Shippable heat-treatable sputter coated article and method of making same

• US 20050155695A1
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitro Flat Glass LLC (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: Dennis J O'Shaughnessy, James J. Finley, Paul A. Medwick
• Inventors: O'Shaughnessy, Dennis J., Medwick, Paul A., Finley, James J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,329,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/99
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/2453 Coating containing SnO2
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/36 at least one coating being a metal
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3618 Coatings of type glass/inorganic compound/other inorganic layers, at least one layer being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3639 Multilayers containing at least two functional metal layers
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3644 the metal being silver
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3652 the coating stack containing at least one sacrificial layer to protect the metal from oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/366 Low-emissivity or solar control coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3681 the multilayer coating being used in glazing, e.g. windows or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/216 ZnO
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/23 Mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/24 Doped oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/78 Coatings specially designed to be durable, e.g. scratch-resistant
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/155 by reactive sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/086 of zinc, germanium, cadmium, indium, tin, thallium or bismuth
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/3414 Metallurgical or chemical aspects of target preparation, e.g. casting, powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of making a coated article, including the steps of: (A) providing a substrate; (B) depositing one or more dielectric layers over the substrate, the dielectric layers comprising: (i) a first dielectric film having at least one film of zinc oxide, silicon oxide, tin oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitrate, or an oxide of an alloy of zinc and tin having zinc in a weight percent range of 10 to 90 and tin in a weight percent range of 90 to 10, and (ii) a second dielectric film deposited over the first dielectric film, the second dielectric film having at least: a zinc oxide, tin oxide film, wherein the zinc oxide, tin oxide film has tin in a weight percent range of greater than 0 to less than 10 and the majority of the balance being zinc; and (C) depositing one or more infrared reflective layers on at least one of the dielectric layers.

Claims

1. A method of making a coated article, comprising the steps of:

A) providing a substrate;

B) depositing one or more dielectric layers over the substrate, the dielectric layers comprising;

i) a first dielectric film comprising at least one film of zinc oxide, silicon oxide, tin oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitrate, or an oxide of an alloy of zinc and tin having zinc in a weight percent range of 10 to 90 and tin in a weight percent range of 90 to 10, and

ii) a second dielectric film deposited over the first dielectric film, the second dielectric film comprising at least;

a zinc oxide, tin oxide film, wherein the zinc oxide, tin oxide film has tin in a weight percent range of greater than 0 to less than 10 and the majority of the balance being zinc; and

C) depositing one or more infrared reflective layers on at least one of the dielectric layers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more infrared reflective layers is a silver layer and the second dielectric film is an electrical enhancing film.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more infrared reflective layers is one infrared reflective layer and the one or more dielectric layers is one dielectric layer, and the method further comprises:

depositing the dielectric layer over the substrate;

depositing the infrared reflective layer over the dielectric layer;

depositing a metal primer layer over the infrared reflective layer; and

depositing the film of an oxide of an alloy of zinc and tin having 10-90 weight percent zinc and 90-10 weight percent tin over the metal primer layer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more infrared reflective layers comprises first and second infrared reflective layers, and the one or more dielectric layers comprises first, second and third dielectric layer, and the method further comprises:

depositing the first dielectric layer over the substrate;

depositing the first infrared reflective layer the first dielectric layer;

depositing a first metal primer layer over the first infrared reflective layer;

depositing a film of an oxide of an alloy of zinc and tin having 10-90 weight percent zinc and 90-10 weight percent tin over the first metal primer layer;

depositing the second dielectric layer over the film of the oxide;

depositing the second infrared reflective layer over the second dielectric layer;

depositing a second primer layer over the second infrared reflective layer; and

depositing the third dielectric layer over the second primer layer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more infrared reflective layers comprises first and second infrared reflective layers, and the one or more dielectric layers comprises first and second dielectric layers, and the method further comprises:

depositing the first dielectric layer over the substrate;

depositing the first infrared reflective layer over the first dielectric layer;

depositing a first metal primer layer over the first infrared reflective layer;

depositing the second dielectric layer over the first primer layer;

depositing the second infrared reflective layer over the second dielectric layer;

depositing a second primer layer over the second silver layer; and

depositing the film of an oxide of an alloy of zinc and tin having 10-90 weight percent zinc and 90-10 weight percent tin over the second primer layer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more infrared reflective layers comprises first and second infrared reflective layers, and the one or more dielectric layers comprises first and second dielectric layers, and the method further comprises:

