Provided are electrolyte films or cells for use in variety of applications, such as electrochromic windows. An electrolytic film comprises a polymer layer, such as thermoplastic polyurethane or polymethyl methacrylate, and an electrolyte within the polymer layer. The electrolyte comprises a salt and a plasticizer. The plasticizer comprises one or more materials that are selected to provide sufficient conductivity and optical transparency for operation of the electrolyte film in an application requiring substantial optical clarity and switching speed, such as a smart window.

The present application discloses a method for preparing an electrochromic device. The method includes placing an edge protection material on a first and second substrates, placing a first and second interlayers respectively within the edge protection material on the first and second substrates, wherein the edge protection material surrounds edges of the first and second interlayers, and interposing an electrochromic film between the first and second interlayers. The edge protection material prevents chemicals in the first and second interlayers from entering into the electrochromic film.

A method of making a two-phase light-transmissive electrode layer comprising a first phase made of a highly electronically-conductive matrix and a second phase made of a polymeric material composition having a controlled volume resistivity.

An electrochromic element which suppresses ripples in a color-reduction state and with which good visible light transmittance can be obtained is provided. An electrochromic element 100 includes: a transparent electrolyte layer 110; a pair of solid electrochromic layers which sandwiches the transparent electrolyte layer and is constituted by a pair of a reduction coloring-type solid electrochromic layer 120 and an oxidation coloring-type solid electrochromic layer 130 opposing each other, and a pair of transparent conductive films 140, where in the thickness and refractive indexe with respect to light at a wavelength of 550 nm about the transparent electrolyte layer 140, the reduction coloring-type solid electrochromic layer 120 and the oxidation coloring-type solid electrochromic layer 130, those values are provided so as to satisfy predetermined relations to suppress the ripples.

An electrochromic system and method for controlling photochromic darkening of an electrochromic device, the system including an EC device, a control unit, a voltage detector, and a power supply. The EC device includes a working electrode, a counter electrode, a solid-state polymer electrolyte disposed therebetween, and a Bragg reflector configured to selectively reflect UV radiation away from the working electrode. The control unit is configured to control a sweep voltage applied between the working and counter electrodes, such that the sweep voltage is applied when an open circuit voltage (OCV) between the working and counter electrodes is less than a threshold voltage.

Disclosed are an electrochromic photonic-crystal reflective display device and a method of manufacturing the same. The electrochromic photonic-crystal reflective display device includes a substrate having lower electrodes, a first solid polymer electrolyte thin film, a block copolymer photonic-crystal thin film, a second solid polymer electrolyte thin film, and upper electrodes. The first solid polymer electrolyte thin film is formed on the top of the substrate, and is made from a mixed solution including a polymer electrolyte and an ionic liquid. The block copolymer photonic-crystal thin film is formed on the top of the first solid polymer electrolyte thin film. The second solid polymer electrolyte thin film is formed on the top of the block copolymer photonic-crystal thin film, and is made from a mixed solution including a polymer electrolyte and an ionic liquid. The upper electrodes are formed on the top of the second solid polymer electrolyte thin film.

A synaptic electronic device includes a substrate including a one or more of a semiconductor and an insulator; a photosensitive layer disposed on a surface of the substrate; an electrochromic stack disposed on the photosensitive layer, the electrochromic stack including a first transparent electrode layer, a cathodic electrochromic layer, a solid electrolyte layer, an anodic electrochromic layer, and a second transparent electrode layer; and a pair of electrodes disposed on the photosensitive layer and on opposing sides of the electrochromic stack.

Achieving precise, localized reversible control of optical material properties is challenging. Fortunately, electrochemical reactions and proton pumping in a solid-state system provide reversible electrical control of the solid-state system's optical properties. Applying a voltage to a thin solid electrolyte layer, such as GdO.sub.x, splits water into O.sub.2 and H.sup.+ (with charge conservation ensured by electron transfer at the electrodes) at the interface between the solid electrolyte and an electrode. The voltage drives the protons into the solid electrolyte, changing the solid electrolyte's refractive index. Reversing the polarity of the applied voltage drives the protons out of the solid electrolyte, reversing the refractive index change. This reversible electrical control can be used to implement interference color modulation, transmission modulation, and switchable plasmonics. Because the solid electrolyte can be less than 10 nanometers thick, this electrochemical control enables highly localized control of optical properties active plasmonic devices and reconfigurab le metamaterials.

An electrochromic apparatus includes a first glass, a first adhesive layer disposed on the first glass, a second glass, a second adhesive layer disposed on the second glass, a solid-state electrochromic device (ECD) interposed between the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer, and a sealant disposed at edges of the first glass and the second glass to seal the ECD. The first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer are disposed between the first glass and the second glass. The first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer are optically transparent. Edges of the adhesive layers are flush with or beyond edges of the ECD. The sealant is adhesive and waterproof.

Conventional electrochromic devices frequently suffer from poor reliability and poor performance. Improvements are made using entirely solid and inorganic materials. Electrochromic devices are fabricated by forming an ion conducting electronically insulating interfacial region that serves as an IC layer. In some methods, the interfacial region is formed after formation of an electrochromic and a counter electrode layer, which are in direct contact with one another. The interfacial region contains an ion conducting electronically insulating material along with components of the electrochromic and/or the counter electrode layer. Materials and microstructure of the electrochromic devices provide improvements in performance and reliability over conventional devices. In addition to the improved electrochromic devices and methods for fabrication, integrated deposition systems for forming such improved devices are also disclosed.