Electrically-conductive, light-attenuating antireflection coating

• US 5,091,244 A
• Filed: 08/10/1990
• Issued: 02/25/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tru Vue Inc. (Apogee Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Viratec Thin Films, Inc. (Apogee Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Biornard, Erik J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TURNER, ARCHENE A
• Application Number:
  US07/566,052
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 428/336, 428/426, 428/432, 428/698, 428/701, 428/213, 428/216, 428/704, 350/1.6, 350/1.7, 350/164, 350/166
• US Class Current: 428/216
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3435 comprising a nitride, oxynitride, boronitride or carbonitride
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/73 Anti-reflective coatings with specific characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/78 Coatings specially designed to be durable, e.g. scratch-resistant
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/116 including electrically conducting layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2495 Thickness [relative or absolute]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24975 No layer or component greater than 5 mils thick

Abstract

A coating for an article comprising layers of nitrides of certain transition metals to provide an electrically-conductive, light-attenuating, antireflection surface.

Claims

1. A coating for an article, comprising:

a group of three layers wherein two of said layers substantially include a transition metal nitride, each of said two layers having a thickness between about 5 nm and 40 nm, and a third layer between said two layers, said third layer including a material substantially transparent to visible light, and having an optical thickness less than or equal to about one-quarter wavelength at a wavelength between about 480 nm and 560 nm and a refractive index between about 1.35 and about 2.65 at a wavelength of about 510 nm; and

fourth layer adjoining said three layer group on the side thereof farthest from the article, said fourth layer including a material substantially transparent to visible light and having a refractive index between about 1.35 and 1.9 at a wavelength of 510 nm and an optical thickness of about one-quarter wavelength between about 480 nm and about 560 nm.

2. The coating of claim 1 wherein said transition metal nitride layers comprise a material selected from the group consisting of titanium nitride, zirconium nitride, hafnium nitride, vanadium nitride, niobium nitride, tantalum nitride and chromium nitride.

3. The coating of claim 1 wherein said twolayers comprise titanium nitride.

4. The coating of claim 1 further including a fifth layer of a material substantially transparent to visible light, said fifth layer having a refractive index between about 1.35 to about 2.65 and an optical thickness less than one-eighth wavelength at a wavelength in the range from about 480 nm and 560 nm and said fifth layer adjoining said three layer group on the side thereof closest to the article.

5. The coating of claim 1 wherein at least one layer of material substantially transparent to visible light comprises at least two sublayers having different refractive indices.

6. An electrically conductive, reflection reducing coating for a substrate, comprising:

a group of five layers wherein three of said layers substantially include a transition metal nitride having a thickness between about 5 nanometer and 40 nanometer, and said three layers being arranged alternately with two other layers of said five layer group, said two other layers including a material substantially transparent to visible light and having an optical thickness less than or equal to about one-quarter wavelength at a wavelength in the range from about 480 nm to 560 nm and a refractive index between about 1.35 and 2.65 at a wavelength of about 510 nm; and

an additional layer adjoining said five layer group on the side thereof farthest from the substrate, said additional layer including a material substantially transparent to visible light, and having a refractive index between about 1.35 and 1.9 at a wavelength of about 510 nm and an optical thickness of about one-quarter wavelength between about 480 nm and 560 nanometers.

7. The coating of claim 6 wherein said transition metal nitride layers comprise a material selected from the group consisting of titanium nitride, zirconium nitride, hafnium nitride, vanadium nitride, niobium nitride, tantalum nitride and chromium nitride.

8. The coating of claim 6 wherein said transition metal nitride layers comprise titanium nitride.

9. The coating of claim 6 further including a seventh layer of a material substantially transparent to visible light, said seventh layer having a refractive index in the range from about 1.35 to about 2.65 and an optical thickness less than one-eighth wavelength at a wavelength in the range from about 480 nm to 560 nm and said seventh layer adjoining said five layer group on the side thereof closest to said substrate.

