The embodiments herein relate to electrochromic stacks, electrochromic devices, and methods and apparatus for making such stacks and devices. In various embodiments, an anodically coloring layer in an electrochromic stack or device is fabricated to include nickel-tungsten-niobium-oxide (NiWNbO). This material is particularly beneficial in that it is very transparent in its clear state.

The embodiments herein relate to electrochromic stacks, electrochromic devices, and methods and apparatus for making such stacks and devices. In various embodiments, an anodically coloring layer in an electrochromic stack or device is fabricated to include nickel-tungsten-niobium-oxide (NiWNbO). This material is particularly beneficial in that it is very transparent in its clear state.

A display panel, a display method thereof and a display device are disclosed. The display panel includes an electrochromic layer (101) and an electrolyte layer (102) arranged in a stacked manner, and at least one kind of colored charged particles (103) being provided in the electrolyte layer (102). While the electrochromic layer (102) is transparent, the display panel displays color of the colored charged particles (103). The display panel may further display the color of the colored charged particles, which increases diversity of the colors displayed by the display panel.

An electrochromic element, which includes a pair of electrodes and an electrochromic layer disposed between the electrodes. The electrochromic layer contains at least one of two or more kinds of anode electrochromic materials, or two or more kinds of cathode electrochromic materials. All of one of the anode electrochromic materials and the cathode electrochromic materials have an equal molecular length, or have a molecular length ratio of (large molecular length)/(small molecular length) of 1.4 or less, the electrochromic element being such that even when a driving environment temperature changes, its gradation can be controlled under a state in which its absorption spectrum is retained.

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. 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.

An organic compound is represented by general formula (1) below:

##STR00001## where X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group, an aryl group, and an aralkyl group; R.sub.11 to R.sub.16 are each independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic group, and a halogen atom; R.sub.21 and R.sub.22 are each independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, and an aralkyl group; and A.sub.1.sup. and A.sub.2.sup. each independently represent a monovalent anion.

An electrochromic device including a selective membrane separating two liquid media including at least one electrochromic compound and at least one compound able to be oxidized or reduced and showing low energy consumption.

An electrochromic element, includes: a pair of electrodes (3, 5); and an electrochromic layer (7) disposed between the pair of electrodes (3, 5), the electrochromic element being controlled in transmittance by pulse width modulation, in which: the electrochromic layer (7) contains at least one of two or more kinds of anode electrochromic materials, or two or more kinds of cathode electrochromic materials; and all of one of the anode electrochromic materials and the cathode electrochromic materials have an equal molecular length, or have a molecular length ratio of (large molecular length)/(small molecular length) of 1.4 or less, the electrochromic element being such that even when a driving environment temperature changes, its gradation can be controlled under a state in which its absorption spectrum is retained.

Provided is an electrochromic device including: an electrochromic element including an electrochromic layer disposed between a pair of electrodes; a drive unit, which is connected to a power supply portion included in each of the pair of electrodes to drive the electrochromic element; a controller, which is configured to control the power supply portion; and an orientation detection unit, which is configured to detect an orientation of the electrochromic element. The controller is configured to control the power supply portion depending on output from the orientation detection unit.

A glazing having switchable optical properties is described, including a transparent substrate having an outer surface and an inner surface, a reflection layer on the outer surface and/or on the inner surface and a switchable functional element arranged on the interior side with respect to the reflection layer. The reflection layer contains a material having a refractive index n.sub.R of 1.6 to 2.5. The product of the refractive index n.sub.R and the thickness d of the reflection layer is from 250 nm to 960 nm.