Abstract: A vacuum insulated glass unit comprises first and second glass panes, each defining interior and exterior surfaces and lateral edges. The interior surfaces of the panes are opposing and spaced apart to define an inter-pane gap. A band of metal solder extends continuously between the interior surfaces and continuously around the peripheries of the panes but is inset from the lateral edges, thus defining an inter-pane cavity surrounded by the solder band and a channel disposed between the band and the lateral edges. The solder band is attached with hermetic glass-to-metal bonds to the interior surfaces of the panes, whereby the cavity is hermetically sealed with respect to the panes. A plurality of stand-offs is disposed within the cavity and extends between the interior surfaces. An adhesive material is disposed within the channel, extending between the interior surfaces and structurally bonding the panes across the inter-pane gap.

Abstract: Improved building-integrated photovoltaic systems according to certain example embodiments may include concentrated photovoltaic skylights or other windows having a cylindrical lens array. The skylight may include an insulated glass unit, which may improve the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC). The photovoltaic skylight and lens arrays may be used in combination with strip solar cells. Arrangements that involve lateral displacement tracking systems, or static systems (e.g., that are fixed at one, two, or more predefined positions) are contemplated herein. Such techniques may advantageously help to reduce cost per watt related, in part, to the potentially reduced amount of semiconductor material to be used for such example embodiments. A photovoltaic skylight may permit diffuse daylight to pass through into an interior of a building so as to provide lighting inside the building, while the strip solar cells absorb the direct sunlight and convert it to electricity, providing for SHGC tuning.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to a sunlight-scattering thin-film coating disposed on a substrate for greenhouse applications. The surface morphology of the coating promotes a better and more uniform light distribution. For instance, at least one thin-film layer disposed on a substrate may be textured so as to create surface features on the order of 0.1-5 microns, with the surface features being sized to cause (a) light having a wavelength of greater than or equal to about 800 nm incident thereon to primarily scatter to angles less than 30 degrees relative to a major surface of the substrate and (b) light having a wavelength of less than or equal to about 700 nm incident thereon to primarily scatter to angles greater than 20 degrees relative to the major surface of the substrate. This arrangement may advantageously direct beneficial light towards plant life while directing parasitic light away from the plant life.

Abstract: A high transmission and low iron glass is provided for use in a solar cell. The glass substrate may be patterned on at least one surface thereof. Antimony (Sb) is used in the glass to improve stability of the solar performance of the glass upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and/or sunlight. The combination of low iron content, antimony, and/or the patterning of the glass substrate results in a substrate with high visible transmission and excellent light refracting characteristics.

Abstract: Improved building-integrated photovoltaic systems according to certain example embodiments may include concentrated photovoltaic skylights or other windows having a cylindrical lens array. The skylight may include an insulated glass unit, which may improve the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC). The photovoltaic skylight and lens arrays may be used in combination with strip solar cells. Arrangements that involve lateral displacement tracking systems, or static systems (e.g., that are fixed at one, two, or more predefined positions) are contemplated herein. Such techniques may advantageously help to reduce cost per watt related, in part, to the potentially reduced amount of semiconductor material to be used for such example embodiments. A photovoltaic skylight may permit diffuse daylight to pass through into an interior of a building so as to provide lighting inside the building, while the strip solar cells absorb the direct sunlight and convert it to electricity, providing for SHGC tuning.

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: 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 high transmission low iron glass, that is highly oxidized, is provided for use in solar cells or the like. In certain example embodiments, the glass composition used for the glass is a low-iron type glass composition which is highly oxidized thereby permitting the glass to realize a combination of high visible transmission (Lta or Tvis), high ultraviolet (UV) and/or infrared (IR) transmission, and high total solar (TS) transmission. These features may be achieved without the need for antimony in certain example instances. The glass substrate used in a solar cell may be patterned in certain example embodiments of this invention.

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: Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to methods of treating the surface of a soda lime silica glass substrate, e.g., a soda lime silica alkali ion glass substrate, and the resulting surface-treated glass articles. More particularly, certain example embodiments of this invention relate to methods of removing a top surface portion of a glass substrate using ion sources. During or after removal of this portion, the glass may then be coated with another layer, to be used as a capping layer. In certain example embodiments, the glass substrate coated with a capping layer may be used as a color filter and/or TFT substrate in an electronic device. In other example embodiments, the glass substrate with the capping layer thereon may be used in a variety of display devices.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device including a rear electrode which may also function as a rear reflector. In certain example embodiments of this invention, the rear electrode includes a metallic based reflective film that is oxidation graded, so as to be more oxided closer to a rear substrate (e.g., glass substrate) supporting the electrode than at a location further from the rear substrate. In other words, the rear electrode is oxidation graded so as to be less oxided closer to a semiconductor absorber of the photovoltaic device than at a location further from the semiconductor absorber in certain example embodiments. In certain example embodiments, the interior surface of the rear substrate may optionally be textured so that the rear electrode deposited thereon is also textured so as to provide desirable electrical and reflective characteristics. In certain example embodiments, the rear electrode may be of or include Mo and/or MoOx, and may be sputter-deposited using a combination of MoOx and Mo sputtering targets.

