Abstract: Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to a photovoltaic (PV) device including an electrode such as a front electrode/contact, and a method of making the same. In certain example embodiments, the front electrode has a textured (e.g., etched) surface that faces the photovoltaic semiconductor film of the PV device. The front electrode has a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) film having first and second layers (continuous or discontinuous) of the same material (e.g., zinc oxide, zinc aluminum oxide, indium-tin-oxide, or tin oxide), where the first TCO layer is sputter-deposited using a ceramic sputtering target(s) and the second TCO layer of the same material is sputter-deposited using a metallic or substantially metallic sputtering target(s). This allows the better quality TCO of the film, deposited more slowly via the ceramic target(s), to be formed using the ceramic target and the lesser quality TCO of the film to be deposited more quickly and cost effectively via the metallic target(s).

Abstract: A high transmittance fairly clear/neutral colored glass composition is provided. An oxidizing agent(s) such as cerium oxide (e.g., CeO2) or the like is added to the glass batch in order to realize very oxidized conditions (i.e., to significantly lower the redox of the resulting glass). As a result of the oxidizing agent(s) used in the batch, the iron is oxidized to a very low FeO (ferrous state) content. For example, this may result in a glass having a glass redox value of no greater than 0.12 (more preferably <=0.10; even more preferably <=0.08; and most preferably <=0.05) and a % FeO (i.e., ferrous content) of from 0.0001 to 0.05%. In certain example embodiments, in order to compensate for yellow or yellow-green coloration a small amount of cobalt (Co) may be provided in the glass to enable it to realize a more neutral color.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to a draw-off coating apparatus and/or system for depositing a coating on a substrate (e.g., a glass substrate), and/or a method of making coating articles using the same. At least one substrate to be coated is inserted into a tank. A liquid or sol-gel like mixture (either or both of which may have a low viscosity) is pumped into the tank in a controlled manner. The at least one substrate is allowed to dwell in the mixture. The liquid or sol-gel like mixture is drawn-off of the tank in another controlled manner. The drawn-off liquid or sol-gel like mixture may be provided to another tank having at least one substrate to be coated. Thus, it is possible in certain example embodiments to form coatings on large-dimension glass substrates, while enabling desired coating performance on one or both surfaces of the glass substrates to be achieved.

Abstract: A grey glass composition employing in its colorant portion, in certain example embodiments, iron, cobalt, nickel, and at least one of erbium and titanium. The use of erbium and/or titanium has been found to improve coloration of the grey glass, and improve tunability of the same. In certain example embodiments, the ratio of cobalt oxide to nickel oxide is from 0.22 to 0.30 in order to achieve desired coloration in certain example embodiments.

Abstract: Glass is provided so as to have high visible transmission and/or fairly clear or neutral color. In certain example embodiments, the glass may include a base glass (e.g., soda lime silica base glass) and, in addition, by weight percentage, from 0.01 to 0.30% total iron (expressed as Fe2O3). The glass may be made using a batch redox of at least +7.5.

Abstract: A method of making an oven door, or other coated article, is provided so as to have a color suppression coating on a substrate such as a glass substrate. Flame pyrolysis (or combustion CVD) is used in depositing at least part of a color suppression coating. For example, in an example embodiment of this invention, flame pyrolysis can be used to deposit a single SnO2 layer from suitable Sn inclusive precursor(s), or alternatively a multi-layer coating may be formed at least partially using flame pyrolysis. In another example embodiment, the coating may include a base layer of silicon oxide formed using flame pyrolysis, and another layer of tin oxide formed in any suitable manner over the base layer of silicon oxide.

Abstract: A high transmission and low iron glass is provided for use in a photovoltaic device such as a solar cell. The glass substrate may be patterned on at least one surface thereof. In certain example embodiments, a combination of lithium oxide, antimony oxide, and salt cake is used in the glass to improve the refining conditions by lowering the melting temperature of the batch, thereby resulting in a quicker seed free time in the manufacturing process.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to a high transmission low iron glass, which is highly oxidized and made using the float process, for use in photovoltaic devices such as solar cells or the like. In certain example embodiments, the glass composition used for the glass is made via the float process using an extremely high and positive batch redox in order to reduce % FeO to a low level and permit the glass to consistently realize a combination of high visible transmission (Lta or Tvis), high infrared (IR) transmission, and high total solar (TS) transmission. The glass substrate may be patterned or not patterned in different example embodiments of this invention.

Abstract: Glass is provided so as to have high visible transmission and/or fairly clear or neutral color. In certain example embodiments, the glass includes a low amount of iron coupled with erbium (Er, including an oxide thereof) designed to provide a neutral color and high transmittance. In certain example embodiments, the amount of SO3 in the glass composition is increased in order to provide increased visible transmission, without sacrificing neutral color. The glass may optionally include a small amount of cobalt (Co, including an oxide thereof) in certain example instances.

