JP2018151432A - Electronic device, apparatus, and method of manufacturing electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic device with which it is possible to reduce double-refraction specific to a substrate consisting of a resin.SOLUTION: Provided is an electronic device including a laminate that is thermoformed so as to have a curved shape, in which an electrochromic device 10 includes a first substrate 11 having a longitudinal direction and composed of a drawn thermoplastic resin and an element part arranged on the first substrate 11, wherein the electronic device is characterized in that an angle θ formed by the main drawing direction of the first substrate 11 and the longitudinal direction of the first substrate 11 is less than 45°. In this case, it is possible to provide an electronic device with which it is possible to reduce double-refraction specific to a substrate composed of a resin.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device, an apparatus, and an electronic device manufacturing method.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known an electronic device including a laminate in which an element portion is arranged on a resin substrate and is thermoformed into an arbitrary shape (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  However, the conventional electronic device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has room for improvement in terms of reducing the birefringence unique to the resin substrate.

  The present invention relates to an electronic device including a laminate formed of a thermoplastic resin having a longitudinal direction and a stretched thermoplastic resin, and an element portion disposed on the substrate, and thermoformed so as to have a curved shape. The electronic device is characterized in that an angle θ formed by the main stretching direction of the substrate and the longitudinal direction is less than 45 °.

  According to the present invention, birefringence peculiar to a substrate made of resin can be reduced.

1A and 1B are a cross-sectional view and a plan view, respectively, of an electrochromic device (before thermoforming) according to an embodiment. It is a top view of the electrochromic device (before thermoforming) of a modification. It is sectional drawing (before thermoforming) of the electrochromic apparatus of Example 1. It is sectional drawing of the electrochromic apparatus (after thermoforming) of Example 1. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a manufacturing flow of the electrochromic device of Example 1. It is a figure for demonstrating the light control glasses which have the electrochromic apparatus of one Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Basic configuration of electrochromic device>
FIG. 1 schematically shows a configuration of an electrochromic apparatus 10 (before thermoforming) as an electronic device according to an embodiment. 1A is a cross-sectional view of the electrochromic device 10 (before thermoforming), and FIG. 1B is a plan view of the electrochromic device 10 (before thermoforming).

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the electrochromic device 10 includes a first substrate 11, a first electrode layer 12 disposed on the first substrate 11, and the first electrode layer 12. A laminate including an electrochromic layer 13 disposed on the top, a second electrode layer 14 disposed on the electrochromic layer 13, and a second substrate 15 disposed on the second electrode layer 14. Has a body.

The electrochromic device 10 is thermoformed so that the flat laminate having the longitudinal direction shown in FIG. 1 has a desired curved shape (curved surface shape), for example, as a dimming lens or dimming mirror. Used.
Here, the “curved shape” is a shape having a curvature, and examples thereof include a spherical shape, a cylindrical shape, a conical shape, and various three-dimensional (3D) shapes. The “curved shape” may be the overall shape of the laminate or a partial shape of the laminate.

  Specifically, the electrochromic device 10 includes a voltage applied between the first and second electrodes 12 and 14 (hereinafter also referred to as “applied voltage”) and a voltage between the first and second electrodes 12 and 14. By controlling the flowing current (current flowing through the electrochromic layer 13), the light transmittance (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “transmittance”) can be controlled. For example, it is used as a lens (light control lens) of light control glasses. be able to.

  At this time, at least the polarity of the applied voltage can be made variable (switchable) to control the color generation / decoloration of the electrochromic layer 13 and thus the transmittance of the electrochromic device 10 can be controlled (for example, the transmittance when the surroundings are bright). If the surroundings are dark, the transmittance can be increased.

  For example, it is possible to manually adjust the transmittance by providing a dial type, slide type or push type switch (adjustment unit) for adjusting the applied voltage on a spectacle frame in which the electrochromic device 10 is incorporated as a lens. It becomes.

