Transparent coatings by reactive sputtering
First Claim
1. A method for depositing a coating and a protective overcoating on a substrate comprising:
- depositing a coating on the substrate;
preparing a sputtering target of an alloy comprising aluminum and sufficient silicon to produce an amorphous overcoating;
placing the target and the coated substrate in an evacuated chamber; and
sputtering the target in an atmosphere comprising a gas having components which react with aluminum and silicon so as to form a transparent amorphous dielectric overcoating containing reaction products of aluminum and silicon.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for depositing a protective coating by cathode sputtering of an alloy of aluminum and silicon in a reactive gas is disclosed. The sputtering target contains sufficient silicon to produce an amorphous coating; 6 to 18 percent silicon is preferred. Targets of approximately 88% aluminum and 12% silicon are especially preferred. Oxygen, nitrogen, compounds of oxygen and compounds of nitrogen are preferred reactive gases. A range of combinations of oxygen and nitrogen are particularly preferred. The method provides durable transparent coatings which may be used as an overcoating for a metal or dielectric coating to provide increased resistance to abrasion and corrosion. In particular, the protected coating may be a metal, dielectric or dielectric-metal-dielectric coating as used in double-glazed window units for buildings or vehicles.
111 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for depositing a coating and a protective overcoating on a substrate comprising:
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depositing a coating on the substrate; preparing a sputtering target of an alloy comprising aluminum and sufficient silicon to produce an amorphous overcoating; placing the target and the coated substrate in an evacuated chamber; and sputtering the target in an atmosphere comprising a gas having components which react with aluminum and silicon so as to form a transparent amorphous dielectric overcoating containing reaction products of aluminum and silicon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for depositing a transparent coating on a substrate comprising:
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preparing a sputtering target of an alloy comprising aluminum and 6 to 18 percent silicon; placing the target and the substrate in an evacuated chamber; sputtering the target in an atmosphere comprising a gas having components which react with aluminum and silicon so as to form an amorphous dielectric coating containing reaction products of aluminum and silicon. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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- 12. A coated article comprising a substrate, a coating on the substrate, and a protective overcoating on the coating where the overcoating comprises an amorphous dielectric layer of reaction products formed by sputtering a target in a reactive gas wherein the target is an alloy comprising aluminum and silicon.
- 19. A coated article comprising a substrate and an amorphous dielectric coating of reaction products formed by sputtering a target comprising an alloy of aluminum and 6 to 18 percent silicon in a reactive gas.
Specification