Electrochemical display element and electrochemical display

Abstract

An electrochemical display device and an electrochemical display apparatus, having preferable cycle properties and preferable display quality, and a method for producing the same. The electrochemical display device according to the present invention is characterized in that it has: a first transparent electrode; an electrolyte layer containing a coloring material which colors by a coloring means and electrochemical reduction or oxidation, accompanied by deposition or dissolution; a second electrode having the electrolyte layer disposed between the first transparent electrode and the second electrode; and a third electrode independent of the first transparent electrode and the second electrode.

1 . An electrochemical display device characterized by comprising: 
 a first transparent electrode;    an electrolyte layer containing a coloring material which colors by a coloring means and electrochemical reduction or oxidation, accompanied by deposition or dissolution;    a second electrode having said electrolyte layer disposed between said first transparent electrode and said second electrode; and    a third electrode independent of said first transparent electrode and said second electrode.    
     
     
         2 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said third electrode is provided as an electrically insulated member on a substrate on which said first transparent electrode is formed.  
     
     
         3 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said third electrode is provided as an electrically insulated member on a substrate on which said second electrode is formed.  
     
     
         4 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said third electrode is provided as an electrically insulated member between said first transparent electrode and said second electrode.  
     
     
         5 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 4 , characterized in that said third electrode is comprised of a metal wire or a mesh structure obtained by weaving said metal wire.  
     
     
         6 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 5 , characterized in that said third electrode is disposed between insulating materials.  
     
     
         7 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said third electrode is provided in a state in which said third electrode surrounds an effective picture element portion of said first transparent electrode or said second electrode.  
     
     
         8 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said third electrode is provided in a state in which said third electrode sandwiches an effective picture element portion of said first transparent electrode or said second electrode.  
     
     
         9 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a plurality of said third electrodes are provided in a state in which a plurality of said third electrodes cross one another in an effective picture element portion of said first transparent electrode or said second electrode.  
     
     
         10 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said first transparent electrode is included mainly of SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 , or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         11 . The electrochemical display device according to claim  1 , characterized in that said second electrode is a metallic thin film.  
     
     
         12 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said third electrode is a metallic thin film.  
     
     
         13 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said third electrode is a transparent electrode included mainly of SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 , or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said third electrode is part of said first transparent electrode or said second electrode, which is in a display inactive state.  
     
     
         15 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said electrolyte layer is d of an electrolytic solution or a polymer electrolyte layer.  
     
     
         16 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 15 , characterized in that said electrolytic solution or polymer electrolyte layer contains a metal salt or a quaternary alkylammonium salt.  
     
     
         17 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 15 , characterized in that a solvent for said electrolytic solution is comprised of water, ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, propylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, ethylene carbonate, γ-butyrolactone, acetonitrile, sulfolane, dimethoxyethane, dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 15 , characterized in that a matrix polymer constituting said polymer electrolyte layer is a polymer material having a repeating unit of alkylene oxide, alkylenimine, or alkylene sulfide in a main skeleton unit or a side chain unit, or both of them; a copolymer including a plurality of these different units; or a polymethyl methacrylate derivative; polyvinylidene fluoride; polyvinylidene chloride; polyacrylonitrile; a polycarbonate derivative; or a mixture or laminate thereof.  
     
     
         19 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 18 , characterized in that said polymer electrolyte layer includes said matrix polymer containing a solvent which is comprised of water, ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, propylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, ethylene carbonate, γ-butyrolactone, acetonitrile, sulfolane, dimethoxyethane, dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, or a mixture thereof.  
     
     
         20 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 15 , characterized in that said polymer electrolyte layer is comprised of a plurality of layers, wherein said coloring means is contained in part of the layers.  
     
     
         21 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said electrolyte layer contains at least one member selected from a growth inhibitor, a stress relaxing agent, and a brightener for the deposition of said coloring material.  
     
     
         22 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 21 , characterized in that said growth inhibitor, stress relaxing agent, or brightener is an organic compound having a group having an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom.  
     
     
         23 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said electrolyte layer contains a reducing agent or an oxidizing agent for suppressing a side reaction which is possibly caused in any of said first transparent electrode and said second electrode mainly due to an anion species during the deposition of said coloring material.  
     
     
         24 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said coloring material is ions of bismuth, copper, silver, sodium, lithium, iron, chromium, nickel, or cadmium, or ions comprised of a combination thereof.  
     
     
         25 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said coloring means is an inorganic pigment or an organic pigment, or a dye.  
     
     
         26 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 25 , characterized in that said inorganic pigment is comprised of powder of titanium dioxide, calcium carbonate, magnesium oxide, or aluminum oxide.  
     
     
         27 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said electrochemical display device is driven by detecting or sweeping a potential between said third electrode and said first transparent electrode.  
     
     
         28 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said electrochemical display device has a driving device in said first transparent electrode or said second electrode and said driving device is driven in an active matrix mode.  
     
     
         29 . The electrochemical display device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said first transparent electrode and said second electrode are arranged in a matrix form, and said device is driven in a passive matrix mode.  
     
     
         30 . An electrochemical display apparatus characterized by comprising a plurality of electrochemical display devices arranged in a plane form, each electrochemical display device having: a first transparent electrode; an electrolyte layer containing a coloring material which colors by a coloring means and electrochemical reduction or oxidation, accompanied by deposition or dissolution; a second electrode having said electrolyte layer disposed between said first transparent electrode and said second electrode; and a third electrode independent of said first transparent electrode and said second electrode.  
     
     
         31 . A method for producing an electrochemical display device, characterized by comprising the steps of: 
 forming a first transparent electrode on a transparent support;    forming an electrolyte layer containing a coloring material which colors by a coloring means and electrochemical reduction or oxidation, accompanied by deposition or dissolution;    forming a second electrode having said electrolyte layer disposed between said first transparent electrode and said second electrode; and    forming a third electrode independent of said first transparent electrode and said second electrode.    
     
     
         32 . A method for producing an electrochemical display apparatus, characterized by comprising the steps of: 
 forming a first transparent electrode on a transparent support;    forming an electrolyte layer containing a coloring material which colors by a coloring means and electrochemical reduction or oxidation, accompanied by deposition or dissolution;    forming a second electrode having said electrolyte layer disposed between said first transparent electrode and said second electrode; and    forming a third electrode independent of said first transparent electrode and said second electrode.