Abstract: A hydrophobic coating is provided. The coating has a high contact angle &thgr; which does not significantly decrease or degrade upon lengthy exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. In certain embodiments, the coating has a contact angle &thgr; of at least 70 degrees both before and after significant exposure to UV radiation.

Abstract: A substrate is coated with a solar management coating system including at least one infrared (IR) reflective layer. A diamond-like carbon (DLC) inclusive protective coating system (e.g., including at least one highly tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) inclusive layer having sp3 carbon-carbon bonds) is provided on the substrate over at least the IR reflective layer in order to make the coating system scratch resistant, abrasion resistant, and generally mechanically durable. The DLC inclusive protective coating system may be hydrophobic, hydrophillic, or neutral in different embodiments of the invention. Optionally, at least one fluoro-alkyl silane (FAS) compound inclusive layer may be provided on the substrate over at least one of the DLC inclusive layer(s) in hydrophobic embodiments in order to increase contact angle &thgr; of the coated article.

Abstract: A unique Hall-Current ion source apparatus is used for direct ion beam deposition of DLC coatings with hardness values greater than 10 GPa and at deposition rates greater than 10 Å per second. This ion source has a unique fluid-cooled anode with a shadowed gap through which ion sources feed gases are introduced while depositing gases are injected into the plasma beam. The shadowed gap provides a well maintained, electrically active area at the anode surface which stays relatively free of non-conductive deposits. The anode discharge region is insulatively sealed to prevent discharges from migrating into the interior of the ion source. A method is described in which a substrate is disposed within a vacuum chamber, coated with a coating of DLC or Si-DLC at a high deposition rate using a Hall-Current ion source operating on carbon-containing or carbon-containing and silicon-containing precursor gases, respectively.

Abstract: A substrate is coated with a low-E coating system including at least one infrared (IR) reflective layer. A diamond-like carbon (DLC) inclusive protective coating system (e.g., including at least one highly tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) inclusive layer having sp3 carbon-carbon bonds) is provided on the substrate over at least the IR reflective layer in order to make the low-E coating system scratch resistant, abrasion resistant, and generally mechanically durable. The DLC inclusive protective coating system may be hydrophobic, hydrophillic, or neutral in different embodiments of the invention. Optionally, at least one fluoro-alkyl silane (FAS) compound inclusive layer may be provided on the substrate over at least one of the DLC inclusive layer(s) in hydrophobic embodiments in order to increase contact angle &thgr; of the coated article.

Abstract: A substrate is coated with a coating system including at least one diamond-like carbon (DLC) inclusive layer(s) using an ion beam deposition technique. Prior and/or during the ion beam deposition of the DLC inclusive layer, the substrate (e.g., glass substrate) is heated to a temperature of from about 100-400 degrees C. so that at least a surface of the substrate is heated when the DLC inclusive layer(s) is deposited thereon via the ion beam deposition technique. This heating may result in improved adherence of a coating system to the underlying substrate.

Abstract: A substrate is coated with a hydrophobic coating system including diamond-like carbon (DLC) and at least one fluoro-alkyl silane (FAS) compound. In certain embodiments, the coating system includes an FAS inclusive layer provided over at least one DLC inclusive layer in order to increase the initial contact angle of the coated article. At least the FAS inclusive layer may be heated (i.e., thermally cured) to an extent sufficient to at least one of: (a) improve the initial contact angle &thgr; of the resulting coated article, (b) render the hydrophobic nature of the resulting coated article more stable when exposed to solution(s)/material(s) such as hexane and/or isopropyl alcohol, and/or (c) improve bonding characteristics of the FAS inclusive layer within itself and/or between the FAS inclusive layer and a layer immediately beneath it.

Abstract: A substrate is coated with a solar management coating system including at least one infrared (IR) reflective layer. A diamond-like carbon (DLC) inclusive protective coating system (e.g., including at least one highly tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) inclusive layer having sp3 carbon-carbon bonds) is provided on the substrate over at least the IR reflective layer in order to make the coating system scratch resistant, abrasion resistant, and generally mechanically durable. The DLC inclusive protective coating system may be hydrophobic, hydrophillic, or neutral in different embodiments of the invention. Optionally, at least one fluoro-alkyl silane (FAS) compound inclusive layer may be provided on the substrate over at least one of the DLC inclusive layer(s) in hydrophobic embodiments in order to increase contact angle &thgr; of the coated article.

