View. has filed a patent for methods to fabricate electrochromic devices that prevent short circuits under a top bus bar. The devices can be deactivated or contain active material under the bus bar. The methods involve depositing a modified top bus bar, creating self-healing layers, and modifying the top transparent conductive layer before applying bus bars. Claim 1-106 has been canceled. GlobalData’s report on View gives a 360-degree View of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on View, Smart windows was a key innovation area identified from patents. View's grant share as of September 2023 was 44%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Fabricating electrochromic devices to prevent short circuits under bus bars
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A recently filed patent (Publication Number: US20230314893A1) describes a method for fabricating an electrochromic device. The device consists of an electrochromic stack sandwiched between two transparent, electronically conductive layers. The method involves several steps to ensure the proper functioning of the device.
First, a substrate with the first transparent, electronically conductive layer is received. The electrochromic stack, which includes an electrochromic layer and a counter electrode layer, is then fabricated on top of the first layer. Next, the second transparent, electronically conductive layer is formed on the electrochromic stack.
One important aspect of the method is the short mitigation operation, which aims to prevent or remove electrical shorts between the second transparent, electronically conductive layer and the layers of the electrochromic device underneath a bus bar. This operation is performed without deactivating the electrochromic device in that region.
The patent also mentions that the short mitigation operation can be performed either before or after forming the bus bar on the second transparent, electronically conductive layer. Additionally, the method may involve continuously feeding the substrate from a roll to coat the electrochromic stack, and the substrate itself may be made of flexible glass.
The fabrication process involves sequentially performing various steps in a sputter coating apparatus, including forming the first transparent, electronically conductive layer, fabricating the electrochromic stack, and forming the second transparent, electronically conductive layer. However, the bus bar formation is performed outside of this apparatus.
The short mitigation operation can be achieved by applying a bus bar conductive material in a medium that does not migrate to the second transparent, electronically conductive layer, such as a solid or tape. Alternatively, a barrier layer can be formed between the bus bar and the second layer to prevent migration.
The method described in the patent does not require isolating a region of the first transparent, electronically conductive layer or the electrochromic stack before forming the second transparent, electronically conductive layer. It also does not require pre-defining the location of the bus bar before completing the device.
Additional bus bars can be formed on either or both of the transparent, electronically conductive layers, and the substrate can be cut to provide multiple electrochromic lites either before or after forming the bus bar.
Overall, this patent presents a detailed method for fabricating electrochromic devices, addressing the issue of electrical shorts and providing flexibility in the manufacturing process.
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