  For example, a spectacle frame in which the electrochromic device 10 is incorporated as a lens is provided with an illuminance sensor that detects ambient brightness and a microcomputer that controls an applied voltage according to the detection result of the illuminance sensor, thereby automatically transmitting the transmittance. It becomes possible to adjust with.

[substrate]
The first and second substrates 11 and 15 are both transparent substrates having a longitudinal direction made of a thermoplastic resin. The thickness of each substrate is preferably 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm from the viewpoint of easy thermoforming.

  Note that at least one of the first and second substrates 11 and 15 may be a translucent or opaque substrate depending on the use of the electrochromic device 10. Further, depending on the application of the electrochromic device 10, one of the first and second substrates 11 and 15 can be omitted.

  As a material of each substrate, for example, general thermoplastic resins such as polycarbonate resin, acrylic resin, polyethylene resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, polyester resin, polyurethane resin, polyimide resin, polyamide resin, and fluorine resin can be used.

  Here, the first and second substrates 11 and 15 are substantially the same. Therefore, the following description of the first substrate 11 also applies to the second substrate 15.

  The first substrate 11 is uniaxially stretched or biaxially stretched, and the angle θ between the main stretching direction 11c and the longitudinal direction 11a is substantially 0 ° (see FIG. 1B). In FIG. 1 (B), the code | symbol 11b has shown the direction (short direction) orthogonal to the longitudinal direction 11a within a board | substrate surface.

  Here, the “main stretching direction” means the uniaxial direction (the only stretching direction) in the case of uniaxial stretching, and in the case of biaxial stretching, the stretching ratio of two stretching directions orthogonal to each other. The stretching direction in which the (stretching degree) is not low is meant. In the case of biaxial stretching, when the stretching ratios in the two stretching directions are equal, any stretching direction may be set as the main stretching direction.

  As a manufacturing method of each substrate, a substrate having the longitudinal direction is cut out from a base material made of a thermoplastic resin subjected to uniaxial stretching processing or biaxial stretching processing so that the main stretching direction and the longitudinal direction are substantially parallel to each other. Alternatively, a base material made of a thermoplastic resin having a longitudinal direction may be uniaxially stretched or biaxially stretched so that the main stretching direction is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction.

  Note that the angle θ formed between the main stretching direction and the longitudinal direction of each substrate is not limited to approximately 0 °, and in short, the angle θ is preferably less than 45 ° (see FIG. 2). In the thermoforming process, there are a direction that easily stretches due to stretching of the substrate and a direction that easily stretches due to the shape of the substrate, and any combination of these directions (for example, the angle θ formed between the main stretching direction and the longitudinal direction of the substrate) This is because the deformation (thermal expansion / contraction) and residual stress of the substrate can be controlled to some extent, and an electrochromic device having a low birefringence curved shape can be obtained as will be described later.

[Electrode layer]
The material of the first and second electrode layers 12 and 14 is preferably a transparent conductive oxide material such as tin-doped indium oxide (hereinafter referred to as “ITO”), fluorine-doped oxide. Examples thereof include tin (hereinafter referred to as “FTO”), antimony-doped tin oxide (hereinafter referred to as “ATO”), and the like. Among these, indium oxide formed by vacuum film formation (hereinafter referred to as “In oxide”), tin oxide (hereinafter referred to as “Sn oxide”), and zinc oxide (hereinafter referred to as “Zn oxide”). Inorganic materials comprising any one of the "oxides" are preferred.

  In oxides, Sn oxides, and Zn oxides are materials that can be easily formed by a sputtering method, and that can provide good transparency and electrical conductivity. Among these, InSnO, GaZnO, SnO, In2O3, ZnO, and InZnO are particularly preferable. Furthermore, the lower the crystallinity of the electrode layer, the better. This is because if the crystallinity is high, the electrode layer is easily divided by thermoforming. From this point, IZO and AZO which show high conductivity with an amorphous film are preferable. When these electrode layer materials are used, the length in the longitudinal direction of the substrate on the curved surface of the laminate after thermoforming is 120 relative to the length in the longitudinal direction of the substrate on the plane of the laminate before thermoforming. It is preferable to thermoform so that it may become less than%, and it is more preferable to thermoform so that it may become 103% or less.

