An electrochromic device according to an embodiment includes a first transparent conductive layer, an ion storage layer, an electrolyte layer, an electrochromic layer, and a second transparent conductive layer. The electrolyte layer includes a tantalum atom. The electrochromic layer includes a tungsten atom. The ion storage layer includes an iridium atom and a tantalum atom. The ion storage layer is hydrogenated in bleached state and the electrochromic device has a transmittance of 64.1% or more in bleached state. A difference between the transmittance of the electrochromic device in bleached state and the transmittance of the electrochromic device in colored state is 8.4% or more.

An electrochromic device according to an embodiment includes a first transparent conductive layer, an ion storage layer, an electrolyte layer, an electrochromic layer, and a second transparent conductive layer. The electrolyte layer includes a tantalum atom. The electrochromic layer includes a tungsten atom. The ion storage layer includes an iridium atom and a tantalum atom. The ion storage layer is hydrogenated in bleached state and the electrochromic device has a transmittance of 64.1% or more in bleached state. A difference between the transmittance of the electrochromic device in bleached state and the transmittance of the electrochromic device in colored state is 8.4% or more.

EC film stacks and different layers within the EC film stacks are disclosed. Methods of manufacturing these layers are also disclosed. In one embodiment, an EC layer comprises nanostructured EC layer. These layers may be manufactured by various methods, including, including, but not limited to glancing angle deposition, oblique angle deposition, electrophoresis, electrolyte deposition, and atomic layer deposition. The nanostructured EC layers have a high specific surface area, improved response times, and higher color efficiency.

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.

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.

Various embodiments herein relate to electrochromic devices, methods of fabricating electrochromic devices, and apparatus for fabricating electrochromic devices. In a number of cases, the electrochromic device may be fabricated to include a particular counter electrode material. The counter electrode material may include a base anodically coloring material. The counter electrode material may further include one or more halogens. The counter electrode material may also include one or more additives.

Electrochromic devices and methods may employ the addition of a defect-mitigating insulating layer which prevents electronically conducting layers and/or electrochromically active layers from contacting layers of the opposite polarity and creating a short circuit in regions where defects form. In some embodiments, an encapsulating layer is provided to encapsulate particles and prevent them from ejecting from the device stack and risking a short circuit when subsequent layers are deposited. The insulating layer may have an electronic resistivity of between about 1 and 10.sup.8 Ohm-cm. In some embodiments, the insulating layer contains one or more of the following metal oxides: aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, silicon aluminum oxide, cerium oxide, tungsten oxide, nickel tungsten oxide, and oxidized indium tin oxide. Carbides, nitrides, oxynitrides, and oxycarbides may also be used.

An electrochromic device comprising a substrate, a set of electrodes disposed on or within the substrate, and a layer comprising ε-WO3 disposed in electrical communication with the set of electrodes, wherein the layer of ε-WO3 exhibits polarization switching are described. Methods of making and using the electrochromic devices are also described. The electrochromic devices are used for detecting acetone in a fluid. The observed change in color of the ε-WO3 layer can be correlated with a subject's medical condition, such as diabetes.

An electrochromic device comprising a substrate, a set of electrodes disposed on or within the substrate, and a layer comprising ε-WO3 disposed in electrical communication with the set of electrodes, wherein the layer of ε-WO3 exhibits polarization switching are described. Methods of making and using the electrochromic devices are also described. The electrochromic devices are used for detecting acetone in a fluid. The observed change in color of the ε-WO3 layer can be correlated with a subject's medical condition, such as diabetes.

According to one embodiment, a tungsten oxide material containing potassium is provided. The tungsten oxide material has a shape of particles including a central section and a peripheral section adjacent to the central section, and having an average particle size of 100 nm or less. A periodicity of a crystal varies between the central section and the peripheral section. In addition, a tungsten oxide powder mass for an electrochromic device including 80% by mass to 100% by mass of the tungsten oxide material is provided. Moreover, a slurry for producing an electrochromic device containing the above tungsten oxide material is provided.