Abstract: A substrate is coated with a low-E coating system including at least one infrared (IR) reflective layer. A diamond-like carbon (DLC) inclusive protective coating system (e.g., including at least one highly tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) inclusive layer having sp3 carbon-carbon bonds) is provided on the substrate over at least the IR reflective layer in order to make the low-E coating system scratch resistant, abrasion resistant, and generally mechanically durable. The DLC inclusive protective coating system may be hydrophobic, hydrophillic, or neutral in different embodiments of the invention. Optionally, at least one fluoro-alkyl silane (FAS) compound inclusive layer may be provided on the substrate over at least one of the DLC inclusive layer(s) in hydrophobic embodiments in order to increase contact angle &thgr; of the coated article.

Abstract: A substrate is coated with a coating system including at least one diamond-like carbon (DLC) inclusive layer. In certain embodiments, the coating system includes an anti-reflective layer, a DLC inclusive layer provided for hardness/durability purposes, a primer layer, and an FAS inclusive hydrophobic layer provided over the primer layer. The anti-reflective layer is provided in order to reduce visible light reflections off of the resulting coated article and thus to improve visible transmission of the article. In certain embodiments, the primer layer may be provided in order to enable improved adhesion between the FAS inclusive layer and the DLC inclusive layer that is provided for hardness/durability. In certain embodiments, each of the anti-reflective layer, the DLC inclusive layer, and/or the primer layer may include DLC for purposes described herein. In certain alternative embodiments, the primer and FAS layers need not be provided.

Abstract: A glass substrate is ion beam milled in order to smoothen the same and/or reduce or remove nano-cracks in the substrate surface before a coating system (e.g., diamond-like carbon (DLC) inclusive coating system) is deposited thereon. It has been found that such ion beam milling of the substrate prior to deposition of the coating system improves adherence of the coating system to the underlying milled substrate. Moreover, it has surprisingly been found that such ion beam milling of the substrate results in a more scratch resistant coated article when a DLC inclusive coating system is thereafter ion beam deposited on the milled substrate. Amounts sodium (Na) may also be reduced at the surface of the substrate by such milling.

Abstract: A glass substrate is ion beam milled in order to smoothen the same and/or reduce or remove nano-cracks in the substrate surface before a coating system (e.g., diamond-like carbon (DLC) inclusive coating system) is deposited thereon. It has been found that such ion beam milling of the substrate prior to deposition of the coating system improves adherence of the coating system to the underlying milled substrate. Moreover, it has surprisingly been found that such ion beam milling of the substrate results in a more scratch resistant coated article when a DLC inclusive coating system is thereafter ion beam deposited on the milled substrate. Amounts sodium (Na) may also be reduced at the surface of the substrate by such milling.

Abstract: A cold cathode closed drift ion source is provided with segregated gas flow. A first gas may be caused to flow through or along a path around a peripheral portion of an anode so as to pass through the electric gap between the anode and cathode. A second gas (different from the first gas) may be caused to flow toward the ion emitting slit, without much of the second gas having to pass through the electric gap(s). If it is desired to utilize a gas which produces insulative material (e.g., an organosilicon gas), this gas may be used as the second gas. Accordingly, insulative material buildup in the electric gap between the anode and cathode may be reduced, and changes in beam chemistry can be achieved without unduly altering ion beam characteristics.

Abstract: The invention provides a highly durable and abrasion-resistant composite diamond-like carbon coating with controllable color which is ideally suitable as a decorative coating on electrically conductive, e.g. metal, substrates, including architectural hardware and fixtures made of brass and other metals, jewelry, medical and dental instruments, writing instruments such as pens and pencils, musical instruments, eyeglass frames, cigar and cigarette lighters, automobile hood ornaments and other components, sporting equipment and other products for leisure activities such as golf club shafts, golf club heads, cycling equipment, and fishing and hunting equipment, and other similar electrically conductive substrates. The invention also provides the process for depositing a highly adherent, highly abrasion resistant composite diamond-like carbon coating to metal substrates.