  In addition, conductive metal thin films containing silver, gold, copper, and aluminum having transparency, carbon films such as carbon nanotubes and graphene, and network electrodes such as conductive metals, conductive carbon, and conductive oxides, or These composite layers are also useful. The network electrode is an electrode in which carbon nanotubes or other highly conductive non-permeable materials are formed in a fine network shape to provide transmittance. The network electrode is preferable because it is difficult to be divided during thermoforming.

  Furthermore, it is more preferable that the electrode layer has a laminated structure of a network electrode and a conductive oxide or a laminated structure of a conductive metal thin film and a conductive oxide. By using a laminated structure, the electrochromic layer can be colored and decolored without unevenness. The conductive oxide layer can also be formed by coating as nanoparticle ink. Specifically, the laminated structure of the conductive metal thin film and the conductive oxide is an electrode that achieves both conductivity and transparency in a thin film laminated structure such as ITO / Ag / ITO.

The thickness of each electrode layer is adjusted so that an electrical resistance value necessary for the oxidation-reduction reaction of the electrochromic layer 13 is obtained.
When ITO vacuum film formation is used as the material of each electrode layer, the thickness of each electrode layer is preferably 20 nm to 500 nm, and more preferably 50 nm to 200 nm.
The thickness when the conductive oxide layer is applied and formed as nanoparticle ink is preferably 0.2 μm to 5 μm. The thickness in the case of the network electrode is preferably 0.2 μm to 5 μm.

  Furthermore, when the electrochromic device 10 is used as a dimming mirror, either the first electrode layer 12 or the second electrode layer 14 may have a reflecting function. In that case, a metal material can be included as a material of the first electrode layer 12 and the second electrode layer 14. Examples of the metal material include Pt, Ag, Au, Cr, Rh, Al, alloys thereof, or a laminated structure thereof.

  Examples of the method for producing each electrode layer include a vacuum deposition method, a sputtering method, and an ion plating method. Moreover, as long as each material of the first electrode layer 12 and the second electrode layer 14 can be formed by coating, for example, a spin coating method, a casting method, a micro gravure coating method, a gravure coating method, a bar coating method, Roll coating method, wire bar coating method, dip coating method, slit coating method, capillary coating method, spray coating method, nozzle coating method, gravure printing method, screen printing method, flexographic printing method, offset printing method, reverse printing method, inkjet Various printing methods, such as a printing method, are mentioned.

[Electrochromic layer]
The electrochromic layer 13 is a layer containing an electrochromic material.
This electrochromic material may be either an inorganic electrochromic compound or an organic electrochromic compound. Moreover, you may use the conductive polymer known by showing electrochromism.
Examples of the inorganic electrochromic compound include tungsten oxide, molybdenum oxide, iridium oxide, and titanium oxide.
Examples of the organic electrochromic compound include viologen, rare earth phthalocyanine, and styryl.
Examples of the conductive polymer include polypyrrole, polythiophene, polyaniline, or derivatives thereof.

  As the electrochromic layer 13, it is preferable to use a structure in which an organic electrochromic compound is supported on conductive or semiconductive fine particles. Specifically, it has a structure in which fine particles having a particle size of about 5 nm to 50 nm are bound to the electrode surface, and an organic electrochromic compound having a polar group such as phosphonic acid, carboxyl group, silanol group or the like is adsorbed on the surface of the fine particle. In the above structure, since electrons are efficiently injected into the organic electrochromic compound by utilizing the large surface effect of the fine particles, a high-speed response is possible as compared with a conventional electrochromic display element. Furthermore, since a transparent film can be formed as a display layer by using fine particles, a high color density of the electrochromic compound can be obtained. Also, a plurality of types of organic electrochromic compounds can be supported on conductive or semiconductive fine particles. Furthermore, electroconductive particle can serve as electroconductivity as an electrode layer.

