Temperable low emissivity and reflective windows

• US 4,790,922 A
• Filed: 07/13/1987
• Issued: 12/13/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: W.S.A., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Viracon Incorporated (Apogee Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Huffer, Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): Weisstuch, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US07/072,775
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 204/192.26, 204/192.27, 427/160, 427/166, 428/432, 65/102
• US Class Current: 204/192.27
• 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 2217/78 Coatings specially designed to be durable, e.g. scratch-resistant
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/083 of refractory metals or yttrium
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/185 by cathodic sputtering

Abstract

The invention relates to using titanium as a protective layer on either side of a layer of silver for making temperable low emissivity windows. The titanium layers will protect the silver layer from oxidizing when the glass is heated to shape the glass. The invention also can be used to protect a layer of stainless steel when making temperable reflective windows.

Claims

1. A method of making a temperable low emissivity window comprising the steps of

sputtering a first layer of a mixture of tin oxide and zinc oxide onto a glass substrate,

sputtering a second layer of titanium,

sputtering a third layer of silver,

sputtering a fourth layer of titanium,

sputtering a fifth layer of a mixture of tin oxide and zinc oxide,

sputtering a sixth layer of titanium oxide,

then heating and shaping the glass at a temperature where the titanium layers on each side of the silver layer will oxidize but protect the silver from oxidizing.

2. A method of making a temperable low emissivity window as in claim 1 where the titanium layers on each side of the silver layer are between 50 and 150 angstroms thick.

3. A method of making temperable reflective windows comprising the steps of

sputtering a first layer of a mixture of tin oxide and zinc oxide onto a glass substrate,

sputtering a second layer of titanium,

sputtering a third layer of stainless steel,

sputtering a fourth layer of titanium,

sputtering a fifth layer of a mixture of tin oxide and zinc oxide,

sputtering a sixth layer of titanium oxide,

then heating and shaping the glass at a temperature where the titanium layers on each side of the stainless steel layer will oxidize but protect the stainless steel from oxidizing.

4. A method of making a temperable reflective window as in claim 3 where the titanium layers on each side of the stainless steel layer are between 50 and 150 angstroms thick.

5. A method of making a coated temperable window consisting of,

using a five chamber sputtering machine having three cathodes per chamber,

the first chamber having a first cathode of zinc, a second cathode of tin and a third cathode of zinc in an oxygen atmosphere which will coat a piece of glass with tin zinc oxide mixture layer,

the second chamber has an argon atmosphere and has a first cathode of titanium, a second cathode of a metal and a third cathode of titanium,

the second chamber coats the tin zinc oxide mixture with a layer of titanium, then coats the titanium with a layer of the metal and coats the metal with a layer of titanium,

the third chamber having a first cathode of tin, a second cathode of zinc and a third cathode of tin in an oxygen atmosphere which will coat the titanium with a tin zinc oxide mixture layer,

the fourth chamber having a first cathode of stainless steel, a second cathode of titanium and a third cathode of titanium in an oxygen atmosphere, only the second and third cathodes are turned on in this chamber to produce a titanium oxide layer,

the fifth chamber has all three cathodes of titanium in an oxygen atmosphere to produce a titanium oxide layer, a heating and shaping the glass at a temperature where the heat oxidizes the titanium layers on each side of the metal layer but the titanium layers protect the metal layer from being oxidized.

6. A method of making a temperable low emissivity window as in claim 5 where the metal is silver.

7. A method of making a temperable low emissivity window as in claim 6 where the titanium layers on each side of the silver layer are between 50 and 150 angstroms thick.

8. A method of making a temperable reflective window as in claim 5 where the metal is stainless steel.

9. A method of making a temperable low emissivity window as in claim 8 where the titanium layers on each side of the stainless steel layer are between 50 and 150 angstroms thick.