Multilayer absorbing antireflective coating

• US 6,111,698 A
• Filed: 03/04/1999
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Southwall Technologies, Inc. (Eastman Chemical Company)
• Original Assignee: Southwall Technologies, Inc. (Eastman Chemical Company)
• Inventors: Bright, Clark I., Woodard, Floyd Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): HENRY, JON W
• Application Number:
  US09/262,602
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 359/585, 359/588, 359/589, 359/582, 359/580, 359/590, 427/164-168
• US Class Current: 359/585
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/116 including electrically conducting layers

Abstract

A reflection control member includes a multilayer stack that is adhered to a substrate using a primer layer to promote adhesion. The multilayer stack includes pairs of layers in which the first layer is a grey metal and the second layer is a substantially transparent material. In the preferred embodiment, the grey metal is nickel chromium and the transparent layer is a silicon oxide. For each pair of layers, the grey metal is nearer to the surface of the substrate for which antireflection is a concern. The primer layer has a thickness of less than 50 angstroms. Although the primer layer is deposited in an essentially oxygen-free environment, it may oxidize following deposition.

Claims

1. A reflection control member comprising:

a substrate having a first surface;

a multi-layer antireflective coating on said substrate, said antireflective coating including;

a first layer formed of a nickel chromium alloy, said first layer being adjacent to said first surface of said substrate;

a second layer on said first layer, said second layer being a silicon oxide;

a third layer on said second layer, said third layer being a nickel chromium layer; and

a fourth layer on said third layer, said fourth layer being a silicon oxide; and

a primer layer between said substrate and said antireflection coating to promote adhesion of said antireflection coating, said primer layer having a thickness of less than 50 angstroms and being formed of a material which is susceptible to at least partial oxidation when exposed to oxygen.

2. The reflection control member of claim 1 wherein said primer layer is deposited as silicon in an environment generally free of oxygen.

3. The reflection control member of claim 1 further comprising a hardcoat layer sandwiched between said substrate and said primer layer.

4. The reflection control member of claim 3 wherein said hardcoat layer is a siloxane-based material.

5. The reflection control member of claim 1 wherein said first layer has a thickness in the range of 0.5 nm to 30 nm and said third layer has a thickness that is selected to achieve a visible light transmissivity (Tvis) of said anti-reflective coating in the range of 20 percent to 80 percent.

6. The reflection control member of claim 1 wherein said first layer has a thickness in the range of 1 nm to 15 nm and said third layer has a thickness that is selected to achieve a Tvis of said antireflective coating in the range of 30 percent to 60 percent.

7. The reflection control member of claim 1 wherein said second and fourth layers are silicon dioxide, each having a thickness within the range of 50 nm to 200 nm.

8. A reflection control member comprising:

a transparent substrate;

a primer layer having a thickness of less than 50 angstroms, said primer layer being formed of a material selected to promote adhesion of a grey metal layer;

a first nickel chromium alloy layer formed on a side of said substrate in contact with said primer layer;

a first transparent silicon oxide layer in contact with said first nickel chromium alloy layer;

a second nickel chromium alloy layer in contact with said first transparent silicon oxide layer; and

a second transparent silicon oxide layer in contact with said second nickel chromium alloy layer.

9. The reflection control member of claim 8 wherein said primer layer is formed of a silicon which is susceptible to oxidation following deposition.

10. The reflection control member of claim 9 further comprising a hardcoat layer between said primer layer and said substrate to enhance durability of said substrate.

11. The reflection control member of claim 8 wherein each said first and second nickel chromium alloy layer has a thickness in the range of 50 nm to 200 nm.

12. The reflection control member of claim 9 further comprising a lubricating layer formed on a side of said second transparent silicon oxide layer opposite to said substrate.

13. A method of fabricating a reflection control member comprising steps of:

providing a transparent substrate;

forming a primer layer on said substrate including depositing silicon in an environment that is generally free of oxidation;

forming a first nickel chromium layer on said primer layer;

forming a first transparent layer on said first nickel chromium layer;

forming a second nickel chromium layer on said first transparent layer; and

forming a second transparent layer on said second nickel chromium layer, said reflection control member having a Tvis in the range of 20 percent to 80 percent.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein:

said step of forming said first nickel chromium layer includes sputter depositing material to a thickness in the range of 0.5 nm to 30 nm; and

said step of forming said second nickel chromium layer includes sputter depositing material to a thickness selected to achieve a Tvis of said reflection control member in the range of 20 percent to 80 percent.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said step of forming said primer layer further includes depositing said silicon to a thickness less than 50 angstroms.

16. A method of fabricating a reflection control member comprising steps of:

providing a transparent substrate;

forming a primer layer on said substrate;

sputter depositing a first nickel chromium layer on said primer layer to a thickness in the range of 0.5 nm to 30 nm;

forming a first transparent layer on said first nickel chromium layer to a thickness in the range of 50 nm to 200 nm;

sputter depositing a second nickel chromium layer on said first transparent layer to a thickness in the range of 0.5 nm to 30 nm; and

forming a second transparent layer on said second nickel chromium layer to a thickness in the range of 50 nm to 200 nm, said step of sputter depositing said second nickel chromium layer including depositing material to a thickness selected such that said reflection control member has a Tvis in the range of 20 percent to 80 percent.