  Specifically, polymer-based and dye-based electrochromic compounds include, for example, azobenzene, anthraquinone, diarylethene, dihydroprene, dipyridine, styryl, styryl spiropyran, spirooxazine, spirothiopyran, thioindigo. , Tetrathiafulvalene, terephthalic acid, triphenylmethane, benzidine, triphenylamine, naphthopyran, viologen, pyrazoline, phenazine, phenylenediamine, phenoxazine, phenothiazine, phthalocyanine, Examples thereof include low molecular organic electrochromic compounds such as fluoran, fulgide, benzopyran, and metallocene, and conductive polymer compounds such as polyaniline and polythiophene. These may be used individually by 1 type and may use 2 or more types together. Among these, a viologen compound and a dipyridine compound are preferable from the viewpoint of a low color development / discoloration potential and a good color value.

As the metal complex-based and metal oxide-based electrochromic compounds, for example, inorganic electrochromic compounds such as titanium oxide, vanadium oxide, tungsten oxide, indium oxide, iridium oxide, nickel oxide, and Prussian blue are used. it can.
There is no restriction | limiting in particular as electroconductive or semiconductive fine particle which carries an electrochromic compound, Although it can select suitably according to the objective, It is preferable to use a metal oxide.

Examples of the metal oxide material include titanium oxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, zirconium oxide, cerium oxide, yttrium oxide, boron oxide, magnesium oxide, strontium titanate, potassium titanate, barium titanate, calcium titanate, Metal oxides mainly composed of calcium oxide, ferrite, hafnium oxide, tungsten oxide, iron oxide, copper oxide, nickel oxide, cobalt oxide, barium oxide, strontium oxide, vanadium oxide, aluminosilicate, calcium phosphate, aluminosilicate, etc. Can be mentioned. These may be used individually by 1 type and may use 2 or more types together.
Among these, from the viewpoint of physical properties such as electrical properties and optical properties such as electrical conductivity, from titanium oxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, zirconium oxide, iron oxide, magnesium oxide, indium oxide, and tungsten oxide. At least one selected from the above is preferable, and titanium oxide or tin oxide is particularly preferable from the viewpoint that color display excellent in response speed of color development and decoloration is possible.

  The shape of the conductive or semiconductive fine particles is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected according to the purpose. In order to efficiently carry the electrochromic compound, the surface area per unit volume (hereinafter referred to as “specific surface area”). ”) Is used. For example, when the fine particle is an aggregate of nanoparticles, it has a large specific surface area, so that the electrochromic compound is more efficiently supported and the display contrast ratio of color development and decoloration is excellent.

Although the electrochromic layer 13 and the conductive or semiconductive fine particle layer can be formed by vacuum film formation, it is preferably formed by coating as a particle-dispersed paste from the viewpoint of productivity.
There is no restriction | limiting in particular in the thickness of the electrochromic layer 13, Although it can select suitably according to the objective, 0.2 micrometer-5.0 micrometers are preferable. When the thickness is less than 0.2 μm, it may be difficult to obtain the color density, and when it exceeds 5.0 μm, the manufacturing cost increases and the visibility may be easily lowered due to coloring.

  Hereinafter, an electrochromic device 10A of Example 1 which is an example of the electrochromic device 10 of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the electrochromic device 10A (before thermoforming).

[Example 1]
<Configuration of Electrochromic Device of Example 1>
As shown in FIG. 3, in the electrochromic device 10A, an electrolyte layer 16 is disposed between the electrochromic layer 13 and the second electrode layer 14 in addition to the configuration of FIG. 12, a protective layer 17 that covers the side surfaces of the electrochromic layer 13, the electrolyte layer 16, and the second electrode layer 14 is provided between the first and second substrates 11 and 15.

