Transparent conductive oxides are essential materials for many optoelectronic applications. For new devices for aerospace and space applications, it is crucial to know how they respond to the space environment. The most important issue in commonly used low-Earth orbits is proton radiation. This study examines the effects of high-energy proton irradiation (226.5 MeV) on thin films of aluminium-doped zinc oxide (AZO) and indium tin oxide (ITO). We use X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy observations to see the changes in the structure and microstructure of the films. The optical properties and homogeneity of the materials are determined by spectrophotometry and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). Analysis of the chemical states of the elements with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) gives insight into what proton irradiation changes at the surface of the oxides. All measurements show that ITO is less influenced than AZO. The proton energy and fluence used in this study simulate about a hundred years in low Earth orbit. This research demonstrates that both transparent conductive oxide thin films can function under simulated space conditions, with ITO showing superior resilience. The ITO film was more homogenous in terms of the total thickness measured with SE, had fewer defects and adsorbates present on the surface, as XPS analysis proved, and did not show a difference after irradiation regarding its optical properties, transmission, refractive index, or extinction coefficient.

Electrochromic materials are materials that change their optical properties under the influence of an applied electrical potential. They can be based on different types of electrochromes, ranging from metal oxides (e.g., WO3, MO3, TiO, or NiO) to organic materials (such as SmPc2, EuPc2, or YbPc2). The choice of electrochromic material determines the subsequent choice of components, such as the electrolyte, also called the fast ion conductor, and the ion storage layer. In this paper, the authors present methods for the deposition of the individual functional layers of the electrochromic system, together with the parameters of the deposition processes. The construction of the high-vacuum apparatus on which the layers were deposited is presented. The results of structural and optical measurements of the deposited layers are also presented.

Fast ionic conductors, also called ionic superconductors and solid electrolytes, are solids with ionic conductivity comparable to that found in liquid electrolytes. Some ionic species such as Ag+, Cu+, Li+, F–, O2– or H+ in a solid can move almost as fast as in a liquid. This property, although observed only in a limited number of materials, is a key factor enabling applications in many modern devices such as batteries, fuel cells and electrochromic devices. This review describes materials that use lithium Li+ ions as a source of charge transport. The types of electrolytes, deposition technologies of solid electrolytes, as well as structural variations and the most important electrical properties of solid electrolytes that may find application in electrochromic devices are presented.