Tranparent conductive coatings

• US 4,977,013 A
• Filed: 06/03/1988
• Issued: 12/11/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CPFilms Inc. (Eastman Chemical Company)
• Original Assignee: andus Corp.
• Inventors: Ritchie, Ian T., Kittler, Wilfred C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Page, Thurman K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Turner, Archene A.
• Application Number:
  US07/202,763
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 428/688, 428/689, 428/697, 428/699, 428/701, 428/702, 428/938, 428/212, 428/336, 428/480, 428/432, 428/428, 428/426
• US Class Current: 428/212
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3417 all coatings being oxide coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/043 Improving the adhesiveness of the coatings per se, e.g. forming primers adhesives in the form of films or foils characterised by the primer layers between the polymer carriers and the adhesives C09J7/50
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/044 Forming conductive coatings; Forming coatings having anti-static properties
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/046 Forming abrasion-resistant coatings; Forming surface-hardening coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/06 with compositions not containing macromolecular substances
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31786 Of polyester [e.g., alkyd, etc.]

Abstract

An article having a transparent conductive coating having predetermined interference reflectance and transmission properties substantially independent of its conductivity, comprising:

(a) a substrate having a refractive index n₀ and

(b) a coating disposed over at least a portion of the substrate and consisting of:

(i) at least one transparent dielectric layer having a refractive index n₁ different from n₀ ; and

(ii) at least one transparent conductive layer having a refractive index substantially equal to n₁, at least one of which has a thickness sufficient to provide a desired conductivity;

the coating having a thickness such that it has predetermined interference reflectance and transmission properties substantially independent of its conductivity.

Claims

1. An article having a transparent conductive coating having predetermined interference reflectance and transmission properties substantially independent of its conductivity, comprising:

(a) a substrate having a refractive index n₀ and

(b) a coating disposed over at least a portion of said substrate and consisting of;

(i) at least one transparent dielectric layer having a refractive index n₁ different from n₀ ; and

(ii) at least one transparent conductive layer having a refractive index substantially equal to n₁, at least one of which has a thickness sufficient to provide a desired conductivity;

said coating having a thickness such that said coating has predetermined interference reflectance and transmission properties substantially independent of the conductivity of said coating.

2. An article according to claim 1, wherein said coating consists of one dielectric layer and one conductive layer, said dielectric layer being positioned between said substrate and said conductive layer.

3. An article according to claim 1, wherein said coating consists of one dielectric and one conductive layer, said conductive layer being positioned between said substrate and said dielectric layer.

4. An article according to claim 1, wherein said coating consists of a conductive layer sandwiched between two nonconductive layers.

5. An article according to claim 1, wherein said conductive layer is made of conductive indium tin oxide, tin oxide, zinc oxide, cadmium oxide, indium oxide, or cadmium stannate.

6. An article according to claim 1, wherein said conductive layer is made of conductive indium tin oxide.

7. An article according to claim 1, wherein said dielectric layer is made of nonconductive indium tin oxide, tin oxide, zinc oxide, cadmium oxide, indium oxide, or cadmium stannate;

titanium oxide;

or zirconium oxide.

8. An article according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is made of polyester, polycarbonate, acrylic polymer, polyimide, fluoropolymer, cellulose triacetate, glass, or ceramic.

9. An article according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is made of poly(ethylene terephthalate).

10. An article according to claim 1, wherein said coating is sputtered.

11. An article according to claim 1, wherein said conductive layer has been etched to form an electrode pattern.

12. An article having a transparent conductive coating, comprising:

(a) a substrate having a refractive index n_o and

(b) a coating disposed over at least a portion of said substrate and consisting of;

(i) at least one transparent dielectric layer having a refractive index n₁ different from n₀ ; and

(ii) at least one transparent conductive layer having a refractive index substantially equal to n₁, at least of which has a thickness sufficient to provide a desired conductivity;

said coating having an interference reflectance minimum at a wavelength 1 between about 350 and about 650 nm according to the equation

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">1=4n.sub.1 D/m

where D is the thickness of said coating and m is 2 in the event n₁ is greater than n₀ and 1 or 3 in the event n₁ is less than n₀.

13. An article according to claim 12, wherein said coating consists of one dielectric layer and one conductive layer, said dielectric layer being positioned between said substrate and said conductive layer.

14. An article according to claim 12, wherein said coating consists of one dielectric layer and one conductive layer, said conductive layer being positioned between said substrate and said dielectric layer.

15. An article according to claim 12, wherein said coating consists of a conductive layer sandwiched between two nonconductive layers.

16. An article according to claim 12, wherein said conductive layer is made of conductive indium tin oxide, tin oxide, zinc oxide, cadmium oxide, indium oxide, or cadmium stannate.

17. An article according to claim 12, wherein said conductive layer is made of conductive indium tin oxide.

18. An article according to claim 12, wherein said dielectric layer is made of nonconductive indium tin oxide, tin oxide, zinc oxide, cadmium oxide, indium oxide, or cadmium stannate;

titanium oxide;

or zirconium oxide.