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: Certain example embodiments relate to a transparent conductor film stack with cadmium stannate used as a front contact layer and/or a buffer layer in a photovoltaic device or the like. The cadmium stannate-based layers may be provided between the front glass substrate and the semiconductor absorber film in a photovoltaic device (e.g., a CdS and/or CdTe based photovoltaic device). In certain example embodiments, the buffer layer based on cadmium stannate may have a higher resistivity than the transparent conductive oxide layer based on cadmium stannate. In certain example embodiments, one or more index matching layer(s) may be provided between the glass substrate and the layer(s) comprising cadmium stannate, e.g., to help overcome the optical mismatch between the glass substrate and the CdSnOx.

Abstract: This invention relates to a high transmission low iron glass that includes boron oxide. The boron oxide, added to this low iron glass, has the effect of improving glass refining, homogeneity and quality (lower seed count) through its flux action and improves glass optical parameters of green and clear glass through the change in refractive index and surface tension. Boron oxide lends to broader and weaker absorption band of such transition element(s) as iron which additionally improves the transmittance of low iron clear glass in certain example embodiments of this invention. In certain example embodiments, the addition of boron oxide in certain quantities in advantageous in that it improves the chemical durability of the glass by decreasing the USPX (or USPXIII) value of the glass via suppression of the silica, sodium ions in the glass structure.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to a window having anti-fungal/anti-bacterial properties and/or self-cleaning properties, and a method of making the same. In certain example embodiments, a silver based layer is be provided and the layer(s) located thereover (e.g., the zirconium oxide inclusive layer) are designed to permit silver particles to migrate/diffuse to the surface over time to kill bacteria/germs at the surface of the coated article thereby creating an anti-bacterial/anti-fungal effect. In certain example embodiments, silver may also or instead be mixed in with other material as the top layer of the anti-bacterial coating.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to a sunlight-scattering thin-film coating disposed on a substrate for greenhouse applications. The surface morphology of the coating promotes a better and more uniform light distribution. For instance, at least one thin-film layer disposed on a substrate may be textured so as to create surface features on the order of 0.1-5 microns, with the surface features being sized to cause (a) light having a wavelength of greater than or equal to about 800 nm incident thereon to primarily scatter to angles less than 30 degrees relative to a major surface of the substrate and (b) light having a wavelength of less than or equal to about 700 nm incident thereon to primarily scatter to angles greater than 20 degrees relative to the major surface of the substrate. This arrangement may advantageously direct beneficial light towards plant life while directing parasitic light away from the plant life.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to a window having anti-fungal/anti-bacterial properties and/or self-cleaning properties, and a method of making the same. In certain example embodiments, a silver based layer is be provided and the layer(s) located thereover (e.g., the zirconium oxide inclusive layer) are designed to permit silver particles to migrate/diffuse to the surface over time to kill bacteria/germs at the surface of the coated article thereby creating an anti-bacterial/anti-fungal effect. In certain example embodiments, silver may also or instead be mixed in with other material as the top layer of the anti-bacterial coating.

Abstract: This invention relates to a front electrode/contact for use in an electronic device such as a photovoltaic device. In certain example embodiments, the front electrode of a photovoltaic device or the like includes a multilayer coating including at least one transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer (e.g., of or including a material such as tin oxide, ITO, zinc oxide, or the like) and/or at least one conductive substantially metallic IR reflecting layer (e.g., based on silver, gold, or the like). In certain example instances, the multilayer front electrode coating may include one or more conductive metal(s) oxide layer(s) and one or more conductive substantially metallic IR reflecting layer(s) in order to provide for reduced visible light reflection, increased conductivity, cheaper manufacturability, and/or increased infrared (IR) reflection capability. At least one of the surfaces of the front glass substrate may be textured in certain example embodiments of this invention.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to sputter-deposited transparent conductive coatings (TCCs) that are capable of surviving the harsh environments of ovens so that they can be included, for example, in oven door applications. In certain example embodiments, zirconium oxide (e.g., ZrO2 or other suitable stoichiometry) may be used as a protective overcoat to protect an underlying Ag layer from corrosion in the atmosphere. In three lite oven door example embodiments, surface 1 has a TCC pyrolytically disposed thereon, surface 2 has a TCC sputter-deposited thereon and, optionally, surface 3 has a TCC sputter-deposited thereon. In two lite oven door example embodiments, surface 1 has a TCC pyrolytically disposed or sputter-deposited thereon, and surface 2 has a TCC sputter-deposited thereon.

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.