Fabrication of low defectivity electrochromic devices

Abstract

Prior electrochromic devices frequently suffer from high levels of defectivity. The defects may be manifest as pin holes or spots where the electrochromic transition is impaired. This is unacceptable for many applications such as electrochromic architectural glass. Improved electrochromic devices with low defectivity can be fabricated by depositing certain layered components of the electrochromic device in a single integrated deposition system. While these layers are being deposited and/or treated on a substrate, for example a glass window, the substrate never leaves a controlled ambient environment, for example a low pressure controlled atmosphere having very low levels of particles. These layers may be deposited using physical vapor deposition.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 .  1 . An anodically coloring electrochromic material comprising:
 a nickel oxide-based material doped with tungsten and tantalum.   
     
     
         2 . The anodically coloring electrochromic material of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel oxide-based material comprises up to about 90% by weight of nickel. 
     
     
         3 . The anodically coloring electrochromic material of  claim 1 , wherein the mass ratio of nickel to tungsten is between about 4:6 and 6:4. 
     
     
         4 . The anodically coloring electrochromic material of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel oxide-based material doped with tungsten and tantalum comprises between about 15% atomic nickel and about 60% atomic nickel. 
     
     
         5 . The anodically coloring electrochromic material of  claim 1 , wherein nickel oxide-based material doped with tungsten and tantalum comprises about 10% atomic tungsten to about 40% atomic tungsten. 
     
     
         6 . The anodically coloring electrochromic material of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel oxide-based material doped with tungsten and tantalum comprises between about 30% atomic oxygen and about 75% atomic oxygen. 
     
     
         7 . The anodically coloring electrochromic material of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel oxide-based material comprises about 15% atomic nickel and about 60% atomic nickel, and an atomic concentration of between about 30% atomic oxygen and about 75% atomic oxygen. 
     
     
         8 . The anodically coloring electrochromic material of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel oxide-based material doped with tungsten and tantalum is provided in a layer having a thickness between about 150-350 nm. 
     
     
         9 . The anodically coloring electrochromic material of  claim 8 , wherein the thickness of the layer varies by no more than about ±10.0%. 
     
     
         10 . An electrochromic device comprising:
 an electrochromic layer comprising a tungsten oxide-based material; and   a counter electrode layer comprising the anodically coloring electrochromic material of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         11 . The electrochromic device of  claim 10 , further comprising an ion-conducting layer between the electrochromic layer and the counter electrode layer. 
     
     
         12 . The electrochromic device of  claim 10 , wherein the ion-conducting layer comprises lithium. 
     
     
         13 . The electrochromic device of  claim 10 , wherein the electrochromic layer further comprises a dopant selected from molybdenum, titanium and vanadium. 
     
     
         14 . The electrochromic device of  claim 10 , wherein the electrochromic layer comprises tungsten molybdenum oxide. 
     
     
         15 . The electrochromic device of  claim 10 , wherein the electrochromic layer comprises tungsten vanadium oxide.