Hydrophilic coatings, methods for depositing hydrophilic coatings, and improved deposition technology for thin films
First Claim
1. A substrate with a first surface bearing a coating that comprises a compound region, the compound region comprising a photocatalyst, the photocatalyst being a first material, the compound region also comprising a second material, wherein said first and second materials are different materials, wherein the coating has a total thickness of at least about 50 angstroms but less than about 400 angstroms, wherein the substrate when uncoated has a first visible reflectance, wherein the substrate when bearing the coating has a second visible reflectance, and wherein the second visible reflectance is no more than about 3% greater than the first visible reflectance, each such visible reflectance being a film-side visible reflectance measured off the first surface of the substrate.
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Abstract
The invention provides certain embodiments that involve sputtering techniques for applying a mixed oxide film comprising silica and titania. In these embodiments, the techniques involve sputtering at least two targets in a common chamber (e.g., in a shared gaseous atmosphere). A first of these targets includes silicon, while a second of the targets includes titanium. Further, the invention provides embodiments involving a substrate bearing a hydrophilic coating, which can be deposited by sputtering or any other suitable thin film deposition technique. The invention also provides techniques and apparatuses useful for depositing a wide variety of coating types. For example, the invention provides thin film deposition technologies in which sputtering apparatuses or other thin film deposition apparatuses are employed.
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Citations
132 Claims
- 1. A substrate with a first surface bearing a coating that comprises a compound region, the compound region comprising a photocatalyst, the photocatalyst being a first material, the compound region also comprising a second material, wherein said first and second materials are different materials, wherein the coating has a total thickness of at least about 50 angstroms but less than about 400 angstroms, wherein the substrate when uncoated has a first visible reflectance, wherein the substrate when bearing the coating has a second visible reflectance, and wherein the second visible reflectance is no more than about 3% greater than the first visible reflectance, each such visible reflectance being a film-side visible reflectance measured off the first surface of the substrate.
- 44. A substrate with a first surface bearing a coating that comprises a compound region, the compound region comprising a photocatalyst, the photocatalyst being a first material, the compound region also comprising a second material, wherein said first and second materials are different materials, the coating having a total thickness of less than about 250 angstroms, wherein the coating has a photocatalytic reaction rate characterized by an acetone decomposition slope of at least about 0.03.
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79. A glass sheet having generally-opposed first and second major surfaces, the first major surface bearing a coating that comprises a compound region, the compound region comprising a photocatalyst, the photocatalyst being a first material, the compound region also comprising a second material, wherein said first and second materials are different materials, wherein the compound region is a sputtered mixed oxide film including both said first and second materials, the sputtered mixed oxide film having a thickness of at least about 40 angstroms but less than about 250 angstroms, the sputtered mixed oxide film defining an exposed outermost face of the coating, wherein said first material is titania and the sputtered mixed oxide film comprises titania in an amount that is less than about 30% by weight relative to the total weight of the sputtered mixed oxide film, wherein the glass sheet when uncoated has a first visible reflectance, wherein the glass sheet when bearing the coating has a second visible reflectance, and wherein the second visible reflectance is no more than about 3% greater than the first visible reflectance, each such visible reflectance being a monolithic film-side visible reflectance measured off the first major surface of the glass sheet, the glass sheet being part of a multiple-pane insulating glazing unit having a between-pane space, the first major surface of the glass sheet being an exterior surface of the unit and thus facing generally away from the between-pane space.
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80. A glass sheet having generally-opposed first and second major surfaces, the first major surface bearing a coating that comprises a compound region, the compound region comprising titania and silica, wherein the compound region is a sputtered mixed oxide film having been produced by co-sputtering first and second targets, where the first target carried a sputterable material consisting essentially of titanium and the second target carried a sputterable material consisting essentially of silicon and aluminum, said co-sputtering having been carried out reactively in a single sputtering bay containing an oxidizing atmosphere, the sputtered mixed oxide film having a thickness of at least about 40 angstroms but less than about 250 angstroms, the sputtered mixed oxide film defining an exposed outermost face of the coating, the glass sheet being part of a multiple-pane insulating glazing unit having a between-pane space, the first major surface of the glass sheet being an exterior surface of the unit and thus facing generally away from the between-pane space.
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81. A glass sheet having generally-opposed first and second major surfaces, the first major surface bearing a coating that comprises a compound region, the compound region comprising a photocatalyst, the photocatalyst being a first material, the compound region also comprising a second material, wherein said first and second materials are different materials, wherein the compound region includes at least three films each having a thickness of between about 10 angstroms and about 45 angstroms, wherein at least one of said films is an exposed outermost film of the coating, the coating having a total physical thickness of less than about 250 angstroms, the glass sheet being part of a multiple-pane insulating glazing unit having a between-pane space, the first major surface of the glass sheet being an exterior surface of the unit and thus facing generally away from the between-pane space.
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82. The substrate of claim 82, wherein the compound region comprises the following films, in sequence outwardly from the first major surface of the substrate:
- a film comprising titania and having a thickness of between about 10 angstroms and about 30 angstroms;
a film comprising silica and having a thickness of between about 5 angstroms and about 30 angstroms;
a film comprising titania and having a thickness of between about 10 angstroms and about 30 angstroms;
a film comprising silica and having a thickness of between about 5 angstroms and about 30 angstroms; and
a film that is the exposed outermost film of the coating and comprises titania and has a thickness of between about 10 angstroms and about 45 angstroms.
- a film comprising titania and having a thickness of between about 10 angstroms and about 30 angstroms;
- 83. A sheet-like substrate having generally-opposed first and second major surfaces, the first major surface bearing a coating that comprises a hydrophilic film, the hydrophilic film comprising a compound that includes atoms of titanium, silicon, and oxygen, the hydrophilic film having an outermost face with an average surface roughness Ra of less than 1.8 nm, wherein the hydrophilic film has a physical thickness of less than about 300 angstroms.
- 103. A glass sheet having generally-opposed first and second major surfaces, the first major surface bearing a coating that comprises an outermost hydrophilic film, the hydrophilic film comprising a compound that includes atoms of titanium, silicon, and oxygen, wherein the glass sheet when uncoated has a first visible transmittance, wherein the glass sheet when bearing the coating has a second visible transmittance, and wherein the second visible transmittance is less than about 3% greater than the first visible transmittance.
- 113. A glass sheet having generally-opposed first and second major surfaces, the first major surface bearing a coating that comprises a sputtered hydrophilic film, the sputtered hydrophilic film comprising a compound that includes atoms of titanium, silicon, and oxygen, the sputtered hydrophilic film having a refractive index of greater than 1.45 but less than 2.25, and wherein the sputtered hydrophilic film has a physical thickness of between about 30 angstroms and about 200 angstroms.
- 123. A glass sheet having generally-opposed first and second major surfaces, the first major surface bearing a coating that comprises an amorphous hydrophilic film, the amorphous hydrophilic film comprising a compound that includes atoms of titanium, silicon, and oxygen, wherein the amorphous hydrophilic film has a thickness of less than about 250 angstroms.
Specification