Thin-film coatings, electro-optic elements and assemblies incorporating these elements

1. An optical element comprising:

a first substrate;

at least one thin-film layer deposited on the first substrate, and

a boundary-modifying material adjoining a boundary formed by any two of the substrate and the at least one thin-film layer,

wherein the boundary-modifying material differs from materials forming the substrate and the at least one thin-film layer, wherein an accumulation of the boundary-modifying material does not exceed ten atomic layers, and wherein the boundary-modifying material includes an element from a group consisting of chalcogenides and pnictogens.

2. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein the boundary-modifying material includes at least one of sulfur and selenium.

3. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein an accumulation of the boundary-modifying material does not exceed an atomic monolayer.

4. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein an accumulation of the boundary-modifying material does not exceed five atomic layers.

5. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein an accumulation of the boundary-modifying material does not exceed two atomic layers.

6. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein the first substrate comprises glass.

7. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein the at least one thin-film layer comprises one of ITO, IZO, zinc oxide, AZO, TiO 2 , W, Mo, Fe, Ni, Co, Rh, Ir, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Hg, Ga, In, Tl, Ge, Sn, Pb, As, Sb, Cr and Bi.

8. A method for manufacturing an optical element, the method comprising:

providing a first base having a surface;

disposing a modifying material below the surface; and

overcoating the surface with a thin-film overlayer;

wherein the modifying material differs from materials forming the base and the thin-film overlayer, the modifying material includes an element from a group consisting of chalcogenides and pnistogens, and an accumulation of the modifying material does not exceed ten atomic layers.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the disposing a modifying material includes disposing at least one of sulfur and selenium.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the in the accumulation of the modifying material does not exceed an atomic monolayer.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the in the accumulation of the modifying material does not exceed five atomic layers.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the in the accumulation of the modifying material does not exceed two atomic layers.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first base comprises a first substrate and a first thin-film layer deposited thereon and the surface of the first base is defined by an outer surface of the first thin-film layer.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first substrate is made of glass and wherein at least one of the first thin-film layer and the thin-film overlayer contains at least one of ITO, IZO, zinc oxide, AZO, TiO 2 , W, Mo, Fe, Ni, Co, Rh, Ir, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Hg, Ga, In, Tl, Ge, Sn, Pb, As, Sb, and Bi.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first base is made of glass and the thin-film overlayer contains at least one of ITO, IZO, zinc oxide, AZO, TiO 2 , W, Mo, Fe, Ni, Go, Rh, Ir, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Hg, Ga, In, Tl, Ge, Sn, Pb, As, Sb, and Bi.

16. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein the first substrate is made of glass and the at least one thin-film layer includes a layer of Chromium deposited on the first substrate and a layer of silver-gold alloy deposited over the layer of Chromium, and wherein the boundary-modifying material is accumulated at the boundary between the layer of Chromium and the layer of silver-gold alloy.

17. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein the first substrate is made of glass and the at least one thin-film layer includes a layer of TiO 2 deposited on the first substrate, a layer of ITO deposited on top of the TiO 2 layer, and a layer of silver-gold alloy deposited over the layer of ITO, and wherein the boundary-modifying material is accumulated at the boundary between the layer of ITO and the layer of silver-gold alloy.

18. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein the boundary-modifying material enhances at least one of adhesion, environmental stability, conductivity, and nucleation characteristics of the at least one thin-film layer.

19. The optical element of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second substrate, wherein the first and second substrates cooperate to form a cavity therebetween; and

an electrochromic medium located within the cavity.

20. The method of claim 8 , wherein the disposing comprises at least one of ion treatment, plasma treatment, chemical treatment, and physical vapor deposition.

21. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

placing a second base so as to form a cavity between the first and second bases; and

situating an electrochromic medium within the cavity.

22. The optical element of claim 16 , wherein the boundary-modifying material is sulfur.

23. The optical element of claim 17 , wherein the boundary-modifying material is sulfur.

24. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein an accumulation of the boundary-modifying material occurs in a material substantially under the boundary.