Coated article with improved barrier layer structure and method of making the same

• US 6,802,943 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2003
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guardian Industries Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stachowiak, Grzegorz
• Primary Examiner(s): VERSTEEG, STEVEN H
• Application Number:
  US10/404,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20030194488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 204/192.12, 204/192.15, 204/192.22
• US Class Current: 204/192.22
• 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 17/3626 one layer at least containing a nitride, oxynitride, boronitride or carbonitride
• 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 14/0036 Reactive sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/024 Deposition of sublayers, e.g. to promote adhesion of the coating C23C14/027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/0652 Silicon nitride
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/085 of iron group metals
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/185 by cathodic sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12847 Cr-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12854 Next to Co-, Fe-, or Ni-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12896 Ag-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12944 Ni-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24975 No layer or component greater than 5 mils thick
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31504 : Composite [nonstructural laminate]

Abstract

A coated article, and a corresponding method of making the same are provided. The coated article includes a coating supported by a substrate, the coating including a thin metal or metal nitride contact layer (e.g., NiCr, Ni, Cr, CrN_x or NiCrN_x) located directly between and contacting an infrared (IR) reflecting layer (e.g., Ag) and an oxide barrier layer (e.g., NiCrO_x).

Claims

1. A method of making a coated article, the method comprising:

providing a glass substrate;

depositing a first dielectric layer so as to be supported by the substrate;

depositing an Ag layer on the substrate over the first dielectric layer;

depositing, using a first sputtering target, a metal or metal nitride contact layer on the substrate directly over and in contact with the Ag layer;

depositing, using a second sputtering target different than the first sputtering target, a layer comprising an oxide of NiCr on the substrate directly over and in contact with the metal or metal nitride contact layer; and

depositing another dielectric layer on the substrate over the layer comprising the oxide of NiCr.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact layer comprises a metal nitride, and the method further comprises using oxygen gas in depositing the layer comprising the oxide of NiCr, and using nitrogen gas in depositing the contact layer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the layers claimed is deposited via sputtering.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact layer comprises at least one of NiCr and a nitride of Cr.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the layers are deposited to respective thicknesses and in a manner so that the resulting coated article is characterized by a visible transmission of at least 70% and a sheet resistance (R_s) of no greater than 20 ohms/sq.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said metal or metal nitride layer deposited using said first sputtering target is metallic and comprises Ni.

7. A method of making a coated article comprising:

providing a glass substrate;

sputtering a first metal oxide inclusive layer on the glass substrate;

sputtering a layer comprising silver on the substrate over at least the first metal oxide inclusive layer;

using a first target, sputtering a layer comprising Ni on the substrate directly over and contacting the layer comprising silver;

using a second target, sputtering a layer comprising an oxide of NiCr over and contacting the layer comprising Ni, so that the layer comprising Ni and the layer comprising an oxide of NiCr are sputtered using different targets; and

sputtering a second dielectric layer on the substrate over at least the layer comprising an oxide of NiCr.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the layer comprising Ni is more metallic than said layer comprising an oxide of NiCr.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising heat treating the coated article.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said layer comprising Ni consists essentially of Ni.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein a contact layer is provided between the first metal oxide inclusive layer and the layer comprising silver.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said first metal oxide inclusive layer comprises titanium oxide.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the layer comprising an oxide of NiCr is more metallic at a location closer to the layer comprising silver than at another location further from the layer comprising silver.

14. A method of making a coated article comprising:

providing a glass substrate;

sputtering a first dielectric layer on the glass substrate;

sputtering a layer comprising silver on the substrate over at least the first dielectric layer;

using a first target, sputtering a layer comprising Ni on the substrate directly over and contacting the layer comprising silver;

using a second target, sputtering a layer comprising an oxide of NiCr over and contacting the layer comprising Ni, so that the layer comprising Ni and the layer comprising an oxide of NiCr are sputtered using different targets; and

sputtering a second dielectric layer on the substrate over at least the layer comprising an oxide of NiCr.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the layer comprising Ni is more metallic than said layer comprising an oxide of NiCr.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising heat treating the coated article.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said layer comprising Ni consists essentially of Ni.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein a contact layer is provided between the first dielectric layer and the layer comprising silver.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said first dielectric layer comprises silicon nitride or titanium oxide.

20. A method of making a coated article, the method comprising:

providing a glass substrate;

depositing a first layer so as to be supported by the substrate;

depositing a layer comprising silver on the substrate over at least the first layer;

depositing, using a first sputtering target, a metal inclusive contact layer on the substrate directly over and in contact with the layer comprising silver;

depositing, using a second sputtering target different than the first sputtering target, a layer comprising an oxide of NiCr on the substrate directly over and in contact with the metal inclusive contact layer;

depositing at least one additional layer on the substrate over the layer comprising an oxide of NiCr; and

wherein the metal inclusive contact layer is more metallic than is said layer comprising an oxide of NiCr.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said metal inclusive contact layer is either metallic or a metal nitride.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said metal inclusive contact layer comprises nickel.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein each of said first and second sputtering targets comprise nickel.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said first layer comprises silicon nitride.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein said layer comprising an oxide of NiCr is more metallic at a first location closer to said metal inclusive contact layer than at a second location further from said metal inclusive contact layer.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein said metal inclusive contact layer is less oxidized than is said layer comprising an oxide of NiCr.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising heat treating the coated article.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein said contact layer comprises a metal nitride.