Electro-optical performance of inorganic monolithic electrochromic device with a pulsed DC sputtered Li x Mg y N ion conductor

Abstract

Lithium magnesium nitride (Li x Mg y N) thin films were deposited by pulsed DC reactive magnetron sputtering from a LiMg alloy target in the mixture gas of Ar and N2. The as-prepared Li x Mg y N films were amorphous. A monolithic inorganic electrochromic device (ECD) based on WO3/NiO complementary structure was fabricated using the Li x Mg y N as the ion conductor layer. The addition of a 150-nm thick Si3N4 buffer layer between Li x Mg y N and NiO made coloration and bleaching reversible and stable. Electrochemical and optical characterizations were conducted to evaluate the performance of the ECD. Electro-optical data were recorded for both 1000 chronoamperometric cycles and 1000 voltammetric cycles. Activation and degradation of the electro-optical properties of the ECD were observed.