Abstract: Glass is provided so as to have high visible transmission and/or fairly clear or neutral color. In certain example embodiments, the clear glass includes a low amount of iron coupled with zinc oxide and/or erbium oxide in amounts designed to provide a neutral color. While the erbium oxide is used to provide for neutral color, the zinc oxide binds sulfur into whitish-colored zinc sulfide thereby reducing the amount of sulfur that binds/bonds with iron in the glass to form sulfides of iron which is/are brownish in color. Thus, the use of the zinc oxide helps make the glass more neutral in color. In certain example embodiments, the use of the erbium oxide brings the a* color value of the resulting glass closer to zero, whereas the use of the zinc oxide brings the b* value of the resulting glass closer to zero.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to a high transmission low iron glass, which is highly oxidized and made using the float process, for use in photovoltaic devices such as solar cells or the like. In certain example embodiments, the glass composition used for the glass is made via the float process using an extremely high and positive batch redox in order to reduce % FeO to a low level and permit the glass to consistently realize a combination of high visible transmission (Lta or Tvis), high infrared (IR) transmission, and high total solar (TS) transmission. The glass substrate may be patterned or not patterned in different example embodiments of this invention.

Abstract: A grey glass composition is suitable for architectural and/or vehicle window applications. The grey glass may achieve a combination of good visible transmission, a low SHGC, and desirable coloration. In certain example embodiments, the grey glass includes iron, erbium (Er), neodymium (Nd) and/or praseodymium (Pr) in the colorant portion of the glass.

Abstract: A high transmittance fairly clear/neutral colored glass composition is provided. An oxidizing agent(s) such as cerium oxide (e.g., CeO2) or the like is added to the glass batch in order to realize very oxidized conditions (i.e., to significantly lower the redox of the resulting glass). As a result of the oxidizing agent(s) used in the batch, the iron is oxidized to a very low FeO (ferrous state) content. For example, this may result in a glass having a glass redox value of no greater than 0.12 (more preferably <=0.10; even more preferably <=0.08; and most preferably <=0.05) and a % FeO (i.e., ferrous content) of from 0.0001 to 0.05%. In certain example embodiments, in order to compensate for yellow or yellow-green coloration a small amount of cobalt (Co) may be provided in the glass to enable it to realize a more neutral color.

Abstract: A low-index silica coating may be made by forming silica sol including 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 and/or fired using temperature(s) of from about 550 to 700° C. A barrier undercoating including a metal oxide, such as, silica, alumina, titania, zirconia, and/or an oxynitride of silica may be deposited between the coating layer and substrate. Preferably, the barrier undercoating does not substantially affect the percent transmission or reflection of the low-index silica 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) or any other suitable application in certain example instances.

Abstract: A coated article is provided which may be heat treated (e.g., thermally tempered) and/or heat bent in certain example instances. In certain example embodiments, an interlayer of or including a metal oxide such as tin oxide is provided under an infrared (IR) reflecting layer so as to be located between respective layers of or including silicon nitride and zinc oxide. It has been found that the use of such a tin oxide inclusive interlayer results in significantly improved bendability of the coated article in applications such as vehicle windshields with deep bends. In certain example instances, an overcoat of a material such as zirconium oxide may also be provided.

Abstract: A window such as a vehicle window (e.g., windshield) has a de-icing feature. In certain example embodiments, a conductive structure is provided on an interior surface of a substrate of the window, AC tuned to an ice removal frequency is caused to run through the conductive structure, and fields generated by the AC passing through the conductive structure propagate through the substrate to an exterior surface of the window and can be absorbed by ice thereby causing the ice to melt and/or be removed from the window.

Abstract: A coated article is provided which includes a layer including titanium oxycarbide. In order to form the coated article, a layer of titanium oxide is deposited on a substrate by sputtering or the like. After sputtering of the layer including titanium oxide, an ion beam source(s) is used to implant at least carbon ions into the titanium oxide. When implanting, the carbon ions have sufficient ion energy so as to knock off oxygen (0) from TiOx molecules so as to enable a substantially continuous layer comprising titanium oxycarbide to form near a surface of the previously sputtered layer.

Abstract: A grey glass composition employing in its colorant portion at least iron (Fe2O3/FeO), cobalt and selenium is provided. The glass allows high visible transmission, and good IR absorption, while at the same time achieving desired grey color. In certain example embodiments, the colorant portion includes, or may consist essentially of: total iron (expressed as Fe2O3) 0.20 to 0.35% selenium 0.0002 to 0.0020% cobalt oxide 0.0025 to 0.0060% titanium oxide ??0 to 1.0% glass redox: <=.27; or 0.10 to 0.25.

Abstract: A grey glass composition employing in its colorant portion at least iron (Fe2O3/FeO), cobalt and selenium is provided. The glass allows high visible transmission, and good IR absorption, while at the same time achieving desired grey color. In certain example embodiments, the colorant portion includes, or may consist essentially of: total iron (expressed as Fe2O3) 0.20 to 0.40% selenium 2-20 ppm cobalt oxide 0.0025 to 0.0060% titanium oxide ??0 to 1.0% glass redox: <=0.30.

Abstract: A temporary protective coating is provided over a coated glass substrate. The temporary protective coating is preferably applied in an aqueous dispersion then solidified on the substrate. In some instances, the temporary protective coating may be removed by treatment with a basic solution. In certain example embodiments, the temporary protective coating is applied after heat treatment before the coated substrate is coupled to another substrate to form a window unit such as an IG window unit or a laminated vehicle windshield.