10. The coating of claim 6 wherein at least one layer of material substantially transparent to visible light comprises at least two sublayers having different refractive indices.

11. A coating for a substrate, comprising:

a first layer substantially including a transition metal nitride and having a thickness between about 6 nm; and

9 nm, and a second layer adjacent to said first layer, said second layer including a material substantially transparent to visible light, having a refractive index between about 1.35 and 2.65 at a wavelength of about 510 nm, and a thickness between about 2 nm to 15 nm.

12. The coating of claim 11 wherein said first layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of titanium nitride, zirconium nitride, hafnium nitride, vanadium nitride, niobium nitride, tantalum nitride and chromium nitride.

13. The coating of claim 11 wherein said first comprises substantially titanium nitride.

14. An electrically conductive, reflection reducing coating for an article, comprising:

a group of three layers wherein two of said layers substantially include titanium nitride, each of said two layers having a thickness between about 5 nm and about 40 nm, and a third layer between said two layers, said third layer including a metal oxide having an optical thickness less than or equal to about one quarter wavelength at a wavelength between about 480 nm and 560 nm and a refractive index between about 1.35 and 2.65 at a wavelength of about 510 nm; and

a fourth layer adjoining said three layer group on the side thereof farthest from the article, said fourth layer including a metal oxide having a refractive index between about 1.35 and 1.9 at a wavelength of about 510 nm and an optical thickness of about one-quarter wavelength between about 480 nm to 560 nm.

15. The coating of claim 14 further including a fifth layer of a metal oxide, said layer having a refractive index between about 1.35 and 2.65 and an optical thickness less than one eighth of wavelength between about 480 nm to 560 nm and said fifth layer adjoining said three layer group on the side thereof closest to the article.

16. The coating of claim 14 or 15 wherein at least one layer of metal oxide comprises at least two sublayers having different refractive indices.

17. An electrically conductive, reflection reducing coating for a substrate, comprising:

a group of five adjoining layers wherein three of said layers substantially include titanium nitride having a thickness between about 5 nm and 40 nm, said three layers being arranged alternately with two other layers of a metal oxide having an optical thickness less than or equal to about one-quarter wavelength at a wavelength between about 480 nm and 560 nm and a refractive index between about 1.35 and 2.65 at a wavelength of about 510 nm; and

a sixth layer adjoining said five layer group on the side thereof farthest from the substrate, said sixth layer including a metal oxide having a refractive index in the range from about 1.35 to about 1.9 at a wavelength of about 510 nm and an optical thickness of about one-quarter wavelength at a wavelength between about 480 nm to 560 nm.

18. The coating of claim 17 further including a seventh layer of a metal oxide, said layer having a refractive index in the range from about 1.35 to about 2.65 and an optical thickness less than one eighth wavelength at a wavelength in the range from about 480 nm to 560 nm and said layer adjoining said five layer group on the side thereof closest to said substrate.

19. The coating of claim 17 or 18 wherein at least one layer of metal oxide comprises at least two sublayers having different refractive indices.

20. A coating for an article, comprising:

a first layer comprising a material substantially transparent to visible light and having a refractive index between about 1.35 and 1.9, and an optical thickness of about one-quarter wavelength at a wavelength between about 480 nm and about 560 nm, said first layer being the outermost layer of said coating;

adjoining said first layer a second layer comprising substantially a transition metal nitride and having a thickness between about 5 nm and 40 nm;

a third layer adjoining said second layer and comprising a material substantially transparent to visible light and having a refractive index between about 1.35 and 2.65 and an optical thickness less than or equal to about one-quarter wavelength between about 480 nm and 560 nm; and

adjoining said third layer a fourth layer comprising substantially a transition metal nitride having a thickness between about 5 nm and 40 nm.

21. The coating of claim 20 wherein said transition metal nitride layers comprise substantially a material selected from the group consisting of titanium nitride, zirconium nitride, hafnium nitride, vanadium nitride, niobium nitride, tantalum nitride and chromium nitride.

