Patent ID: 9664974
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: B05D,B23K,C03C,C09K,C23C,G02F

Claim:
1. An integrated deposition system comprising: a plurality of deposition stations arranged in series and operable to pass a transparent substrate from one station to an adjacent station without exposing the transparent substrate to an external environment, wherein the plurality of deposition stations comprise (i) a first deposition station containing a material source that, during operation, deposits a tungsten oxide based electrochromic layer, (ii) a second deposition station containing a material source that, during operation, deposits a nickel oxide based counter electrode layer, (iii) a third deposition station having a lithium metal sputter target comprising between about 90% and about 99% by weight lithium metal, wherein the lithium metal sputter target deposits lithium metal during operation, and (iv) a fourth deposition station having a material source that, during operation, deposits a transparent conducting oxide layer; a substrate holder that, during operation, holds the transparent substrate in a substantially vertical orientation while the substrate holder translates through the first, second, third, and fourth deposition stations without exposing the transparent substrate to the external environment during deposition; and a controller containing program instructions for passing the transparent substrate through the first, second, third, and fourth deposition stations in a manner that deposits on the transparent substrate the tungsten oxide based electrochromic layer, the nickel oxide based counter electrode layer, lithium metal onto at least one of the tungsten oxide based electrochromic layer and the nickel oxide based counter electrode layer, and the transparent conducting oxide layer to form a stack of an inorganic and solid state electrochromic device on the transparent substrate, the program instructions providing that the lithium metal is deposited in an amount that is at least sufficient to compensate blind charge in the inorganic and solid state electrochromic device and an additional amount of 1.5 to 2.5 times by mass; wherein the plurality of deposition stations deposit, during operation, material layers of the inorganic and solid state electrochromic device on the transparent substrate fabricating an electrochromic window.