Transparent Electrode Using Growth Layer Mediator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic components with transparent electrodes face challenges in achieving a balance between conductivity and transparency, particularly in large-area applications where thin metal layers or transparent conductive oxides often fall short in providing sufficient conductivity and high transparency.
Innovation Solution
An electronic component design featuring a substrate with a thin metal layer (≤30 nm) deposited directly on a growth layer (≤10 nm) formed from materials like Al2O3, WO3, or Re2O7, which is non-conductive and contributes negligibly to lateral current conduction, allowing for a thin, conductive, and potentially transparent electrode.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a thin metal layer is used for the electrode, then transparency is improved, but conductivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A growth layer made of Al2O3, WO3, or Re2O7 with thickness of 1-10 nm is introduced as an intermediary between the substrate and the metal layer. This growth layer modifies the substrate surface to enable uniform metal deposition, allowing the metal layer to be made extremely thin (5-30 nm) while maintaining both transparency and adequate conductivity. The growth layer acts as a mediator that enables the thin metal layer to achieve optimal performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode is designed as a composite structure combining the growth layer (Al2O3, WO3, or Re2O7) and the metal layer (5-30 nm thickness). This composite structure leverages the properties of both materials: the growth layer provides a controlled surface for deposition and contributes to transparency, while the thin metal layer provides conductivity. The combination achieves a balance between transparency and conductivity that neither material could achieve alone.
2Illumination intensity
If the metal layer thickness is reduced, then transparency is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The growth layer is deposited first as a preliminary step before the metal layer. This growth layer prepares the surface in advance by creating a uniform, controlled interface that promotes even metal deposition. By performing this preliminary action, the subsequent metal layer deposition achieves better uniformity and control, reducing manufacturing precision requirements for the ultra-thin metal layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The growth layer serves as an intermediary that mediates between the substrate and the metal layer deposition process. It provides a consistent surface morphology and chemical composition that facilitates uniform metal layer formation, thereby reducing the stringency of manufacturing precision requirements for achieving transparent and conductive electrodes.
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 configuration enables a very thin, conductive, and transparent contact, achieving high transparency and good conductivity even in large-scale applications, surpassing the limitations of prior art by providing a compromise between transparency and conductivity.
Implementation Method 1
The growth layer can be formed by physical vapor deposition, for example evaporation methods such as thermal evaporation, electron beam evaporation, laser beam evaporation, arc evaporation, molecular beam epitaxy and the like
Implementation Method 2
sputtering such as ion beam assisted deposition and the like
Implementation Method 3
The contribution of the growth layer to the lateral current conduction is negligible
Data Source
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
The present invention relates to an electronic component (100) comprising a substrate (1), at least one first electrode (3) arranged on the substrate (1), and a growth layer (7) on that side of the electrode (3) which faces the substrate (1), wherein the electrode (3) arranged on the growth layer (7) comprises a metal layer (9) having a thickness of less than or equal to 30 nm and the growth layer (7) has a thickness that is less than or equal to 10 nm. The present invention furthermore relates to an electrical contact.