Optimized properties of innovative ElectroChromic Device using ITO / Ag / ITO electrodes

The “Dielectric/Metal/Dielectric” (DMD) stacked films being used as transparent and conductive (TC) electrodes, have demonstrated excellent application in the ElectroChromic (EC) process and devices. In this work, multilayers (IAI) made of 50 nm of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO)/5 nm of metallic silver (Ag)/30 nm of ITO that exhibit band-gap, low resistance of 7.4 Ω and the high figure of merit of 9.9 × 10−3 Ω−1 were introduced in a complete five-layer Glass/IAI/NiOx/LiClO4-PC-PMMA/WO3/IAI/Glass ElectroChromic Device (ECD). The single IAI electrode as well as the two actives EC layers Glass/IAI/NiOx and Glass/IAI/WO3 were firstly characterized for their TC and EC properties respectively. Then, the EC properties of the complete five-layer ECD were analyzed. Fast response time (2.02 s for the bleaching and 2.25 s for complete coloration), wide optical modulation in the visible light region (∼55% at 550 nm), long lifetime (more than 6000 s), large capacity and good stability as well as high coloration efficiency (31.7 cm2 C−1) were obtained. The improved EC performance of ECD were related to the good electrical and optical properties of IAI electrode.