<Method for Manufacturing Electrochromic Device of Example 1>
Next, a method for manufacturing the electrochromic device 10A will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
In the first step S1, the first and second substrates 11 and 15 are produced. Specifically, an elliptical polycarbonate substrate having a major axis length of 80 mm, a minor axis length of 55 mm, and a thickness of 0.5 mm is manufactured as each substrate.
This polycarbonate substrate is uniaxially stretched, and the angle θ between the major axis direction (longitudinal direction) and the main stretching direction is approximately 0 °.

  In the next step S <b> 2, the first electrode layer 12 is formed on the first substrate 11. Specifically, an ITO film is formed to a thickness of about 100 nm on the first substrate 11 by sputtering to form the first electrode layer 12.

In the next step S <b> 3, the electrochromic layer 13 is formed on the first electrode layer 12 to produce a first stacked structure.
Specifically, a titanium oxide nanoparticle dispersion (trade name: SP210, manufactured by Showa Titanium Co., Ltd., average particle size: 20 nm) is applied to the surface of the ITO film by spin coating, and annealed at 120 ° C. for 15 minutes. Thus, a nanostructured semiconductor material made of a titanium oxide particle film having a thickness of about 1.0 μm is formed.
Subsequently, a 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropanol solution containing 1.5% by mass of an electrochromic compound represented by the following structural formula A was applied by spin coating, and then annealed at 120 ° C. for 10 minutes. Is performed (adsorbed) on the titanium oxide particle film, and the electrochromic layer 13 is formed on the first electrode layer 12.
Subsequently, a SiO ₂ fine particle dispersion liquid (silica solid content concentration 24.8 mass%, polyvinyl alcohol 1.2 mass%, and water 74 mass%) having an average primary particle diameter of 20 nm is spin-coated on the electrochromic layer 13. Then, an insulating inorganic fine particle layer having a thickness of 2 μm is formed to obtain a first laminated structure.
[Structural Formula A]

In the next step S <b> 4, the second electrode layer 14 is formed on the second substrate 15 to produce a second stacked structure.
Specifically, an ITO film is formed to a thickness of about 100 nm on the second substrate 15 by sputtering to form the second electrode layer 14.
Subsequently, an ATO particle dispersion (ATO average particle size: 20 nm, 6% by mass solution of 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropanol with urethane binder (HW140SF, manufactured by DIC) on the surface of the ITO film. 6% by mass dispersion liquid] is applied by spin coating and annealed at 120 ° C. for 15 minutes to form an ATO particle film having a thickness of about 1.0 μm on the second electrode layer 14. To obtain a second laminated structure.

In the next step S5, the first and second laminated structures are joined to produce a laminated body.
Specifically, polyethylene diacrylate (PEG400DA manufactured by Nippon Kayaku Co., Ltd.), photopolymerization initiator (IRG184, manufactured by BASF Corp.), electrolyte (1- A solution in which ethyl-3-methylimidazolium salt) is mixed at a mass ratio (100: 5: 40) is applied, bonded to the surface of the deterioration preventing layer on the second laminated structure, and ultraviolet (UV) cured. The electrolyte layer 16 is formed to obtain a laminate.

In the next step S6, a protective layer is formed on the laminate.
Specifically, an ultraviolet curable adhesive (trade name: KARAYAD R604, manufactured by Nippon Kayaku Co., Ltd.) is dropped on the side surface portion of the laminate, and the protective layer 17 is cured to a thickness of 3 μm by curing with ultraviolet light irradiation. Form.
Through the above steps, the electrochromic device 10A (laminated body on which the protective layer 17 is formed) before thermoforming shown in FIG. 3 is manufactured.

In the final step S7, the laminate on which the protective layer 17 is formed is thermoformed so as to have a curved shape.
Specifically, an electrochromic device 10A having a 3D spherical shape (after thermoforming) is sandwiched between a convex mold and a concave mold having a radius of curvature of about 130 mm while being heated at 135 ° C. ) (See FIG. 4). FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the electrochromic device 10A after thermoforming. In FIG. 4, the “element portion” includes a first electrode layer 12, an electrochromic layer 13, an electrolyte layer 16, and a second electrode layer 14.

