Electrochromism of nitrogen-doped tungsten oxide thin films

Tungsten-oxide-based thin films were prepared by reactive DC magnetron sputtering in the presence of oxygen and nitrogen. Nitrogen contents up to 12 at.% were documented by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and time-of-flight elastic recoil detection analysis. Optical and electrochemical measurements showed that films with up to 4 at.% of nitrogen were as transparent as undoped tungsten oxide films and displayed enhanced electrochromic properties manifested in an increase in the coloration efficiency by as much as 20%.