Abstract: A low-index silica coating may be made by forming a silica precursor having a radiation curable composition including a radiation curable monomer and/or a photoinitiator, and also including a silica sol comprising a silane and/or a colloidal silica. The silica precursor may be deposited on a substrate (e.g., glass substrate or silicon wafer) to form a coating layer. The coating layer may then be cured via exposure to electromagnetic radiation, such as UV radiation. Then, the cured coating layer may be fired using temperature(s) of from about 550 to 700° C., in forming the low-index silica based coating. The low-index silica based coating may be used as an antireflective (AR) film on a front glass substrate of a photovoltaic device (e.g., solar cell) in certain example instances.

Abstract: A low-index silica coating may be made by forming a silica precursor having a radiation curable composition including a radiation curable monomer and/or a photoinitiator, and also including a silica sol comprising a silane and/or a colloidal silica. The silica precursor may be deposited on a substrate (e.g., glass substrate) to form a coating layer. The coating layer may then be cured via exposure to electromagnetic radiation, such as UV radiation. Then, the cured coating layer may be fired using temperature(s) of from about 550 to 700° C., in forming the low-index silica based coating. The low-index silica based coating may be used as an antireflective (AR) film on a front glass substrate of a photovoltaic device (e.g., solar cell) in certain example instances.

Abstract: A method for making a heat treatable coated article including a composite oxide coating with ultraviolet (UV) radiation blocking properties is provided. The composite oxide coating may be formed by applying, then optionally curing, a wet coating solution including a mixture of titanium, ceria, and silica to the substrate over an optional infrared (IR) blocking multi-layer coating (e.g., low-E coating). The ceria, titania, and silica may act as UV blocker(s). An organic polymer top coating may be provided over the composite oxide, where the organic polymer may be formed by exposing a photomonomer and/or photopolymer to radiation (e.g., UV radiation). The coated glass substrate may then be subjected to a high temperature heat treatment step. The coating may be heat and/or crack resistant. The coated article may be effective at blocking IR and/or UV radiation in applications such as window applications.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly including an electrochromic reflective element. A transflective mirror reflector is established at a third surface of a rear substrate of the mirror assembly. The mirror reflector has at least three layers, including a metallic layer, a transparent conductive metal oxide layer and a transparent dielectric metal oxide layer. The metallic layer is closer to the electrochromic medium than the transparent conductive metal oxide layer and the transparent dielectric metal oxide layer, and the transparent conductive metal oxide layer and the transparent dielectric metal oxide layer are disposed between the metallic layer and the third surface of the rear substrate. The at least three layers of the mirror reflector are established at the third surface of the rear substrate by a vacuum deposition process that includes sputtering from multiple sputtering targets in a single vacuum deposition chamber.

Abstract: A method of making an insulating glass (IG) window unit includes: having a coated article including a multi-layered low-E coating on a glass substrate; at least two flexible protective sheets adhered to a top surface of the low-E coating via at least an adhesive layer, and a protective coating over the low-E coating and/or over at least one of the flexible protective sheets in order to substantially fill one or more gaps formed between the low-E coating and the flexible protective sheet(s) and/or between the flexible protective sheets; and following cutting, edge seaming, and/or washing, removing at least part of the temporary protective coating by peeling the protective sheets off and removing at least part of the protective coating when peeling off the protective sheets.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror reflective element includes a front substrate connected with a rear substrate via a perimeter seal, whereby, when so connected, at least a portion of a circumferential outer edge of the rear substrate is inward of a circumferential outer edge of the front substrate and no portion of the rear substrate protrudes beyond the front substrate. A first electrical connection establishes electrical connection at the front substrate and a second electrical connection may establish electrical connection at the rear substrate. An electrically conductive perimeter hiding band is disposed around a border region of the front substrate and substantially hides the seal and the electrical connections from view by a driver normally operating the vehicle and viewing the reflective element when the interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly including an electrochromic reflective element. A transflective mirror reflector is established at a third surface of a rear substrate of the mirror assembly. The mirror reflector has at least three layers, including a metallic layer, a transparent conductive metal oxide layer and a transparent dielectric metal oxide layer. The metallic layer is closer to the electrochromic medium than the transparent conductive metal oxide layer and the transparent dielectric metal oxide layer, and the transparent conductive metal oxide layer and the transparent dielectric metal oxide layer are disposed between the metallic layer and the third surface of the rear substrate. The at least three layers of the mirror reflector are established at the third surface of the rear substrate by a vacuum deposition process that includes sputtering from multiple sputtering targets in a single vacuum deposition chamber.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to robust semi-transparent coatings that are suitable for use in a wide variety of display-on-demand mirror applications, and methods of making the same. In certain example embodiments, a coated article includes a coating supported by a glass substrate. A reflective metal-inclusive layer is formed, directly or indirectly, on the glass substrate. A silicon oxide inclusive layer is formed, directly or indirectly, on the reflective metallic layer. A titanium oxide inclusive layer is formed, directly or indirectly, on the silicon oxide inclusive layer. The metal-inclusive layer is formed so as to reflect incoming light away from the glass substrate such that substantially less incoming light would be reflected away from the glass substrate if lighting were provided on a side of the glass substrate opposite the coating than if no lighting were provided. The surface of the coated article need not necessarily be conductive.

