A MONOLITHIC THIN-FILM ELECTROCHROMIC WINDOW

Three closely related thin-film solid-state ionic devices that are potentially important for applications are: electrochromic smart windows, high-energy density thin-film rechargeable batteries, and thin-film electrochemical sensors. Each usually has at least one mixed ion/electron conductor, an electron-blocking ion conductor, and an ion-blocking electron conductor; and many of the technical issues associated with thin-film solid-state ionics are common to all three devices. Since the electrochromic window has the added technical requirement of electrically controlled optical modulation (over the solar spectrum), and since research at the authors' institution has focused primarily on the window structure, this paper will address the electrochromic window, and particularly a monolithic variable-reflectivity electrochromic window, as an illustrative example of some of the challenges and opportunities that are confronting the thin-film solid-state ionics community.