19. An article according to claim 12, wherein said substrate is made of polyester, polycarbonate, acrylic polymer, polyimide, fluoropolymer, cellulose triacetate, glass, or ceramic.

20. An article according to claim 12, wherein said substrate is made of poly(ethylene terephthalate).

21. An article according to claim 12, wherein said coating is sputtered.

22. An article according to claim 12, wherein said conductive layer has been etched to form an electrode pattern.

23. An article having a transparent conductive coating, comprising:

(a) a substrate having a refractive index n_o and

(b) a coating disposed over at least a portion of said substrate and consisting of;

(i) at least one transparent dielectric layer having a refractive index n₁ different from n₀ ; and

(ii) at least one transparent conductive layer having a refractive index substantially equal to n₁, at least one of which has a thickness sufficient to provide a desired conductivity;

the thickness of said coating being between about 50 and about 200 nm.

24. An article according to claim 23, wherein said coating consists of one dielectric layer and one conductive layer, said dielectric layer being positioned between said substrate and said conductive layer.

25. An article according to claim 23, wherein said coating consists of one dielectric and one conductive layer, said conductive layer being positioned between said substrate and said dielectric layer.

26. An article according to claim 23, wherein said coating consists of a conductive layer sandwiched between two nonconductive layers.

27. An article according to claim 23, wherein said conductive layer is made of conductive indium tin oxide, tin oxide, zinc oxide, cadmium oxide, indium oxide, or cadmium stannate.

28. An article according to claim 23, wherein said conductive layer is made of conductive indium tin oxide.

29. An article according to claim 23, wherein said dielectric layer is made of nonconductive indium tin oxide, tin oxide, zinc oxide, cadmium oxide, indium oxide, or cadmium stannate;

titanium oxide;

or zirconium oxide.

30. An article according to claim 23, wherein said substrate is made of polyester, polycarbonate, acrylic polymer, polyimide, fluoropolymer, cellulose triacetate, glass, or ceramic.

31. An article according to claim 23, wherein said substrate is made of poly(ethylene terephthalate).

32. An article according to claim 23, wherein said coating is sputtered.

33. An article according to claim 23, wherein said conductive layer has been etched to form an electrode pattern.

34. An article having a conductive coating which is substantially transparent to infra-red radiation at a predetermined wavelength, comprising:

(a) a substrate having a refractive index n₀ and

(b) a coating disposed over at least a portion of said substrate and consisting of;

(i) at least one infra-red transparent, dielectric layer having a refractive index n₁ different from n₀ ; and

(ii) at least one infra-red transparent, conductive layer having a refractive index substantially equal to n₁, at least one of which a thickness sufficient to provide a desired conductivity;

said coating having a thickness such that said coating has an interference reflectance minimum at a predetermined wavelength in the infra-red spectrum.

35. An article according to claim 34, wherein said coating consists of one dielectric layer and one conductive layer, said dielectric layer being positioned between said substrate and said conductive layer.

36. An article according to claim 34, wherein said coating consists of one dielectric layer and one conductive layer, said conductive layer being positioned between said substrate and said dielectric layer.

37. An article according to claim 34, wherein said coating consists of a conductive layer sandwiched between two nonconductive layers.

38. An article according to claim 34, wherein said conductive layer is made of conductive indium tin oxide, tin oxide, zinc oxide, cadmium oxide, indium oxide, or cadmium stannate.

39. An article according to claim 34, wherein said conductive layer is made of conductive indium tin oxide.

40. An article according to claim 34, wherein said dielectric layer is made of nonconductive indium tin oxide, tin oxide, zinc oxide, cadmium oxide, indium oxide, or cadmium stannate;

titanium oxide;

or zirconium oxide.

41. An article according to claim 34, wherein said substrate is made of zinc selenide, germanium, or silicon.

42. An article according to claim 34, wherein said coating is sputtered.

43. An article according to claim 34, wherein said conductive layer has been etched to form an electrode pattern.

44. An article having a transparent conductive coating, comprising:

(a) a substrate and

(b) a coating disposed over at least a portion of said substrate and consisting of;

(i) a conductive indium tin oxide layer having a thickness sufficient to provide a desired conductivity; and

(ii) a transparent dielectric layer having a refractive index substantially equal to that of said indium tin oxide layer and positioned between said substrate and said indium tin oxide layer;

the refractive index of said substrate being different from that of said indium tin oxide and dielectric layers; and

the thickness of said coating being between about 50 and about 200 nm.

45. An article according to claim 44, wherein said dielectric layer is made of nonconductive indium tin oxide or tin oxide.

46. An article according to claim 44, wherein said substrate is made of poly(ethylene terephthalate).

47. An article according to claim 44, wherein said coating has a thickness between about 50 and about 150 nm.