Electrochromic Oxide Device Synthesis and Characterization

The pictures above shows a tungsten oxide coated film before and after ion intercalation. The reversible modulation of transparency is employed for energy efficient "smart windows" and for IR light modulation. We used PECVD for synthesis of these devices that consist of a stack of metal oxides: transparent conducting oxides, WO₃, V₂O₅, and Ta₂O₅. PhD candidate Mike Seman leads the process. A major component of the project involves understanding ion transport in these films using electrochemical analysis techniques such as cyclic voltammetry, galvanostaic/potentiostatic intermittent titration, and impedance spectroscopy.  These measurements are related to optical response and synthesis conditions to fully understand the process-structure-property-performance relationships.