  Below, the other Example of the electrochromic apparatus 10 of this embodiment and a comparative example are demonstrated easily.

[Example 2]
Example 2 is the same as Example 1 except that the shape of each substrate is a rectangle having a long side of 80 mm and a short side of 55 mm.

[Example 3]
Example 3 is the same as Example 1 except that the angle θ formed between the main stretching direction of each substrate and the major axis direction (longitudinal direction) is 40 °.

[Comparative Example 1]
Comparative Example 1 is the same as Example 1 except that the angle θ formed between the main stretching direction of each substrate and the major axis direction (longitudinal direction) is 90 °. That is, in Comparative Example 1, the angle formed between the stretching direction of each substrate and the minor axis direction (short direction) is 0 °.

[Comparative Example 2]
Comparative Example 2 is the same as Example 1 except that each substrate has a circular shape with a diameter of 80 mm. That is, in Comparative Example 2, the shape of each substrate is isotropic with respect to Examples 1 to 3.

[Comparative Example 3]
Comparative Example 3 is the same as Example 1 except that each substrate has a square shape (one side of 80 mm). That is, in Comparative Example 3, the shape of each substrate is isotropic with respect to Examples 1 to 3.

[Comparative Example 4]
Comparative Example 4 is the same as Example 1 except that the angle θ formed between the main stretching direction of each substrate and the major axis direction (longitudinal direction) is 45 °.

[Comparative Example 5]
Comparative Example 5 is the same as Example 1 except that the angle θ formed between the main stretching direction of each substrate and the major axis direction (longitudinal direction) is 50 °.

In each of the above Examples and Comparative Examples, retardation (phase difference) due to birefringence was measured using a rotating analyzer method. Specifically, the maximum value, minimum value, and average value in 10-point measurement of 40 mmφ from the center of the electrochromic device after thermoforming, and the maximum value, minimum value, and average value in the outer 10-point measurement were obtained.
In any of the electrochromic devices of Examples and Comparative Examples, the retardation was 100 nm in a flat state before thermoforming, and was almost uniform in the plane.

In the following Table 1, retardation measurement results of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5 are shown.

  From the measurement results of Examples 1 to 3, when a substrate having a longitudinal direction and satisfying an angle θ <45 ° is used, the original retardation (retardation in a flat state before thermoforming) is greatly reduced, resulting in low compounding. It has been found that an electrochromic device having a refractive curved shape can be manufactured.

  From the measurement results of Comparative Example 1, it was found that the average retardation increased when the angle θ greatly exceeded 45 °.

  From the measurement results of Comparative Example 2, it was found that the average retardation was not changed before and after thermoforming when the shape of the substrate was circular.

  Further, from the measurement results of Comparative Example 3 and Comparative Example 4, when the substrate shape is a square or when the angle θ is 45 °, the average retardation is slightly reduced, but it can be said to be low birefringence. I found that there was no.

  Moreover, from the measurement results of Comparative Example 5, it was found that when the angle θ slightly exceeds 45 °, the average retardation is hardly changed before and after thermal deformation.

  As can be seen from the above description, in order to manufacture an electrochromic device having a curved shape with low birefringence, it is preferable to use a substrate having a longitudinal direction and satisfying an angle θ <45 °.

  Further, it was found that a low birefringence portion was obtained in a wide range from the center of the substrate by straining the outer periphery of the substrate.

[Example 5]
In Example 5, the electrochromic device 10A manufactured in Example 1 was trimmed at 40 mmφ from the center to eliminate the birefringent portion remaining at the end, and a dimming lens having no birefringence was manufactured.