22. The coating of claim 20 wherein said transition metal nitride layers comprise substantially titanium nitride.

23. The coating of claim 20 further including a fifth layer of a material substantially transparent to visible light, said layer having a refractive index between about 1.35 to about 2.65 and an optical thickness less than one eighth wavelength at a wavelength between about 480 nm and 560 nm and said layer adjoining said fifth layer adjoining said fourth layer.

24. The coating of claim 20 wherein at least one layer of material substantially transparent to visible light comprises at least two sublayers having different refractive indices.

25. A reflection reducing light attenuating coating for an article, comprising:

a first layer including a material substantially transparent to visible light and having a refractive index between about 1.35 and 1.9 and an optical thickness of about one quarter wavelength a between about 480 nm and about 560 nm, said first layer being the outermost layer of said coating;

a second layer including substantially a transition metal nitride and having a thickness between about 5 nm and 40 nm;

a third layer including a material substantially transparent to visible light and having a refractive index between about 1.35 and about 2.65 and an optical thickness less than or equal to about one-quarter wavelength between about 480 nm and about 560 nm;

a fourth layer including substantially a transition metal nitride and having a thickness between about 5 nm and 40 nm;

a fifth layer including a material substantially transparent to visible light and having a refractive index between about 1.35 and about 2.65 and an optical thickness less than or equal to about one-quarter wavelength between about 480 nm and about 560 nm;

a sixth layer including substantially a transition metal nitride and having a thickness between about 5 nm and 40 nm.

26. The coating of claim 25 wherein said transition metal nitride layers comprise substantially a material selected from the group consisting of titanium nitride, zirconium nitride, hafnium nitride, vanadium nitride, niobium nitride, tantalum nitride and chromium nitride.

27. The coating of claim 25 wherein said transition metal nitride layers comprise substantially titanium nitride.

28. The coating of claim 25 wherein at least one layer of material substantially transparent to visible light comprises at least two sublayers having different refractive indices.

29. A coated article, comprising:

a transparent substrate; and

on one surface of said substrate, a coating including a first layer including a material substantially transparent to visible light and having a refractive index between about 1.35 and 1.9 and an optical thickness of about one-quarter wavelength at some wavelength between 480 nm and 560 nm, said first layer being the outermost layer of said coating, a second layer including substantially a transition metal nitride having a thickness between about 5 nm to 40 nm;

adjoining said second layer a third layer including a material substantially transparent to visible light and having a refractive index in the range from about 1.35 to about 2.65 and an optical thickness less than or equal to about one-quarter wavelength at a wavelength between about 480 nm to about 560 nm, a fourth layer including substantially a transition metal nitride and having a thickness in the range from about 5 nm to 40 nm.

30. The article of claim 29 wherein said antireflection coating further includes a fifth layer comprising a material substantially transparent to visible light and having a refractive index between about 1.35 and about 2.65 and an optical thickness less than one eighth wavelength at a wavelength between about 480 nm and about 560 nm, said fifth layer being located between said fourth layer and said substrate.

31. The article of claim 29 further wherein said antireflection coating further includes:

a fifth film, adjacent said fourth film, comprising a material substantially transparent to visible light and having a refractive index between about 1.35 and about 2.65 and an optical thickness less than or equal to about one quarter wavelength at a wavelength in the range from about 480 nm to 560 nm; and

a sixth film, adjacent said fifth film, said sixth film including substantially a transition metal nitride and having a thickness between about 5 nm and 40 nm.

32. The article of claim 29, 30, or 31 further including an antireflection treatment on the surface of said substrate opposite said conductive light attenuating coating.

33. The article of claim 32 wherein said antireflection treatment is a multilayer antireflection coating.

34. The article of claim 33 wherein said multilayer antireflection coating includes a layer adjoining said substrate comprising substantially a transition metal nitride and having a thickness between about 5 nm and 15 nm, and adjoining said nitride layer, a layer of a material substantially transparent to visible light and having a refractive index between about 1.35 and 2.65 and a thickness between about 2 nm and 15 nm.