Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition process for depositing a titanium oxide coating is provided. The chemical vapor deposition process for depositing the titanium oxide coating includes providing a glass substrate. A gaseous mixture is formed. The gaseous mixture includes a titanium-containing compound and a fluorine-containing compound. The titanium-containing compound is an oxygen-containing compound or the gaseous mixture includes a first oxygen-containing compound. The gaseous mixture is directed toward and along the glass substrate. The mixture reacts over the glass substrate to form the titanium oxide coating thereon.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for depositing thin film coatings on a substrate. The deposition apparatus is designed to keep gaseous reactant materials to be deposited apart from one another in the deposition apparatus, by one or more separation devices and/or methods, but nevertheless, to allow the chemical reactants to mix and react at or near the substrate surface, rapidly enough to create a uniform film at commercially viable deposition rates.

Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition process for depositing a titanium oxide coating is provided. The chemical vapor deposition process for depositing the titanium oxide coating includes providing a glass substrate. A gaseous mixture is formed. The gaseous mixture includes a titanium-containing compound and a fluorine-containing compound. The titanium-containing compound is an oxygen-containing compound or the gaseous mixture includes a first oxygen-containing compound. The gaseous mixture is directed toward and along the glass substrate. The mixture reacts over the glass substrate to form the titanium oxide coating thereon.

Abstract: A process for coating a ribbon of float glass is disclosed. It comprises the steps of forming a glass ribbon, depositing a first transparent conductive coating upon a major surface of the ribbon which does not extend to the edges of the ribbon while the ribbon is at an elevated temperature, cooling said coated ribbon under controlled conditions in an annealing lehr and cutting off the edges of the ribbon so as to produce a ribbon having a uniform coating extending across the full width of the cut ribbon which is characterized in that a second conductive coating is deposited upon the uncoated edges of the ribbon while that edge is at a temperature which is above the ambient temperature. The invention finds particular application in the production of coated glass products where the thickness of the glass ribbon is at least 8 mm and most particularly where the thickness of the glass is at least 10 mm.

Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition process for the deposition of a silica layer on a glass substrate is provided. The process includes providing a glass substrate. The process also includes forming a gaseous precursor mixture comprising a silane compound, oxygen, water vapor, and a radical scavenger and directing the precursor mixture toward and along the glass substrate. The mixture reacts over the glass substrate to form a silica coating thereon.

Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition process for the deposition of a silica layer on a glass substrate is provided. The process includes providing a glass substrate. The process also includes forming a gaseous precursor mixture comprising a silane compound, oxygen, water vapor, and a radical scavenger and directing the precursor mixture toward and along the glass substrate. The mixture reacts over the glass substrate to form a silica coating thereon.

Abstract: A method for removing oxygen from molten tin in the float bath chamber of a float glass manufacturing process is provided. The method includes providing a chamber having within it molten metal and a gaseous atmosphere above the molten metal, providing at least one reducing gas container proximate the interface between the molten metal and the gaseous atmosphere, providing a source of a reducing gas, and directing the reducing gas to the at least one container. In the at least one container, the reducing gas reacts with the oxygen in the molten metal. The method may include removing a vapor/particulate stream from the float bath chamber. The method may also include removing the vapor and/or the particulate from the stream. An apparatus for removing oxygen from the molten tin is also provided.

Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition process for depositing zinc oxide coatings is provided. The process includes providing a glass substrate and a coating apparatus. The coating apparatus includes two or more separate flow pathways. Each flow pathway provides communication between an inlet opening and an outlet opening, and one or more flow conditioners disposed in each of the flow pathways. Gaseous precursor compounds are provided. The gaseous precursor compounds and the one or more inert gases are introduced as two or more streams into the inlet openings. The streams are directed through the two or more separate flow pathways and discharged from the outlet openings of the coating apparatus. The gaseous precursor compounds and one or more inert gases mix to form a zinc oxide coating on a surface of the glass substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for depositing thin film coatings on a substrate. The deposition apparatus is designed to keep gaseous reactant materials to be deposited apart from one another in the deposition apparatus, by one or more separation devices and/or methods, but nevertheless, to allow the chemical reactants to mix and react at or near the substrate surface, rapidly enough to create a uniform film at commercially viable deposition rates.

Abstract: A method for removing oxygen from molten tin in the float bath chamber of a float glass manufacturing process is provided. The method includes providing a chamber having within it molten metal and a gaseous atmosphere above the molten metal, providing at least one reducing gas container proximate the interface between the molten metal and the gaseous atmosphere, providing a source of a reducing gas, and directing the reducing gas to the at least one container. In the at least one container, the reducing gas reacts with the oxygen in the molten metal. The method may include removing a vapor/particulate stream from the float bath chamber. The method may also include removing the vapor and/or the particulate from the stream. An apparatus for removing oxygen from the molten tin is also provided.