Abstract: An automotive rearview mirror assembly includes an electrochromic reflective element having a transparent electrical conductor disposed at a second surface of a first substrate and a mirror reflector disposed at a third surface of a second substrate. The mirror assembly includes electrochromic mirror dimming circuitry for controlling dimming of the electrochromic medium. The mirror assembly may include one or more features and at least one of the features may share a component with the electrochromic mirror dimming circuitry and/or share circuitry with the electrochromic mirror dimming circuitry. The mirror assembly may include a video camera and/or an on-demand display viewable through the mirror reflector by the driver of the equipped vehicle when displaying information and substantially non-viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle when not displaying information.

Abstract: An electrochromic mirror reflective element suitable for use in a rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes first and second substrates having an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween and bounded by a perimeter seal. A perimeter coating is disposed at a second surface of the first substrate proximate at least a perimeter portion of the first substrate. The perimeter coating generally conceals the perimeter seal from view by a person viewing a first surface of the first substrate and through the first substrate. An at least partially reflective stack of thin films is disposed at least a portion of a third surface of the second substrate. The perimeter seal is at least partially visible to a person viewing a fourth surface of the second substrate and through the second substrate.

Abstract: In certain example embodiments of this invention, there is provided a method of making a window, the method including: forming a multi-layered low-E and/or solar control coating on a glass substrate; providing at least two flexible protective sheets in non-liquid form to the glass substrate over at least part of the low-E and/or solar control coating; applying at least one protective coating in liquid form, before and/or after the flexible protective sheets are provided, so as to reduce one or more gaps formed between the low-E and/or solar control coating and the flexible protective sheet(s) and/or between the flexible protective sheets; and performing one or more of cutting, edge seaming, and/or washing the coated article with the protective coating and protective sheets thereon and peeling the protective sheets and at least part of the protective coating off of the top surface of the low-E and/or solar control coating. Heat treatment (e.g.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror information display system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly including an electrochromic reflective element. A display device is disposed behind a transflective mirror reflector of the reflective element and includes a display screen backlit by a plurality of light emitting diodes supported by a circuit board disposed rearward of the fourth surface of the rear substrate. The light emitting diodes of the circuit board are disposed to the rear of the display screen to provide backlighting of the display screen when activated. Information displayed by the display device is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle. When the plurality of light emitting diodes is activated and the display device is displaying information, light emitted by the plurality of light emitting diodes passes through the display screen and through the transflective mirror reflector for viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

