Anti-reflection coating with transparent surface conductive layer

• US 6,586,101 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2001
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Vacuum Coating Technologies Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Applied Vacuum Coating Technologies Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Chu, Jau-Jier
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Deborah
• Assistant Examiner(s): SPERTY, ARDEN B
• Application Number:
  US09/836,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20020182393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 428/216, 428/332, 428/336, 428/426, 428/432, 428/698, 428/704, 428/701, 428/702, 359/580, 359/581, 359/582, 359/585, 359/586, 359/587, 359/588, 359/589, 359/590, 359/591
• US Class Current: 428/432
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/116 including electrically conducting layers
• 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

Abstract

An anti-reflection coating layer system is composed of 4 oxide layers. The material of surface layer is a transparent conductive coating and has a high refractive index between 1.9 to 2.1. The materials used for the surface layer are a transparent conductive coating such as SnO₂, ZnO₂, In₂O₃, and ITO.

Claims

1. An anti-reflection conductive coating applied to a substrate comprising four layers designated as first, second, third, and fourth layers in consecutive numerical order beginning with the layer farthest from the substrate;

said first layer overlaying the second layer to form a surface layer and comprising a transparent conductive oxide material having a high refraction index substantially greater than 1.50, the first layer having a physical thickness of 10-40 nm;

said second layer overlaying the third layer and comprising an oxide material having a low refraction index substantially less than said high refraction index of said first layer, the second layer having a physical thickness of 30-60 nm;

said third layer overlaying the fourth layer and comprising an oxide material having a high refraction index substantially greater than 1.50, the third layer having a physical thickness of 30-80 nm;

said fourth layer overlaying a front surface of the substrate and comprising oxide material having high refraction index substantially greater than 1.50, the fourth layer having a physical thickness of 40-80 nm.

2. The anti-reflection conductive coating of claim 1, where said substrate is plastic.

3. The anti-reflection conductive coating of claim 1, where said substrate is glass.

5. An anti-reflection conductive coating of claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises an oxide material selected from the group consisting of:

ITO, SnO₂, ZnO, In₂O₃, a combination of SnO₂ and F, a combination of SnO₂ and Sb, a combination of ZnO, and Al, a combination of In₂O₃ and ZnO, a combination of SnO₂ and ZnO, and a combination of In₂O₃ and MgO.

7. An anti-reflection conductive coating of claim 1, wherein said third layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:

ITO, Ta₂O₅, a Niobium oxide, a Titanium Oxide, and mixtures of these oxides.

9. The anti-reflection conductive coating of claim 1, wherein said first layer is composed of an oxide material with a refractive index between 1.9 and 2.1;

said second layer is composed of an oxide material with a refractive index between 1.46 and 1.5;

said third layer is composed of an oxide material with a refractive index between 2.1 and 2.3;

said fourth layer is composed of an oxide material with a refractive index between 1.90 and 2.1.

10. The anti-reflection conductive coating of claim 1, wherein said four layers are formed by an evaporation or sputtering process in a batch or in-line vacuum system.

11. A touch sensor comprising the anti-reflection conducting coating of claim 1.

4. An anti-reflection conductive coating applied to a substrate comprising four layers designated as first, second, third, and fourth layers in consecutive numerical order beginning with the layer farthest from the substrate;

said first layer overlaying the second layer to form a surface layer and comprising a transparent conductive oxide material having a high refraction index substantially greater than 1.50, the first layer having a physical thickness of 10-40 nm;

said second layer overlaying the third layer and comprising an oxide material having a low refraction index substantially less than said high refraction index of said first layer, the second layer having a physical thickness of 30-60 nm;

said third layer overlaying the fourth layer and comprising an oxide material having a high refraction index substantially greater than 1.50, the third layer having a physical thickness of 30-80 nm;

said fourth layer overlaying a front surface of the substrate and comprising oxide material having high refraction index substantially greater than 1.50, the fourth layer having a physical thickness of 40-80 nm.

wherein said first layer is ITO, said second layer is SiO₂, said third layer is a Niobium oxide and said fourth layer is a Silicon-Oxygen compound of Niobium.

6. An anti-reflection conductive coating applied to a substrate comprising four layers designated as first, second, third, and fourth layers in consecutive numerical order beginning with the layer farthest from the substrate;

said first layer overlaying the second layer to form a surface layer and comprising a transparent conductive oxide material having a high refraction index substantially greater than 1.50, the first layer having a physical thickness of 10-40 nm;

said second layer overlaying the third layer and comprising an oxide material having a low refraction index substantially less than said high refraction index of said first layer, the second layer having a physical thickness of 30-60 nm;

said third layer overlaying the fourth layer and comprising an oxide material having a high refraction index substantially greater than 1.50, the third layer having a physical thickness of 30-80 nm;

said fourth layer overlaying a front surface of the substrate and comprising oxide material having high refraction index substantially greater than 1.50, the fourth layer having a physical thickness of 40-80 nm.

wherein said second layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of;

SiO₂ and SiAlO₂.

8. An anti-reflection conductive coating applied to a substrate comprising four layers designated as first, second, third, and fourth layers in consecutive numerical order beginning with the layer farthest from the substrate;

said first layer overlaying the second layer to form a surface layer and comprising a transparent conductive oxide material having a high refraction index substantially greater than 1.50, the first layer having a physical thickness of 10-40 nm;

said second layer overlaying the third layer and comprising an oxide material having a low refraction index substantially less than said high refraction index of said first layer, the second layer having a physical thickness of 30-60 nm;

said third layer overlaying the fourth layer and comprising an oxide material having a high refraction index substantially greater than 1.50, the third layer having a physical thickness of 30-80 nm;

said fourth layer overlaying a front surface of the substrate and comprising oxide material having high refraction index substantially greater than 1.50, the fourth layer having a physical thickness of 40-80 nm.

wherein said fourth layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of;

a Tantalum-Silicon oxide, a Niobium oxide, a Titanium-Silicon oxide, and Indium-Silicon oxide, a Tin-Silicon oxide, and mixtures of these oxides.