01506nas a2200193 4500008003900000022001400039245006600053210006500119260001200184300001400196490000700210520091900217653002001136653002001156653002301176653001501199100002701214856007101241 2008 d a0141-159400aPhase transitions in non-hydride switchable mirror thin films0 aPhase transitions in nonhydride switchable mirror thin films c07/2008 a807 - 8130 v813 a

Switchable mirrors modulate incident light by changes in the reflectivity of thin films that are converted by chemical reactions from a metallic reflective state to a semiconducting transparent state. The reactions may be effected by exposure to a gas, by treatment with a liquid reagent, or by electrochemical means. The changes in optical properties coincide with phase transformations. In the examples reviewed here, the reactions are accompanied by substantial volume changes and atomic rearrangement. Bismuth, antimony, and antimony alloy films are switched by electrochemical lithiation. Copper films are electrochemically oxidized to Cu(I) and Cu(II) oxides, which are transparent and opaque, respectively. Morphological changes in all films during cycling lead to degradation in performance without loss of active material. Strategies to improve the cycling stability of these systems are discussed.

10aelectrochromism10aoptoelectronics10aSwitchable mirrors10athin films1 aRichardson, Thomas, J. uhttps://facades.lbl.gov/publications/phase-transitions-non-hydride03007nas a2200217 4500008004100000245013800041210006900179260001200248300001200260490000700272520227100279653003002550653002002580653001102600653002302611653002302634100001902657700002102676700002302697856006902720 1995 eng d00aOptical and Electrochemical Characteristics of Niobium Oxide Films Prepared by Sol-Gel Process and Magnetron Sputtering: A Comparison0 aOptical and Electrochemical Characteristics of Niobium Oxide Fil c08/1996 a285-2960 v403 a

Electrochromic niobia (Nb205) coatings were prepared by the sot-gel spin-coating and d.c. magnetron sputtering techniques. Parameters were investigated for the process fabrication of sol-gel spin coated Nb205 films exhibiting high coloration efficiency comparable with that d.c. magnetron sputtered niobia films. X-ray diffraction studies (XRD) showed that the sot-gel deposited and magnetron sputtered films heat treated at temperatures below 450°C, were amorphous, whereas those heat treated at higher temperatures were slightly crystalline. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies showed that the stoichiometry of the films was Nb205. The refractive index and electrochromic coloration were found to depend on the preparation technique. Both films showed low absorption and high transparency in the visible range. We found that the n, k values of the sot-gel deposited films to be lower than for the sputtered films. The n and k values were n = 1.82 and k = 3 × 10−3, and n = 2.28 and k = 4 × 10−3 at 530 urn for sot-gel deposited and sputtered films, respectively. The electrochemical behavior and structural changes were investigated in 1 M LiC104/propylene carbonate solution. Using the electrochemical measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the probable electrode reaction with the lithiation and delithiation is Nb2O5 + x Li+ + x e ↔ LixNb205. Cyclic voltametric (CV) measurements showed that both Nb205 films exhibits electrochemical reversibility beyond 1200 cycles without change in performance. “In situ” optical measurement revealed that those films exhibit an electrochromic effect in the spectral range 300 < λ < 2100 nm but remain unchanged in the infrared spectral range. The change in visible transmittance was 40% for 250 nm thick electrodes. Spectroelectrochemical measurements showed that spin coated films were essentially electrochemically equivalent to those prepared by d.c. magnetron sputter deposition.

10aD.C. magnetron sputtering10aelectrochromism10aNiobia10aoptical properties10asol-gel deposition1 aÖzer, Nilgün1 aLampert, Carl, M1 aRubin, Michael, D. uhttps://facades.lbl.gov/publications/optical-and-electrochemical