Abstract: A method of forming a mirrored bent cut glass shape includes bending a flat sheet of glass to establish a curved sheet of glass. A machine vision system determines a surface profile of the curved sheet of glass, and a computer numerical controlled cutting tool is positioned at the curved sheet of glass and its cutting wheel is maintained at or close to 90 degrees to the tangential plane of the curved sheet of glass. At least one of (a) the cutting wheel and (b) the curved sheet of glass is controlled in three dimensions to cut a bent cut glass shape from the curved sheet of glass, and such controlling is, at least in part, responsive to the surface profile of the curved sheet of glass. A mirror reflector is established at a surface of the bent cut glass shape to form a mirrored bent cut glass shape.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to the development of temperable UV blocking coatings having enhanced UV blocking efficiency and aesthetic appearance on stock sheets of glass substrates using large-scale wet coating manufacturing methods. A glass substrate is provided. A base coat is curtain coated on the glass substrate from a oxide precursor material including zinc, cerium, titanium, and silicon precursor materials. The base coat is cured. A top coat is roll coated, directly or indirectly, on the base coat, with the top coat being a sacrificial cross-linked organic polymer-based layer. The substrate is heat treated with the base coat and the top coat thereon. The base coat and the top coat are substantially uniform in thickness, and the heat treating removes substantially all of the top coat while causing substantially no cracking in the base coat.

Abstract: An insulating glass (IG) window unit, and/or a method of making the same is/are provided. The IG window unit includes two spaced apart substrates that are separated from one another by at least one seal and/or spacer. One of the substrates supports both a solar management coating for blocking significant amounts of infrared (IR) radiation and a coating for blocking amounts of ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Abstract: A vehicular blind spot indicator mirror includes a transparent glass substrate having a mirror reflector coated onto the substrate. Visible light reflectance by the mirror reflector coated substrate is at least about 40 percent visible light reflectance for visible light incident upon a front side of the mirror reflector coated substrate. A blind spot indicator light display is disposed to the rear of the mirror reflector coated substrate and emits visible light upon a detection by a blind spot detector. Light emitted by the display passes through the transparent glass substrate to be viewed by a viewer viewing from the front side of the substrate. The display is operable, when electrically powered and when operated in the vehicle during day time driving conditions, to exhibit a display luminance of at least about 60 foot lamberts as measured with the display placed behind, and emitting light through, the transparent glass substrate.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror information display system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly including an electrochromic reflective element. A display device is disposed behind a transflective mirror reflector of the reflective element and includes a display screen backlit by a plurality of light emitting diodes supported by a circuit board disposed rearward of the fourth surface of the rear substrate. The light emitting diodes of the circuit board are disposed to the rear of the display screen to provide backlighting of the display screen when activated. Information displayed by the display device is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle. When the plurality of light emitting diodes is activated and the display device is displaying information, light emitted by the plurality of light emitting diodes passes through the display screen and through the transflective mirror reflector for viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle.

Abstract: Methods for making multi-layered anti-reflective coatings are disclosed. Un-solgel precursor compositions may be prepared having inorganic oxide precursors and UV curable acrylic monomer mixtures, deposited on a substrate, and subsequently the coated substrate may be cured by exposure to electromagnetic radiation, such as UV radiation. The coating layers may be heated using a temperature sufficient to burn off organic content and form a multi-layer anti-reflective coating. Substrates comprising such coatings and photovoltaic devices comprising such substrates and coatings are also disclosed.

Abstract: A diffuser is provided in an illumination system, where the diffuser is capable of blocking significant amounts of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. In certain example embodiments of this invention, the diffuser includes a glass substrate which supports a UV coating(s) that blocks significant amounts of UV radiation thereby reducing the amount of UV radiation which can makes its way through the diffuser. In certain example embodiments, the coating may including particulate so that the coating may both diffuse visible light and perform UV blocking.

Abstract: A method of forming a mirrored bent cut glass shape includes bending a flat sheet of glass to establish a curved sheet of glass. A machine vision system determines a surface profile of the curved sheet of glass, and a computer numerical controlled cutting tool is positioned at the curved sheet of glass and its cutting wheel is maintained at or close to 90 degrees to the tangential plane of the curved sheet of glass. At least one of (a) the cutting wheel and (b) the curved sheet of glass is controlled in three dimensions to cut a bent cut glass shape from the curved sheet of glass, and such controlling is, at least in part, responsive to the surface profile of the curved sheet of glass. A mirror reflector is established at a surface of the bent cut glass shape to form a mirrored bent cut glass shape.