Abstract: A low-e insulating glass unit has a suspended, coated IR reflecting polymer sheet under tension, e.g. from heat shrinkage. The polymer sheet is coated with a multilayer stack of dielectric and metallic layers, including at least one silver layer deposited upon a zinc oxide seed layer that is at most 15 nm thickness. The use of zinc oxide ensures good seeding for high quality silver layer growth, thereby providing low emissivity. The thinness of the zinc oxide ensures that it resists cracking when the polymer sheet is tensioned.

Abstract: A low-e insulating glass unit has a suspended, coated IR reflecting polymer sheet under tension, e.g. from heat shrinkage. The polymer sheet is coated with a multilayer stack of dielectric and metallic layers, including at least one silver layer deposited upon a zinc oxide seed layer that is at most 15 nm thickness. The use of zinc oxide ensures good seeding for high quality silver layer growth, thereby providing low emissivity. The thinness of the zinc oxide ensures that it resists cracking when the polymer sheet is tensioned.

Abstract: A solar control member for determining solar control for a window includes an optically massive layer between a gray metal layer and a titanium nitride layer. The optically massive layer has sufficient thickness to retard or prevent constructive and destructive interference of reflected light. The optically massive layer may be an adhesive, but also may be one or more polymeric substrates. The gray metal layer is preferably nickel chromium, but other gray metal materials provide superior results as compared to the prior art. Also in the preferred embodiment, the titanium nitride layer is closer to the window (e.g., glass) than the gray metal layer.

Abstract: A low-e insulating glass unit has a suspended, coated IR reflecting polymer sheet under tension, e.g. from heat shrinkage. The polymer sheet is coated with a multilayer stack of dielectric and metallic layers, including at least one silver layer deposited upon a zinc oxide seed layer that is at most 15 nm thickness. The use of zinc oxide ensures good seeding for high quality silver layer growth, thereby providing low emissivity. The thinness of the zinc oxide ensures that it resists cracking when the polymer sheet is tensioned.

Abstract: “Corrosion” performance of an optical filter is enhanced when a relatively thick zinc-based film functions as a seed layer for a subsequently formed silver-based film. At least two pairs of dielectric and metallic layers are included within the optical filter, where the zinc-based film is a second film of the dielectric layer and where the silver-based film is the metallic layer. The zinc-based film has a zinc content of at least 80 percent and has a thickness of at least 15 nm. In order to further improve the corrosion performance, gold may be incorporated into the silver-based film.

Abstract: An optical filter is formed of a layer stack that includes metallic layers and dielectric layers, with at least one dielectric layer being defined by more than one zinc-based film. These zinc-based films have different percentages of zinc. The selections of the percentages are based upon the positions of the films within the dielectric layer. An unexpectedly low sheet resistance is available if the zinc-based film that immediately precedes forming a metallic layer has a percentage of zinc in the range of 80 percent to next to 100 percent. Process stabilization and manufacturing cost are provided by placing the percentage of the lower zinc-based film closer to 50 percent (25-75). Process stabilization is further enhanced by providing an indium-based film within the dielectric layer adjacent to the metallic layer.

Abstract: In a method of forming micro traces, stamping techniques are employed to define a target pattern of the micro traces. The stamping is applied to electrically conductive material and may be limited to pressure, but a thermal stamping approach may be utilized. Following the stamping, a portion of the conductive material is removed, leaving the target pattern of conductive micro traces. In the pressure-application step, the pressure or the combination of pressure and temperature is sufficient to at least weaken the integrity of the bulk conductive material along the area of contact. Typically, this step causes shearing of the conductive material. Following the pressure-application step, excess conductive material is removed. In some embodiments of the invention, the thickness of the micro traces is not determined in a single step. The original thickness may be formed using a “seed” material. The subsequent material buildup may occur after the target pattern is established.

Abstract: In a titanium nitride-based optical coating, the structural stability of the coating is enhanced by providing a damage-retardation base layer between the titanium nitride layer and a substrate. Where the optical coating is to provide solar control, the titanium nitride layer is selected primarily for achieving desired optical characteristics, while the thickness of the damage-retardation layer is selected primarily for achieving desired mechanical characteristics. The damage-retardation layer is formed of a grey metal, with nickel chromium being the preferred metal. The grey metal layer reduces the likelihood that the titanium nitride layer will crack. The tendency of such a layer to crack and form worm tracks is further reduced by exposing the substrate to a plasma preglow and/or by using a slip agent on the side of the substrate on which the layers are to be formed.

Abstract: Localized heating of a window, such as a vehicle windshield or sidelight, is provided by dividing an optical coating that is electrically conductive into high and low heating zones. While the conductive coating covers substantially the entirety of the window, the coating is patterned to establish a preselected heating power density pattern. In one application, bus-to-bus dimensions are kept short and opposite polarity high heating zones are placed in a side-by-side relationship, so that the major portion of the window is left unheated and the bus connections may be placed along the same window edge. In another application, the bus-to-bus dimensions are significantly larger, but power concentration is provided by a pattern of isolation lines that narrow the dimensions of current flow through a zone in which heating is desired.

