Abstract: A coated article is provided with at least one infrared (IR) reflecting layer. The IR reflecting layer may be of silver or the like. In certain example embodiments, a titanium oxide layer is provided over the IR reflecting layer, and it has been found that this surprisingly results in an IR reflecting layer with a lower specific resistivity (SR) thereby permitting thermal properties of the coated article to be improved.

Abstract: An endblock for a rotatable sputtering target, such as a rotatable magnetron sputtering target, is provided. A sputtering apparatus, including one or more such endblock(s), includes locating the electrical contact(s) (e.g., brush(es)) between the collector and rotor in the endblock(s) in an area under vacuum (as opposed to in an area at atmospheric pressure).

Abstract: Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to photovoltaic modules that include high contact angle coatings on one or more outermost major surfaces thereof, and/or associated methods. In certain example embodiments, the high contact angle coatings advantageously reduce the likelihood of electrical losses through parasitic leakage of the electrical current caused by moisture on surfaces of the photovoltaic modules, thereby potentially improving the efficiency of the photovoltaic devices. In certain example embodiments, the high contact angle coatings may be nitrides and/or oxides of or including Si, Ti, Ta, TaCr, NiCr, and/or Cr; hydrophobic DLC; and/or polymer-based coatings. The photovoltaic modules may be substrate-type modules or superstrate-type modules in different example embodiments.

Abstract: A method of making a heat treated (HT) substantially transparent coated article to be used in shower door applications, window applications, tabletop applications, or any other suitable applications. Certain embodiments relate to a method of making a coated article including heat treating a glass substrate coated with at least layer of or including carbon (e.g., diamond-like carbon (DLC)) and an overlying protective film thereon. The protective film may be of or include both (a) an oxygen blocking or barrier layer, and (b) a release layer of or including zinc oxynitride (e.g., ZnOxNz). Following and/or during heat treatment (e.g., thermal tempering, or the like) the protective film may be entirely or partially removed.

Abstract: A coated article is provided which may be heat treated (e.g., thermally tempered) in certain example instances. In certain example embodiments, the coated article includes a low-emissivity (low-E) coating having a zinc stannate based layer provided over a silver-based infrared (IR) reflecting layer, where the zinc stannate based layer is preferably located between first and second silver based IR reflecting layers. The zinc stannate based layer may be provided between and contacting (i) an upper contact layer of or including Ni and/or Cr (or Ti, or TiOx), and (ii) a layer of or including silicon nitride.

Abstract: A coated article is provided, having a coating supported by a glass substrate where the coating includes at least one color and/or reflectivity-adjusting absorber layer. The absorber layer(s) allows color tuning, and reduces the glass side reflection of the coated article and/or allows sheet resistance of the coating to be reduced without degrading glass side reflection. In certain example embodiments the absorber layer is provided between first and second dielectric layers which may be of substantially the same material and/or composition. In certain example embodiments, the coated article is capable of achieving desirable transmission, together with desired color, low reflectivity, and low selectivity, when having only one infrared (IR) reflecting layer of silver and/or gold. Coated articles according to certain example embodiments of this invention may be used in the context of insulating glass (IG) window units, monolithic windows, or the like.

Abstract: Example embodiments of this invention relate to a coated article including an infrared (IR) reflecting layer of a material such as silver or the like, for use in an insulating glass (IG) window unit for example. In certain example embodiments, the coating is a single-silver type coating, and includes an overcoat including an uppermost layer of or including silicon nitride and a layer of or including tin oxide immediately under and contacting the silicon nitride based overcoat. In certain example embodiments, the thicknesses of the silicon nitride based overcoat and the tin oxide based layer are balanced (e.g., substantially equal, or equal plus/minus about 10%). It has surprisingly been found that such balancing results in an improvement in thermal cycling performance and improved mechanical durability. In certain example embodiments, the coating may realize surprisingly good substantially neutral film side reflective coloration, and may achieve an improved visible transmission, SHGC ratio and low U-values.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to organic light emitting diode (OLED)/polymer light emitting diode (PLED) devices, and/or methods of making the same. A first transparent conductive coating (TCC) layer is disposed, directly or indirectly, on a glass substrate. An outermost major surface of the TCC layer is planarized by exposing the outermost major surface thereof to an ion beam. Following said planarizing, the first TCC layer has an arithmetic mean value RMS roughness (Ra) of less than 1.5 nm. A hole transporting layer (HTL) and an electron transporting and emitting layer (ETL) are disposed, directly or indirectly, on the planarized outermost major surface of the first TCC layer. A second TCC layer is disposed, directly or indirectly, on the HTL and the ETL. One or both TCC layers may include ITO. The substrate and/or an optional optical out-coupling layer stack system may be planarized using an ion beam.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to articles including anticondensation and/or low-E coatings that are exposed to an external environment, and/or methods of making the same. In certain example embodiments, the anticondensation and/or low-E coatings may be survivable in an outside environment. The coatings also may have a sufficiently low sheet resistance and hemispherical emissivity such that the glass surface is more likely to retain heat from the interior area, thereby reducing (and sometimes completely eliminating) the presence condensation thereon. The articles of certain example embodiments may be, for example, skylights, vehicle windows or windshields, IG units, VIG units, refrigerator/freezer doors, and/or the like.

