of forming the barrier layer is performed such that a portion of the barrier layer is formed within the void or within the channel, or a portion of the barrier layer encloses the channel.

10. The non-luminescent variable transmission device or process of any preceding claim, further comprising an electrochromic stack, wherein the electrochromic stack comprises:

a first electrode layer comprising the electrochromic layer or an ion storage layer;

an ion conductive layer;

a second electrode layer comprising the other of the electrochromic layer or the ion storage layer,

wherein:

the ion-conducting layer is disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer;

the first transparent conductive layer is closer to the first electrode than the second electrode; and is

The second transparent conductive layer is closer to the second electrode than the first electrode.

11. The non-emissive variable transmission device or process according to claim 10, wherein the intermediate layer contacts the first transparent conductive layer.

12. A non-emissive variable transmission device or process according to claim 10, wherein the barrier layer is disposed between the second transparent conductive layer and the intermediate layer, and the barrier layer extends at least partially through the second transparent conductive layer.

13. The non-emissive variable transmission device or process according to claim 12, wherein the intermediate layer does not contact the first transparent conductive layer or the electrochromic layer.

14. A non-emissive variable transmission apparatus or process according to claim 12, wherein the barrier layer comprises an oxide, nitride or oxynitride.

15. A non-emissive variable transmission device or process according to claim 13, wherein the barrier layer comprises alternating films of inorganic material and organic material.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to non-emissive variable transmission devices and processes for forming the same.

Background

The non-emissive variable transmission device may comprise an electrochromic layer disposed between two glass plates. An electrochromic layer is deposited over one of the glass plates, and the combination of the glass plate and the electrochromic layer is bonded to the other glass plate using an interlayer. Defects may form during the manufacturing process and reduce yield, form electrical shorts, affect the appearance of the device (e.g., non-uniform coloring), or shorten the operating life of the device. It is desirable to further improve the process of manufacturing non-emissive variable transmission devices.

Brief description of the drawings

The embodiments are shown by way of example and are not limited by the accompanying figures.

Fig. 1 includes a cross-sectional view of a portion of a workpiece including an electrochromic substrate, a layer stack, and a bus bar.

FIG. 2 includes a top view of the workpiece of FIG. 1 to better understand the positional relationship between the components in FIG. 1.

Fig. 3 includes a cross-sectional view of a portion of a workpiece showing particles formed between layers.

Fig. 4 includes a cross-sectional view of the workpiece of fig. 3 after the ejection of particles to form a void.

FIG. 5 includes a cross-sectional view of the workpiece of FIG. 4 after forming a barrier layer within the void.

Fig. 6 includes a cross-sectional view of the workpiece of fig. 5 after joining the workpiece to the cover glass substrate.

FIG. 7 includes a cross-sectional view of the workpiece of FIG. 4 after joining the workpiece to a cover glass substrate using an interlayer according to one embodiment.

Fig. 8 includes a side view of the workpiece of fig. 6 after joining the workpiece to the cover glass substrate.

FIG. 9 includes a side view of the workpiece of FIG. 7 after joining the workpiece to a cover glass substrate using an interlayer according to one embodiment.

FIG. 10 includes a cross-sectional view of an insulating glass unit according to an embodiment.

FIG. 11 includes a cross-sectional view of an insulating glass unit according to an alternative embodiment.

Skilled artisans appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.