Abstract: A multi-layer thin film stack, particularly suitable as a component of a solar cell, is deposited on a transparent dielectric substrate. The multi-layer film stack comprises a transparent electrically conductive metal oxide layer deposited over the dielectric substrate, the conductive metal oxide layer having a refractive index less than 2.0, a light transmittance optimizing interlayer having a refractive index between 2.3 and 3.5, deposited over the electrically conductive metal oxide layer, and a silicon layer having a refractive index of at least 4.5 deposited over the light transmittance optimizing interlayer. The film stack can be deposited by any suitable method, but deposition of each of these layers by atmospheric chemical vapor deposition is preferred.

Abstract: A process for coating a ribbon of float glass is disclosed. It comprises the steps of forming a glass ribbon, depositing a first transparent conductive coating upon a major surface of the ribbon which does not extend to the edges of the ribbon whilst the ribbon is at an elevated temperature, cooling said coated ribbon under controlled conditions in an annealing lehr and cutting off the edges of the ribbon so as to produce a ribbon having a uniform coating extending across the full width of the cut ribbon which is characterised in that a second conductive coating is deposited upon the uncoated edges of the ribbon whilst that edge is at a temperature which is above the ambient temperature. The invention finds particular application in the production of coated glass products where the thickness of the glass ribbon is at least 8 mm and most particularly where the thickness of the glass is at least 10 mm.

Abstract: One or more coating precursors are selected from metal or silicon compounds at a temperature above their melting points but substantially below their standard vaporization temperature, thereby causing the coating precursors to be in the form of a liquid. A vaporization chamber has a structure for continually injecting the liquid coating precursor into the chamber to produce a vapor. A seal-less, magnetically driven portion rotates a structure for distributing the liquid coating precursor in the vaporization chamber. In one embodiment, a barrier gas is injected adjacent the chamber at a velocity greater than the diffusion velocity of the vapor to prevent the vapor from communicating with the magnetically driven portion. In another embodiment, a first portion of the magnetically driven portion is connected to a structure for distributing the liquid coating precursor in the vaporization chamber.

Abstract: A multi-layer thin film stack, particularly suitable as a component of a solar cell, is deposited on a transparent dielectric substrate. The multi-layer film stack comprises a transparent electrically conductive metal oxide layer deposited over the dielectric substrate, the conductive metal oxide layer having a refractive index less than 2.0, a light transmittance optimizing interlayer having a refractive index between 2.3 and 3.5, deposited over the electrically conductive metal oxide layer, and a silicon layer having a refractive index of at least 4.5 deposited over the light transmittance optimizing interlayer. The film stack can be deposited by any suitable method, but deposition of each of these layers by atmospheric chemical vapor deposition is preferred.

Abstract: One or more coating precursors are selected from metal or silicon compounds at a temperature above their melting points but substantially below their standard vaporization temperature, thereby causing the coating precursors to be in the form of a liquid. A vaporization chamber has a structure for continually injecting the liquid coating precursor into the chamber to produce a vapor. A seal-less, magnetically driven portion rotates a structure for distributing the liquid coating precursor in the vaporization chamber. In one embodiment, a barrier gas is injected adjacent the chamber at a velocity greater than the diffusion velocity of the vapor to prevent the vapor from communicating with the magnetically driven portion. In another embodiment, a first portion of the magnetically driven portion is connected to a structure for distributing the liquid coating precursor in the vaporization chamber.

Abstract: One or more coating precursors are selected from metal or silicon compounds at a temperature above their melting points but substantially below their standard vaporization temperature, thereby causing the coating precursors to be in the form of a liquid. A vaporization chamber has a structure for continually injecting the liquid coating precursor into the chamber to produce a vapor. A seal-less, magnetically driven portion rotates a structure for distributing the liquid coating precursor in the vaporization chamber. In one embodiment, a barrier gas is injected adjacent the chamber at a velocity greater than the diffusion velocity of the vapor to prevent the vapor from communicating with the magnetically driven portion. In another embodiment, a first portion of the magnetically driven portion is connected to a structure for distributing the liquid coating precursor in the vaporization chamber.

Abstract: A method of producing front surface mirrors comprising depositing onto a hot ribbon of low transmissivity glass during the production process a low transmissivity reflecting coating whereby the mirrors have a transmissivity through the coated glass of up to about 10% in visible light. There is also provided a front surface mirror comprising a glass substrate of low transmissivity glass carrying a low transmissivity reflecting coating whereby the mirror has a transmissivity through the coated glass of up to about 10% in visible light.

Abstract: A method of forming a polymer backing on a glass substrate through the use of a pre-polymer powder applied onto the surface of the substrate. The backing is applied on-line in an existing substrate manufacturing or fabricating process while the substrate is at a high enough temperature to polymerize the powder. The resulting backed substrate is durable and abrasion resistant and exhibits excellent opacification and adhesion properties.

Abstract: A method of introducing a reducing gas and an inert gas into a glass forming chamber at a plurality of locations along the length of the chamber by means of a system which permits delivery of a mixture of the reducing and inert gases to all such locations, or delivery of only the inert gas at certain of the locations. A significantly greater proportion of the reducing gas is introduced into the service space above the bath proximate the inlet end thereof. Further, the total amount of reducing gas which must be introduced to maintain a reducing bath atmosphere is minimized as a result of the location of such introduction. The present invention provides for a more conservative use of reducing gases such as hydrogen.