Abstract: The defect known as “applesauce” is eliminated from laminated glass structures which include an intermediate plastic film carrying an energy reflective layer by adhering this film to one of the glass sheets of the laminate with an adhesive layer which is less than 5 mils (0.127 mm) thick.

Abstract: A solar control member utilizes a combination of layers that include spaced apart titanium nitride layers to selectively transmit a higher percentage of visible light than near infrared energy, with a low visible light reflection. The titanium nitride layers are spaced apart by a distance that promotes optical decoupling with respect to occurrence of constructive and destructive interference of visible light propagating between the two titanium nitride layers. In one embodiment, the titanium nitride layers are spaced apart by a laminating adhesive layer. In another embodiment, the titanium nitride layers are formed on opposite sides of a substrate. Each titanium nitride layer is sputter deposited. Care is taken to ensure that each layer does not become too metallic and to ensure that excessive oxygen is not incorporated into the layer.

Abstract: A multi-layer antireflection coating is formed to include successive layers of a medium refractive index material, a high refractive index material, and a low refractive index material. The medium refractive index layer is hydrogenated in order to tailor the refractive index of the material to below 1.99 and to increase clarity in transmission. Preferably, the hydrogen atomic concentration is at least 7 percent, more preferably exceeds 9 percent, and most preferably exceeds 18 percent. The three layers combine to form a three-layer antireflection coating, but the hydrogenation may be used in antireflection coatings having a greater or lesser number of layers.

Abstract: Durable—long lived plastic films carrying sputter-deposited metal layers such as reflective metal layers on both sides are disclosed. The slip side of the plastic film is not preglowed. The nonslip side is preglowed. This combination of glowing and not preglowing leads to the desired long life.

Abstract: Heat wave-reflective or electrically conductive substantially transparent sheets, such as glazing sheets, which include a transparent solid substrate and one or more sequential transparent gold-clad silver layers supported by the substrate are disclosed. These sheets have superior corrosion resistance to equivalent sheets made without the gold cladding or made with gold/silver alloys. Sputter-deposit methods for producing these sheets are also disclosed.

Abstract: Vacuum deposition processes such as sputter-depositing are employed to deposit electrically conductive bus bars onto thin film transparent conductor sheets. These assemblies provide efficient and durable electrical connections to the conductor sheets which can be laminated into glazing structures such as automotive windshields to provide resistance heating for defogging and deicing or the provide an electrical connection for in-window antennas and in window radiation shields.

Abstract: A solar control member utilizes a combination of layers that include spaced apart titanium nitride layers to selectively transmit a higher percentage of visible light than near infrared energy, with a low visible light reflection. The titanium nitride layers are spaced apart by a distance that promotes optical decoupling with respect to occurrence of constructive and destructive interference of visible light propagating between the two titanium nitride layers. In one embodiment, the titanium nitride layers are spaced apart by a laminating adhesive layer. In another embodiment, the titanium nitride layers are formed on opposite sides of a substrate. The ratio of transmission at the wavelength of 550 nm to transmission at the wavelength of 1500 is at least 1.25. Each titanium nitride layer is sputter deposited. Care is taken to ensure that each layer does not become too metallic and to ensure that excessive oxygen is not incorporated into the layer. Thus, the nitrogen flow rate and the linespeed are controlled.

Abstract: Durable--long lived plastic films carrying sputter-deposited metal layers such as reflective metal layers on both sides are disclosed. The slip side of the plastic film is not preglowed. The nonslip side is preglowed. This combination of glowing and not preglowing leads to the desired long life.

Abstract: A reflection control member includes a multilayer stack that is adhered to a substrate using a primer layer to promote adhesion. The multilayer stack includes pairs of layers in which the first layer is a grey metal and the second layer is a substantially transparent material. In the preferred embodiment, the grey metal is nickel chromium and the transparent layer is a silicon oxide. For each pair of layers, the grey metal is nearer to the surface of the substrate for which antireflection is a concern. The primer layer has a thickness of less than 50 angstroms. Although the primer layer is deposited in an essentially oxygen-free environment, it may oxidize following deposition.

Abstract: A solar control film having low visible light transmittance and low visible light reflectance is comprised of a first sheet of transparent substrate material having deposited thereon a solar-load-reduction film for preferentially reducing infrared light energy transmitted through the film, and a second sheet of transparent substrate material having deposited thereon a thin, transparent film of metal effective to partially block light transmittance, wherein the first sheet of transparent substrate and the second sheet of transparent substrate are separated by an optically massive layer that prevents the constructive and destructive interference of reflected light. A preferred embodiment of a solar control film includes, in order, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, a polyethylene terephthalate layer, a Fabry-Perot interference filter layer, an adhesive layer, a grey metal layer, another polyethylene terephthalate layer, and a hardcoat layer.

Abstract: An optical arrangement includes a transmissive or reflective substrate having a first surface on which a multi-layer antireflection stack is formed. The antireflection stack is protected by a fluorocarbon lubricating layer that reduces the surface energy of the exposed surface to less than 40 dynes/cm, and preferably less than 20 dynes/cm. The fluorocarbon lubricating layer and a silane adhesion promotion layer form a durable topcoat having desired mechanical and optical characteristics. The preferred material for forming the lubricating layer is a fluoropolymer sold by 3M Company under the federally registered trademark FLUORAD.