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，以精确和选择性地对多层薄膜电致变色（EC）器件进行图案设计。阴影掩蔽（目前可用的最佳方法）对于商业制造来说是有问题的，因为它会导致涂层的边缘清晰度无法接受，而且价格过高。另一种制版技术，光刻技术，成本也很高，而且会污染胶片。这个项目的目的是确定激光加工是否能够经济地绘制大面积图案。技术挑战在于确定最佳脉冲功率密度和每个烧蚀点的脉冲数，以便在不干扰图案边缘单独薄膜的电隔离的情况下，快速、清洁地去除选定的涂层。该项目将建立原型，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尺寸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着降低制造成本。软件驱动的激光工具将通过实现闪电般的快速转换来提高制造吞吐量。此外，激光烧蚀将使EC窗能够满足客户的要求-更大的玻璃尺寸和更大的玻璃视觉区域-这对可行的市场产品至关重要。这些成本的节约和产品的改进对于达到全球138亿美元的电子窗户市场是至关重要的。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.