SBIR Phase I: Advanced Laser Patterning of Large Area Thin-Film Electrochromic Devices

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目致力于激光烧蚀，以精确和选择性地形成多层薄膜电致变色(EC)器件的图案。阴影掩膜(目前可用的最好方法)对于商业生产是有问题的，因为它会导致涂层的边缘清晰度不可接受，而且成本高得令人望而却步。另一种图案化技术，光刻，也是成本密集型的，可能会污染胶片。该项目的目标是确定激光加工是否能够经济地在大面积上形成图案。技术挑战是确定最佳脉冲功率密度和每个烧蚀部位的脉冲数量，以快速、干净地仅去除选定的涂层，而不干扰图案化边缘处分离的膜的电隔离。该项目将建立原型，这将用于耐久性测试。将构建一个激光加工模型，以估计加工速度、激光成本和混合窗口大小的固定成本之间的权衡。如果成功，更广泛的影响(商业意义)将是一种设备和软件，可以通过消除对机械口罩的需求来显著降低制造成本。软件驱动的激光模具将通过实现闪电般的快速转换来提高制造产能。此外，激光烧蚀将使EC窗口能够满足客户的要求--更大的玻璃尺寸和更大的玻璃视野--这对一个可行的市场产品至关重要。这些成本节约和产品改进对于甚至开始进入全球EC窗口预计价值138亿美元的市场至关重要。一个成功的项目将加速广泛的市场渗透，从而实现显著的能源节约和其他社会效益。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses laser ablation to precisely and selectively pattern multilayer thin-film electrochromic (EC) devices. Shadow masking (best method available today) is problematic for commercial manufacturing because it results in unacceptable edge definition of the coatings and is prohibitively expensive. The other patterning technique, photolithography, is also cost-intensive and can contaminate the films. The objective of this project is to determine if laser processing is capable of economically patterning a large area. The technical challenge is to determine the optimum pulse power density and number of pulses per ablation site to rapidly and cleanly remove only selected coatings without disturbing the electrical isolation of the separate films at patterned edges. This project will build prototypes, which will be used for durability testing. A laser process model to estimate trade-offs among process speed, laser costs, and fixed costs for a mix of window sizes will be constructed. The broader impacts (commercial significance) if successfully, would be a device and software that could significantly reduce manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for mechanical masks. Software driven laser tooling would increase manufacturing throughput by enabling lightning fast changeovers. Moreover, laser ablation will enable EC windows to meet customer requirements-larger glass sizes and greater vision area of the glass-which are critical to a viable marketplace product. These cost savings and product improvements are essential to even begin to reach the $13.8 billion market predicted for EC windows worldwide. A successful project will accelerate broad market penetration and as a consequence enable significant energy savings and other societal benefits to be realized.