depositing the first dielectric layer over the substrate;

depositing the first infrared reflective layer over the first dielectric layer,

depositing a first metal primer layer over the first infrared reflective layer;

depositing a film of an oxide of an alloy of zinc and tin having 10-90 weight percent zinc and 90-10 weight percent tin over the first primer layer;

depositing the second infrared reflective layer over the second dielectric layer;

depositing a second primer layer over the second infrared reflective layer; and

depositing the second dielectric layer is formed over the second primer layer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more infrared reflective layers comprises a first infrared reflective layer, the one or more dielectric layers comprises a first dielectric layer, and the method further comprises:

forming the first dielectric layer over the substrate,

forming the first infrared reflective layer over the first dielectric layer,

forming a metal primer layer over the first infrared reflective layer, and

forming the second dielectric layer over the metal primer layer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first dielectric film of the second dielectric layer includes zinc in a weight percent range of 60 to 90 and tin in a weight percent of 10 to 40.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the second dielectric layer further includes a third dielectric film over the second dielectric film.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the third dielectric film of the second dielectric layer is selected from a zinc oxide film;

a zinc oxide, tin oxide film; and

a film of an oxide of an alloy of zinc and tin.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the primer layer is a first primer, and the method further comprises:

forming a second infrared reflective layer over the second dielectric layer;

forming a second metal primer layer over the second infrared reflective layer; and

forming a third dielectric layer over the second metal primer layer.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising forming a protective layer as a last layer on the substrate.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the third dielectric layer comprises a first dielectric film of zinc in a weight percent range of 60 to 90 and tin in a weight percent range of 10 to 40.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the substrate is a glass sheet and the first dielectric film of the first dielectric layer is on the glass sheet and has a thickness in a range of 230±

40 (Å

);

the second dielectric film of the first dielectric layer is on the first dielectric film of the first dielectric layer and has a thickness in a range of 80±

40 Å

;

the first infrared reflective metal layer is a first silver film deposited on the second dielectric film of the first dielectric layer and has a thickness in a range of 110±

30 Å

, the first metal primer layer is a titanium containing film deposited on the first silver layer and has a thickness in a range of 17-26 Å

;

the first dielectric film of the second dielectric layer is deposited on the titanium containing film and has a thickness in a range of 80±

40 Å

;

the second dielectric film of the second dielectric layer is deposited on the first dielectric film of the second dielectric layer and has a thickness in a range of 740±

40 Å

;

the second infrared reflective metal layer is a second silver film deposited on the second dielectric film of the second dielectric layer and has a thickness in a range of 0.110±

38 Å

;

the second primer metal layer is a titanium containing film deposited on the second silver layer and having a thickness in a range of 18-31 Å

;

the first dielectric film of the third dielectric layer is deposited on the second titanium containing film and has a thickness in a range of 80±

40 Å

;

the second dielectric film of the third dielectric layer is deposited on the first dielectric film of the third dielectric layer and has a thickness in a range of 120±

40 Å

, and further comprising a protective layer of titanium containing film deposited on the third dielectric layer and has a thickness in a range of 29±

3 Å

.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the coated article is a transparency.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the coated article is an automotive transparency.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the automobile transparency is an automotive windshield having a pair of glass sheets laminated together and one of the sheets is the substrate having the coating.

18. A method of making laminated vehicle transparency comprising:

providing a glass substrate;

applying a coating on the glass substrate, the coating comprising;

a first dielectric layer;

a first infrared reflective metal layer over the first dielectric layer;

a first metal primer layer over the first infrared reflective layer;

a second dielectric layer over the first metal primer layer;

a second infrared reflective layer over the second dielectric layer;

a second metal primer layer over the second infrared reflective layer; and

a protective film overlying the second dielectric layer, wherein at least one of the dielectric layers comprises a first dielectric film selected from a zinc oxide, tin oxide and a first zinc stannate film, and a second dielectric film comprising a second zinc stannate film having a composition different than the first zinc stannate film, wherein the composition of the second dielectric film is 10-90 weight percent zinc and 90-10 weight percent tin;

heating the coated glass substrate to its bending temperature, wherein after heating the coating has reduced haze; and

laminating the coated glass substrate to another piece of glass to provide a laminated vehicle transparency.