  The color generation / decoloration of the produced light control lens was confirmed. Specifically, the end portion of the first substrate 11 and a part of the end portion of the second substrate 15 are peeled to form the contact portion of the first electrode layer 12 and the contact portion of the second electrode layer 14. When a voltage of −3.5 V is applied between the first electrode layer 12 and the second electrode layer 14 for 3 seconds so that the first electrode layer 12 becomes a negative pole, this dimming is performed. It was confirmed that the lens developed a magenta color derived from the electrochromic compound of the structural formula A. Moreover, since the produced light control lens had low birefringence, it was confirmed that there was no change in color depending on the angle, and that it could be used as an optical light control lens.

<Application examples of electrochromic devices>
The electrochromic device 10 of the present embodiment is suitably used for, for example, dimming glasses, antiglare mirrors, dimming glass, and the like. Among these, dimming glasses are preferable.

  Here, FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing dimming glasses 100 as an example of a device having the electrochromic device 10. As shown in FIG. 6, the light control glasses 100 include two electrochromic devices 10 as light control lenses, a spectacle frame 52, a switch 53, and a power source 54. Each electrochromic device 10 is processed into a desired shape so as to function as a light control lens of light control glasses.

The two electrochromic devices 10 are incorporated in the spectacle frame 52. The spectacle frame 52 is provided with a switch 53 and a power source 54. The power source 54 is electrically connected to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer by wiring through the switch 53.
By switching the switch 53, for example, one state is selected from a state in which a positive voltage is applied between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, a state in which a negative voltage is applied, and a state in which no voltage is applied. Selectable.
As the switch 53, for example, an arbitrary switch such as a slide switch, a push switch, or a rotary switch can be used. However, it is limited to a switch that can switch at least the above three states.

As the power source 54, for example, an arbitrary DC power source such as a button battery or a solar battery can be used. The power source 54 can apply a voltage of about plus or minus several volts between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.
For example, by applying a positive voltage between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the two electrochromic devices 10 are colored in a predetermined color. Moreover, by applying a negative voltage between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the two electrochromic devices 10 are decolored and become transparent.
However, depending on the characteristics of the material used for the electrochromic layer, color is developed by applying a negative voltage between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, and the color is erased and transparent by applying a positive voltage. Sometimes it becomes. Note that once the color is developed, the color development continues even if no voltage is applied between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

The electrochromic device 10 according to the present embodiment described above includes a first substrate 11 (substrate) made of a thermoplastic resin having a longitudinal direction and stretched, and an element portion arranged on the first substrate 11. And an angle θ formed by the main stretching direction of the first substrate 11 and the longitudinal direction of the first substrate 11 is less than 45 ° in an electronic device comprising a laminate that is thermoformed to have a curved shape An electronic device is characterized by being.
In this case, birefringence peculiar to the substrate made of resin can be reduced.
The angle θ is preferably 40 ° or less.
The angle θ is more preferably approximately 0 °.

The curved shape preferably has a radius of curvature of 20 mm or more and 200 mm or less. Examples of such a curved shape include a spherical shape and an aspherical shape of a lens surface or mirror surface when the electrochromic device 10 is used as a dimming lens or dimming mirror.
The element section includes a first electrode layer 12 disposed on the first substrate 11, a second electrode layer 14 disposed opposite to the first electrode layer 12, and first and second elements. And an electrochromic layer 13 (functional layer) disposed between the electrode layers 12 and 14.
The electrochromic device 10 is preferably used as a light control optical element such as a light control lens or a light control mirror.
The electrochromic device 10 is preferably obtained by trimming.
In addition, the element portion is preferably disposed between the first and second substrates 11 and 15.
Moreover, according to the light control glasses (equipment) provided with the electrochromic device 10 as a light control lens, it is possible to realize light control glasses capable of desired light control according to ambient brightness.

In addition, the method of manufacturing the electrochromic device 10 according to the present embodiment is made of a thermoplastic resin having a longitudinal direction and stretched, and an angle formed by the main stretching direction and the longitudinal direction is less than 45 °. An electronic device manufacturing method includes a step of disposing an element portion to produce a laminated body, and a step of thermoforming the laminated body so as to have a curved shape.
In this case, birefringence peculiar to the substrate made of resin can be reduced.

