UV absorbing/reflecting silver oxide layer, and method of making same

• US 6,596,399 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2000
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guardian Industries Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Veerasamy, Vijayen S.
• Primary Examiner(s): TURNER, ARCHENE A
• Application Number:
  US09/728,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20020068167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 428/472, 428/469, 428/701, 428/702, 428/408, 428/704, 428/432, 428/698, 428/697, 428/699
• US Class Current: 428/432
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/0052 Bombardment of substrates by reactive ion beams
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/08 Oxides C23C14/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/273 of coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/30 Self-sustaining carbon mass or layer with impregnant or other layer

Abstract

A silver oxide layer capable of absorbing and/or reflecting significant amounts of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and a method of making the same. An ion beam including oxygen ions is utilized to densify silver material and transform it into a silver oxide inclusive layer. Due to the densification caused by the bombardment of oxygen ions, the resulting silver oxide layer is capable of absorbing and/or reflecting significant amounts of UV radiation. Such silver oxide layers may be utilized in the context of any suitable coating system where UV absorption and/or reflection is desired.

Claims

1. A coated article capable of reflecting or absorbing significant amounts of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, the coated article comprising:

a substrate;

a silver oxide inclusive layer provided on said substrate; and

wherein said silver oxide inclusive layer has a density of at least about 5.0 grams per cubic centimeter (gms/cm³) and is at least about 80% oxidized so that significant amounts of UV radiation can be reflected and/or absorbed.

2. The coated article of claim 1, wherein the silver oxide inclusive layer has a density of at least about 6.0 gms/cm³, and wherein the silver oxide is at least about 90% oxidized.

3. The coated article of claim 2, wherein the silver oxide inclusive layer has a density of at least about 7.0 gms/cm³.

4. The coated article of claim 1, further comprising at least one dielectric layer located between the substrate and the silver oxide inclusive layer.

5. The coated article of claim 4, wherein said dielectric layer comprises at least one of:

tin oxide, zinc oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, titanium oxide, boron nitride, silicon oxynitride, zinc stannate, and diamond like carbon.

6. The coated article of claim 5, further comprising a first intermediate layer located between the dielectric layer and the silver oxide inclusive layer.

7. The coated article of claim 1, further comprising a dielectric layer provided on the substrate over the silver oxide layer, wherein the dielectric layer comprises at least one of:

tin oxide, zinc oxide, zinc stannate, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, titanium oxide, boron nitride, and diamond like carbon.

8. The coated article of claim 1, wherein said silver oxide inclusive layer is a fully oxidized AgO layer.

9. The coated article of claim 1, wherein the silver oxide inclusive layer comprises AgO_x, where x is from 0.8 to 1.2.

10. A coated article capable of reflecting and/or absorbing significant amounts of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, the coated article comprising:

a substrate;

a layer comprising silver oxide supported by the substrate; and

wherein the layer comprising silver oxide has a density of at least about 5.0 grams per cubic centimeter (gms/cm³) and is at least about 70% oxidized.

11. The coated article of claim 10, further comprising a dielectric layer between the layer comprising silver oxide and the substrate, and another dielectric layer provided over the layer comprising silver oxide.

12. The coated article of claim 10, wherein the substrate comprises glass.

13. The coated article of claim 10, wherein the layer comprising silver oxide is at least about 80% oxidized.

14. The coated article of claim 10, wherein the layer comprising silver oxide is at least about 90% oxidized.

15. The coated article of claim 10, wherein the layer comprising silver oxide comprises AgO_x, where x is from 0.8 to 1.2.

16. A coated article capable of reflecting and/or absorbing significant amounts of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, the coated article comprising:

a substrate;

a layer comprising silver oxide supported by the substrate; and

wherein the layer comprising silver oxide has a density of at least about 5.0 grams per cubic centimeter (gms/cm³) and can reflect and/or absorb significant amounts of UV radiation.