Transparent conductors incorporating additives and related manufacturing methods

Abstract

A transparent conductor includes a film of a conductive ceramic and conductive additives at least partially incorporated into the film and localized within a region of the film. A thickness of the region is less than an overall thickness of the film, and at least one of the conductive additives has an aspect ratio of at least 3. The transparent conductor has a sheet resistance that is less than an intrinsic sheet resistance of the film.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A transparent conductor comprising:
 a film of a conductive ceramic; and   conductive additives at least partially incorporated into the film and localized within a region of the film, a thickness of the region is less than an overall thickness of the film, and at least one of the conductive additives has an aspect ratio of at least 3,   wherein the transparent conductor has a sheet resistance that is less than an intrinsic sheet resistance of the film.   
     
     
         2 . The transparent conductor of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the region is no greater than 30% of the overall thickness of the film. 
     
     
         3 . The transparent conductor of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet resistance of the transparent conductor is no greater than 200 Ω/sq. 
     
     
         4 . The transparent conductor of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet resistance of the transparent conductor is no greater than ⅕ of the intrinsic sheet resistance of the film. 
     
     
         5 . The transparent conductor of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive ceramic is a doped metal oxide. 
     
     
         6 . The transparent conductor of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive additives include metallic nanowires. 
     
     
         7 . The transparent conductor of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the conductive additives is fully localized within the film. 
     
     
         8 . A manufacturing method of a transparent conductor, comprising:
 mixing conductive additives with a precursor of a conductive ceramic to form a mixture;   applying the mixture as a coating over a substrate; and   curing the coating to form a film of the conductive ceramic, wherein the conductive additives are at least partially incorporated into the film.   
     
     
         9 . The manufacturing method of  claim 8 , wherein the mixture includes a liquid phase, and applying the mixture includes applying the mixture as a wet coating over the substrate. 
     
     
         10 . The manufacturing method of  claim 8 , wherein the precursor is a sol-gel precursor of the conductive ceramic. 
     
     
         11 . The manufacturing method of  claim 10 , wherein the sol-gel precursor is a solution of a source of a main element and a source of a doping element. 
     
     
         12 . The manufacturing method of  claim 8 , wherein the precursor includes nanostructures of the conductive ceramic. 
     
     
         13 . The manufacturing method of  claim 12 , wherein the precursor is a dispersion of the nanostructures in a liquid. 
     
     
         14 . The manufacturing method of  claim 8 , wherein the conductive ceramic is a conductive oxide. 
     
     
         15 . The manufacturing method of  claim 8 , wherein the conductive additives include metallic nanowires. 
     
     
         16 . A manufacturing method of a transparent conductor, comprising:
 providing a precursor of a conductive ceramic;   applying the precursor as a coating over a substrate;   applying conductive additives to the coating to embed the conductive additives into the coating; and   curing the coating to form a film of the conductive ceramic, wherein the conductive additives are at least partially embedded into the film.   
     
     
         17 . The manufacturing method of  claim 16 , wherein the precursor includes a liquid phase, and applying the precursor includes applying the precursor as a wet coating over the substrate. 
     
     
         18 . The manufacturing method of  claim 16 , wherein the precursor is a sol-gel precursor of the conductive ceramic. 
     
     
         19 . The manufacturing method of  claim 16 , wherein the precursor includes nanostructures of the conductive ceramic. 
     
     
         20 . The manufacturing method of  claim 16 , wherein applying the conductive additives to the coating includes applying an embedding fluid to facilitate embedding of the conductive additives into the coating. 
     
     
         21 . The manufacturing method of  claim 16 , wherein the conductive additives are localized within a top region of the film, and a thickness of the top region is less than an overall thickness of the film. 
     
     
         22 . The manufacturing method of  claim 16 , wherein the conductive additives include metallic nanowires. 
     
     
         23 . A manufacturing method of a transparent conductor, comprising:
 applying conductive additives over a substrate;   providing a precursor of a conductive ceramic;   applying the precursor as a coating over the conductive additives and the substrate; and   curing the coating to form a film of the conductive ceramic, wherein the conductive additives are at least partially incorporated into the film.   
     
     
         24 . The manufacturing method of  claim 23 , wherein the precursor includes a liquid phase, and applying the precursor includes applying the precursor as a wet coating over the conductive additives and the substrate. 
     
     
         25 . The manufacturing method of  claim 23 , wherein the precursor is a sol-gel precursor of the conductive ceramic. 
     
     
         26 . The manufacturing method of  claim 23 , wherein the precursor includes nanostructures of the conductive ceramic. 
     
     
         27 . The manufacturing method of  claim 23 , wherein applying the conductive additives over the substrate includes at least partially embedding the conductive additives into the substrate. 
     
     
         28 . The manufacturing method of  claim 27 , wherein applying the conductive additives over the substrate includes applying an embedding fluid to facilitate embedding of the conductive additives into substrate. 
     
     
         29 . The manufacturing method of  claim 23 , wherein the conductive additives are localized within a bottom region of the film, and a thickness of the bottom region is less than an overall thickness of the film. 
     
     
         30 . The manufacturing method of  claim 23 , wherein the conductive additives include metallic nanowires.