Abstract: A coated article is provided so as to include a solar control coating having an infrared (IR) reflecting layer and a breaker layer, one or both of which may be of or include a material such as NiCr, NiCrNx, NbCr, NbCrNx, NbZr, NbZrNx, Nb and/or NbNx. Each of the IR reflecting layer and the breaker layer is sandwiched between at least a pair of dielectric layers of a material such as silicon nitride or the like. In certain example embodiments of this invention, the IR reflecting layer is substantially thicker than the breaker layer. Such coated articles may be used in the context of windows such as monolithic or IG windows, and may optionally be heat treated (e.g., thermally tempered) in certain instances and may be substantially thermally stable.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of making glass. In certain example embodiments, a major surface(s) of the glass is treated with aluminum chloride (e.g., AlCl3) at or just prior to the annealing lehr. The aluminum chloride treatment at or just prior to the annealing lehr, in either a float or patterned line glass making process, is advantageous in that it allows the treatment to be performed at a desirable glass temperature and permits exhaust functions in or proximate the annealing lehr to remove byproducts of the treatment in an efficient manner. In certain example embodiments, the glass may be polished for thinning after the treatment, with the polishing being performed on a major surface of the glass opposite to a major surface which has been treated with aluminum chloride.

Abstract: A coated article is provided with at least one infrared (IR) reflecting layer. In certain embodiments, the coating is provided with at least one layer of zirconium silicon oxynitride (e.g., ZrSiOxNy), for improving the coated article's ability to block of UV radiation. The oxygen content of the layer may be adjusted in order to tune the coating's visible transmission versus UV blockage.

Abstract: A coated article is provided which may be heat treated (e.g., thermally tempered) in certain 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 comprising silicon nitride and zinc oxide. It has been found that the use of such a tin oxide inclusive interlayer results in significantly improved mechanical durability, thermal stability and/or haze characteristics.

Abstract: A reflector (e.g., mirror) for use in a solar collector or the like is provided. In certain example embodiments of this invention, a reflector is made by (a) forming reflective coating on a thin substantially flat glass substrate (the thin glass substrate may or may not be pre-bent prior to the coating being applied thereto), (b) optionally, if the glass substrate in (a) was not prebent, then cold-bending the glass substrate with the reflective coating thereon; and (c) applying a plate or frame member to the thin bent glass substrate with the coating thereon from (a) and/or (b), the plate or frame member (which may be another thicker pre-bent glass sheet, for example) for maintaining the thin glass substrate and coating thereon in a desired bent orientation in a final product which may be used as parabolic trough or dish type reflector in a concentrating solar power apparatus or the like.

Abstract: A method of making a heat treated coated article includes forming at least one layer comprising diamond-like carbon (DLC) on a glass substrate, and forming a removable protective film on the glass substrate over at least the layer comprising DLC. The removable protective film includes first and second inorganic layers, the first inorganic layer comprising zinc oxide and nitrogen and being located between the layer comprising DLC and the second inorganic layer. The glass substrate may be heat treated so that during the heat treating the protective film prevents significant burnoff of the layer comprising DLC.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to a coated article including at least one infrared (IR) reflecting layer of a material such as silver or the like in a low-E coating, and methods of making the same. In certain cases, at least one layer of the coating is of or includes nickel and/or titanium (e.g., NixTiyOz). The provision of a layer including nickel titanium and/or an oxide thereof may permit a layer to be used that has good adhesion to the IR reflecting layer, and reduced absorption of visible light (resulting in a coated article with a higher visible transmission). When a layer including nickel titanium oxide is provided directly over and/or under the IR reflecting layer (e.g., as a barrier layer), this may result in improved chemical and mechanical durability. Thus, visible transmission may be improved if desired, without compromising durability; or, durability may simply be increased.

Abstract: A coated article is provided that may be heat treated in certain example embodiments. A graded layer (e.g., contact layer or other suitable layer) is formed by initially sputter-depositing a layer, and thereafter ion beam treating the sputter-deposited layer with at least reactive gas ions in order to form a graded layer. In certain example embodiments, the result is a coated article that has improved visible transmission and/or durability, without sacrificing optional heat treatability.

Abstract: A coated article is provided, having a coating supported by a glass substrate where the coating includes at least one color and/or reflectivity-adjusting absorber layer. The absorber layer(s) allows color tuning, and reduces the glass side reflection of the coated article and/or allows sheet resistance of the coating to be reduced without degrading glass side reflection. In certain example embodiments the absorber layer is provided between first and second dielectric layers which may be of substantially the same material and/or composition. In certain example embodiments, the coated article is capable of achieving desirable transmission, together with desired color, low reflectivity, and low selectivity, when having only one infrared (IR) reflecting layer of silver and/or gold. Coated articles according to certain example embodiments of this invention may be used in the context of insulating glass (IG) window units, monolithic windows, or the like.

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: This application relates to a coated article including at least one infrared (IR) reflecting layer of a material such as silver or the like in a low-E coating. In certain embodiments, at least one layer of the coating is of or includes zirconium oxide (e.g., ZrO2) or zirconium silicon oxynitride (e.g., ZrSiOxNy). When a layer comprising zirconium oxide or zirconium silicon oxynitride is provided as the uppermost or overcoat layer of the coated article (e.g., over a silicon nitride based layer), this results in improved chemical and heat stability in certain example embodiments. Coated articles herein may be used in the context of insulating glass (IG) window units, vehicle windows, or in other suitable applications such as monolithic window applications, laminated windows, and/or the like.