Coated article with low-E coating including IR reflecting layer(s) and corresponding method

• US 8,142,622 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2007
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique SA, Guardian Industries Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Thomsen, Scott V., Muller, Jens-Peter, Lemmer, Jean-Marc, Ferreira, Jose
• Primary Examiner(s): Hendricks, Keith
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRAYTON, JOHN JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US11/700,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20070128451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,881 Days
• Field of Search: 204/192.22, 204/192.26
• US Class Current: 204/192.26
• 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

Abstract

A coated article is provided with a low-emissivity (low-E) layer stack for use in a window unit or the like. The layer stack, or coating, may permit the coated article to achieve one or more of a low solar factor (SF) value, a high selectivity (T_vis/SF) value, substantially neutral color at normal and/or off-axis viewing angles, and/or low emissivity. When high selectivity values are achieved, there is provided a high ratio of visible transmission to SF, which is a desirable feature in certain example instances. In certain example embodiments, a sub-oxide layer (e.g., NiCrO_x) may be used as a contact layer under an infrared (IR) reflecting layer in order to permit low SF values, high selectivity, and good coloration to be achieved.

Claims

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

a) providing a glass substrate;

b) forming a first contact layer comprising an oxide of at least one metal on the glass substrate;

c) forming a layer comprising silver on and in contact with the first contact layer;

d) forming a second contact layer comprising an oxide of at least one metal on and in contact with the layer comprising silver; and

e) wherein steps b) and d) are performed so that the first contact layer is deposited in a manner so as to be less oxided than the second contact layer as deposited and so that the resulting coated article has a selectivity of at least 1.75, and wherein the first contact layer comprises an oxide of NiCr and is located between and directly contacting the layer comprising silver and a layer comprising zinc oxide.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said forming steps comprises sputtering at least one target.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein steps b) and d) are performed so that the resulting coated article has a selectivity of at least 1.80.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein steps b) and d) are performed so that the resulting coated article has a selectivity of at least 1.85.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein steps b) and d) are performed so that the resulting coated article has a SF of no greater than 27.5.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein steps b) and d) are performed so that the resulting coated article has a SF of no greater than 27.0.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the coated article comprises only two IR reflecting layers.