Electrochromic Window Edge Deletion for Yield Improvement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrochromic windows, despite advancements, face issues with quality and yield due to defects introduced during the tempering process and conventional fabrication methods, leading to suboptimal performance and increased rejection rates.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the fabrication of electrochromic devices on glass sheets where a cutting pattern is defined post-device formation, excluding defective regions and using techniques like edge deletion and laser processing to enhance quality and strength, resulting in high-yield, high-quality electrochromic panes for insulated glass units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fabrication methods and tempering process are used, then electrochromic windows can be manufactured, but quality and yield are reduced due to defects introduced during processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by defining the cutting pattern after device formation but before final processing steps. This allows defective regions to be identified and excluded beforehand, preventing defects from propagating through subsequent tempering and fabrication processes, thereby improving both quality and yield
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts defective regions from the electrochromic device by defining cutting patterns that exclude these areas. By removing defective portions before final fabrication, the overall quality and yield of usable electrochromic windows are improved without compromising the integrity of sound device areas
2Productivity
If cutting is performed before device formation, then fabrication efficiency is improved, but defects are introduced during tempering and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reverses the conventional sequence by performing device formation first, then defining cutting patterns, and finally executing cuts before tempering. This preliminary action ensures that only defect-free areas are processed, eliminating the introduction of defects during subsequent high-temperature tempering operations
3Area of stationary object
If edge regions are included in the electrochromic device, then device area is maximized, but visible defects and reduced strength occur at the edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts edge regions from the usable device area by defining cutting patterns that exclude peripheral zones. This removal of edge regions eliminates visible defects and strength issues associated with edges, while maximizing the area of high-quality, defect-free central regions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by treating edge regions differently from central regions. By excluding edges from the cutting pattern, the patent ensures that only areas with uniform, high-quality characteristics are used for the final electrochromic window, while edge regions with potential defects are discarded
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach improves the quality and yield of electrochromic windows by identifying and excluding defects, enhancing the strength and reducing visible defects, thereby producing high-quality electrochromic panes for insulated glass units.
Implementation Method 1
Electrochromism is a phenomenon in which a material exhibits a reversible electrochemically-mediated change in an optical property when placed in a different electronic state, typically by being subjected to a voltage change. One well known electrochromic material is tungsten oxide (WO 3 ). Tungsten oxide is a cathodic electrochromic material in which a coloration transition, transparent to blue, occurs by electrochemical reduction.
Implementation Method 2
techniques like edge deletion and laser processing to enhance quality and strength
Data Source
Figure 1A
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Figure 2A
AI summary
Methods of manufacturing electrochromic windows are described. Insulated glass units (IGU's) are protected, e.g. during handling and shipping, by a protective bumper. The bumper can be custom made using IGU dimension data received from the IGU fabrication tool. The bumper may be made of environmentally friendly materials. Laser isolation configurations and related methods of patterning and/or configuring an electrochromic device on a substrate are described. Edge deletion is used to ensure a good seal between spacer and glass in an IGU and thus better protection of an electrochromic device sealed in the IGU. Configurations for protecting the electrochromic device edge in the primary seal and maximizing viewable area in an electrochromic pane of an IGU are also described.