Roll-to-roll sputtered and patterned Cu_2- O/Cu/Cu_2- O multilayer grid electrode for flexible smart windows

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Optoelectronics

Background:

• Transparent conductive films are crucial for electronic devices.
• Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) is a common material but is brittle and expensive.
• Flexible and cost-effective alternatives are needed for emerging applications like smart windows.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and optimize cost-effective Cu2-O/Cu/Cu2-O multilayer grid electrodes.
• To evaluate their electrical, optical, and mechanical properties for flexible smart window applications.
• To demonstrate their potential in functional devices such as thin film heaters and electrochromic devices.

Main Methods:

• Roll-to-roll (RTR) sputtering and patterning techniques were employed.
• Cu2-O/Cu/Cu2-O multilayer structures were fabricated.
• Electrical, optical, and mechanical properties were systematically investigated by varying grid width and pitch.

Main Results:

• Optimized electrodes (16 μm width, 600 μm pitch) achieved a sheet resistance of 7.17 Ohm/sq and 87.6% optical transmittance.
• The multilayer grid electrodes exhibited superior flexibility compared to brittle ITO electrodes.
• Fabricated flexible thin film heaters and electrochromic devices demonstrated promising performance.

Conclusions:

• RTR-processed Cu2-O/Cu/Cu2-O multilayer grids are a viable low-cost, flexible transparent electrode solution.
• These electrodes show significant potential for high-performance, large-area flexible smart windows.
• The developed materials offer a promising alternative to traditional ITO for flexible electronics.