Abstract: A substrate is coated with a hydrophobic coating system including diamond-like carbon (DLC) and at least one fluoro-alkyl silane (FAS) compound. In certain embodiments, the coating system includes an FAS inclusive layer provided over at least one DLC inclusive layer in order to increase the initial contact angle of the coated article. At least the FAS inclusive layer may be heated (i.e., thermally cured) to an extent sufficient to at least one of: (a) improve the initial contact angle &thgr; of the resulting coated article, (b) render the hydrophobic nature of the resulting coated article more stable when exposed to solution(s)/material(s) such as hexane and/or isopropyl alcohol, and/or (c) improve bonding characteristics of the FAS inclusive layer within itself and/or between the FAS inclusive layer and a layer immediately beneath it.

Abstract: A substrate is coated with a hydrophobic coating system including diamond-like carbon (DLC) and at least one fluoro-alkyl silane (FAS) compound. In certain embodiments, the coating system includes an FAS inclusive layer provided over at least one DLC inclusive layer in order to increase the initial contact angle of the coated article.

Abstract: A substrate is coated with a hydrophobic coating system including diamond-like carbon (DLC) and at least one fluoro-alkyl silane (FAS) compound. In certain embodiments, the coating system includes an FAS inclusive layer provided over at least one DLC inclusive layer in order to increase the initial contact angle of the coated article.

Abstract: A substrate is coated with a coating system including at least one diamond-like carbon (DLC) inclusive layer. In certain embodiments, the coating system includes an anti-reflective layer, a DLC inclusive layer provided for hardness/durability purposes, a primer layer, and an FAS inclusive hydrophobic layer provided over the primer layer. The anti-reflective layer is provided in order to reduce visible light reflections off of the resulting coated article and thus to improve visible transmission of the article. In certain embodiments, the primer layer may be provided in order to enable improved adhesion between the FAS inclusive layer and the DLC inclusive layer that is provided for hardness/durability. In certain embodiments, each of the anti-reflective layer, the DLC inclusive layer, and/or the primer layer may include DLC for purposes described herein. In certain alternative embodiments, the primer and FAS layers need not be provided.

Abstract: A substrate is coated with a hydrophobic coating system including diamond-like carbon (DLC) and at least one fluoro-alkyl silane (FAS) compound. In certain embodiments, the coating system includes an FAS inclusive layer provided over at least one DLC inclusive layer in order to increase the initial contact angle of the coated article. At least the FAS inclusive layer may be heated (i.e., thermally cured) to an extent sufficient to at least one of: (a) improve the initial contact angle &thgr; of the resulting coated article, (b) render the hydrophobic nature of the resulting coated article more stable when exposed to solution(s)/material(s) such as hexane and/or isopropyl alcohol, and/or (c) improve bonding characteristics of the FAS inclusive layer within itself and/or between the FAS inclusive layer and a layer immediately beneath it.

Abstract: A substrate is coated with a coating system including at least one diamond-like carbon (DLC) inclusive layer. In certain embodiments, the coating system includes an anti-reflective layer, a DLC inclusive layer provided for hardness/durability purposes, a primer layer, and an FAS inclusive hydrophobic layer provided over the primer layer. The anti-reflective layer is provided in order to reduce visible light reflections off of the resulting coated article and thus to improve visible transmission of the article. In certain embodiments, the primer layer may be provided in order to enable improved adhesion between the FAS inclusive layer and the DLC inclusive layer that is provided for hardness/durability. In certain embodiments, each of the anti-reflective layer, the DLC inclusive layer, and/or the primer layer may include DLC for purposes described herein. In certain alternative embodiments, the primer and FAS layers need not be provided.

Abstract: A unique Hall-Current ion source apparatus is used for direct ion beam deposition of DLC coatings with hardness values greater than 10 GPa and at deposition rates greater than 10 .ANG. per second. This ion source has a unique fluid-cooled anode with a shadowed gap through which ion sources feed gases are introduced while depositing gases are injected into the plasma beam. The shadowed gap provides a well maintained, electrically active area at the anode surface which stays relatively free of non-conductive deposits. The anode discharge region is insulatively sealed to prevent discharges from migrating into the interior of the ion source. A method is described in which a substrate is disposed within a vacuum chamber, coated with a coating of DLC or Si-DLC at a high deposition rate using a Hall-Current ion source operating on carbon-containing or carbon-containing and silicon-containing precursor gases, respectively.