Second surface laser ablation

• US 10,185,198 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2016
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Geerlings, Kurtis L., Neuman, George A., Anderson, John S., Wine, Chad M., Luten, Henry A., Bareman, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Jack
• Application Number:
  US15/186,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20160370680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 359267
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/172 wherein at least one of the layers is non-metallic
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/54 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/066 by using masks
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/36 Removing material B23K26/55, B23K26/57 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes

Abstract

A laser ablated product exhibits a diffraction severity of less than about 5. The product may include a substrate that is at least partially transparent to visible light, and a periodic structure formed on at least one surface of the substrate by laser ablation. The periodic structure has a period in at least one direction of at least about 4,500 nm to at most about 850,000 nm, and the periodic structure has a peak-to-valley dimension of less than about 25 nm. The product may be employed in an electrochromic device, such as a vehicle rearview mirror assembly.

Claims

1. A product, comprising:

a first substrate that is at least partially transparent to visible light;

a conductive layer disposed over the first substrate; and

an ablated surface on the conductive layer,

wherein the ablated surface is formed by subjecting the conductive layer to laser ablation, the ablated surface comprises a periodic structure, the periodic structure has a period in at least one direction of 4,500 nm to 850,000 nm, and the periodic structure has a peak-to-valley dimension of less than 25 nm.

2. The product of claim 1, wherein the periodic structure has a peak-to-valley dimension of less than 15 nm.

3. The product of claim 1, wherein the periodic structure has a period in a laser ablation process direction of 4,500 nm to 850,000 nm.

4. The product of claim 1, wherein the periodic structure has a period in a laser ablation offset direction of 4,500 nm to 850,000 nm.

5. The product of claim 1, wherein the product has a diffraction severity of less than 5.

6. The product of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises glass.

7. The product of claim 1, further comprising a material in contact with the periodic structure, wherein the material has a refractive index greater than 1, and a difference between the refractive index of the material and a refractive index of the conductive layer is less than 0.5.

8. The product of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer comprises indium tin oxide.

9. The product of claim 1, further comprising a coating layer disposed on a portion of the conductive layer.

10. The product of claim 9, wherein the coating layer comprises a multilayer structure comprising a first chrome layer, a first ruthenium layer, a second chrome layer, and a second ruthenium layer.

11. The product of claim 1, wherein the product has a diffraction severity of less than 5, and the peak-to-valley dimension is less than 15 nm.

12. The product of claim 11, wherein the diffraction severity is less than 2.5.

13. The product of claim 12, wherein the diffraction severity is less than 1.5.

14. An electrochromic device, comprising:

a product comprising;

a first substrate that is at least partially transparent to visible light;

a conductive layer disposed over the first substrate; and

an ablated surface on the conductive layer,

wherein the ablated surface is formed by subjecting the conductive layer to laser ablation, the ablated surface comprises a periodic structure, the periodic structure has a period in at least one direction of 4,500 nm to 850,000 nm, and the periodic structure has a peak-to-valley dimension of less than 25 nm;

a second substrate having a second surface that opposes the first substrate, the first and second substrates forming a cavity between the first substrate and the second substrate; and

an electrochromic fluid disposed in the cavity,

wherein at least one of the ablated surface and the second surface is adjacent the cavity, and at least one conductive layer is adjacent the cavity.

15. The electrochromic device of claim 14, wherein the electrochromic device is a part of a vehicle rearview mirror assembly.

16. The electrochromic device of claim 14, wherein the electrochromic fluid has a refractive index greater than 1.