Mirror having reflective layer of or including silicon aluminum

• US 9,134,466 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guardian do Brasil Vidros Planos Ltda. (Interguard Holding Corp.), Guardian Industries Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kreling, Afonso, Lingle, Philip J., Lemmer, Jean-Marc, Den Boer, Willem, Krasnov, Alexey, Ramos Torres, Fabiola, Baillo Abreu, Juan
• Primary Examiner(s): CHERRY, EUNCHA P
• Application Number:
  US13/770,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20140233119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 359/849, 359/838, 359/839, 359/871, 359/604
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0808 having a single reflecting layer G02B5/0883, G02B5/0891 take precedence

Abstract

Embodiments relate to mirrors having a reflective layer of or including silicon aluminum (e.g., SiAl). The mirrors may be first surface mirrors, or second surface mirrors. The mirrors may be flat or bent in different instances, and may or may not be heat treated. In certain example instances, such mirrors may be used in interior residential, commercial, appliance, and/or other applications.

Claims

1. A mirror, comprising:

a glass substrate;

a metallic or substantially metallic reflective layer comprising silicon aluminum provided on the glass substrate;

wherein the layer comprising silicon aluminum comprises, on a weight basis, from 70-99.98% silicon and from 0.02-30% aluminum; and

at least one protective layer comprising silicon nitride provided on the glass substrate over the layer comprising silicon aluminum.

2. The mirror of claim 1, wherein the layer comprising silicon aluminum consists essentially of silicon aluminum.

3. The mirror of claim 1, wherein the layer comprising silicon aluminum comprises, on a weight basis, from 75-99% silicon and from 1-25% aluminum.

4. The mirror of claim 1, wherein the layer comprising silicon aluminum comprises, on a weight basis, from 85-98% silicon and from 2-15% aluminum.

5. The mirror of claim 1, wherein the mirror contains no layer on the glass substrate over the layer comprising silicon aluminum.

6. The mirror of claim 1, wherein the layer comprising silicon aluminum is from 100-500 Å

thick.

7. The mirror of claim 1, wherein the layer comprising silicon aluminum is from 130-300 Å

thick.

8. The mirror of claim 1, wherein the mirror and/or the layer comprising silicon aluminum has a visible transmission of from about 10-36%.

9. The mirror of claim 1, wherein the mirror and/or the layer comprising silicon aluminum has a visible transmission of from about 12-32%.

10. The mirror of claim 1, wherein the layer comprising silicon aluminum has a visible reflectance of from about 40-75%.

11. The mirror of claim 1, wherein the layer comprising silicon aluminum is in direct contact with the glass substrate.

12. The mirror of claim 1, wherein the layer comprising silicon aluminum is a sputter-deposited layer.

13. The mirror of claim 1, wherein the mirror is a first surface mirror.

14. The mirror of claim 1, wherein the mirror is a second surface mirror.

15. The mirror of claim 1, further comprising a dielectric layer located between the glass substrate and the metallic or substantially metallic reflective layer comprising silicon aluminum.

16. The mirror of claim 15, wherein the dielectric layer comprises silicon nitride.