  As described above, the electrochromic device has been described as an example of the electronic device of the present invention. However, the electronic device of the present invention is not only an electrochromic device but also an organic electroluminescence device (organic EL device), a solar cell, a semiconductor device (for example, The present invention is applicable to all devices (including those used alone or incorporated in equipment) in which an element portion is disposed on a substrate such as a semiconductor laser, electronic paper, or a liquid crystal element. In particular, the device described in the above embodiment that is thermoformed so that the element portion is disposed on the substrate and has a curved shape can achieve low birefringence, and thus desired optical characteristics.

  Below, the inventors will explain the thought process that led to the idea of the above embodiment.

In recent years, when manufacturing electronic devices, it is required to mount elements on substrates of various shapes including curved shapes.
However, it has become difficult for conventional glass substrates to meet such requirements.

Therefore, in order to meet such demands, a technique for mounting an element on a resinous film substrate having lightness, low cost, and impact resistance in addition to good workability has already been developed.
However, when a general-purpose resin film substrate is used, birefringence originally exists, or birefringence due to photoelasticity is newly generated by bending (the effect of birefringence when bent even optically isotropically on a flat substrate). Therefore, it is not suitable for optical applications.

For example, in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-26472), a resin layer is used as an element for the purpose of providing a method of manufacturing a flexible electronic device that can be easily processed into an arbitrary shape such as a curved surface with simple equipment. A method of manufacturing a flexible electronic device having the element on both sides of a surface and disposed on a substrate layer, the thermoplastic resin portion or the thermosetting resin portion constituting the substrate layer, and the heat deformation temperature of the resin layer At the same time as or after following the shape of the mold by pressing the substrate layer and the resin layer at a pressure equal to or lower than the pressure resistance limit value of the element by heating to below the heat resistant temperature of the element. , Forming a shape by cooling to a temperature lower than the thermal deformation temperature, and a configuration using a material in which the resin portion can be a barrier layer or a barrier layer base material is disclosed. .
However, in Patent Document 1, there is room for improvement with respect to reducing birefringence specific to a substrate made of resin.

  Therefore, the above-described embodiment has been proposed for the purpose of reducing birefringence peculiar to a resin substrate.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 10A ... Electrochromic apparatus (electronic device), 11 ... 1st board | substrate (board | substrate), 11a ... Longitudinal direction, 11c ... Main extending | stretching direction, 12 ... 1st electrode, 13 ... Electrochromic layer (functional layer), 14 ... 2nd electrode, 15 ... 2nd board | substrate (board | substrate), 100 ... Dimming glasses (apparatus).

JP 2015-26472 A

Claims (11)

In an electronic device comprising a laminate made of a thermoplastic resin having a longitudinal direction and stretched, and an element portion arranged on the substrate, the laminate being thermoformed so as to have a curved shape,
An electronic device, wherein an angle formed between a main stretching direction of the substrate and the longitudinal direction is less than 45 °.   The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the angle is 40 ° or less.   The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the angle is approximately 0 °.   The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the curved shape has a curvature radius of 20 mm or more and 200 mm or less. The element portion is
A first electrode layer disposed on the substrate;
A second electrode layer disposed opposite the first electrode layer;
The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising: a functional layer disposed between the first and second electrode layers.   The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the functional layer is an electrochromic layer.   The said electronic device is an optical element for light control, The electronic device as described in any one of Claims 1-6 characterized by the above-mentioned.   The said electronic device is an electronic device as described in any one of Claims 1-7 obtained by trimming process. There are two substrates,
The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the element unit is disposed between the two substrates.   An apparatus comprising the electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 9. A step of producing a laminate by disposing an element portion on a substrate having a longitudinal direction and made of a stretched thermoplastic resin, and an angle formed between the main stretching direction and the longitudinal direction is less than 45 °;
Thermoforming the laminated body so as to have a curved shape.

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