Including Metal Or Conductive Layer Patents (Class 359/585)
  • Patent number: 6951681
    Abstract: A method for optically coupling a thermoplastic material to an outer surface layer of an organic, dielectric, optical film and the resulting optical filter. Initially, a dielectric film is selected that includes (i) repeating optical layers of at least two polymers having different refractive indexes from each other, (ii) an exterior film surface, (iii) a refractive boundary along the exterior film surface, and (iv) a delamination threshold based on total thermal energy delivered to the film. A thermoplastic material which is miscible with the exterior film surface is fused to the refractive boundary with thermal energy below the delamination threshold to form a polydisperse region having a higher optical transmission than the refractive boundary. Add-on filters in the form of hardcoat layers, anti-reflection layers, holograms, metal dielectric stacks and combinations of these may be combined with the thermoplastic-film construct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: GENTEX Corporation
    Inventors: Scott M. Hartley, Robert A. Sallavanti
  • Patent number: 6947217
    Abstract: A distributed Bragg reflector and a method of fabricating the same incorporates a support for supporting the gaps against collapse. The method includes forming a plurality of alternating structure and sacrificial layers on a substrate. The structure and sacrificial layers are etched into at least one mesa protruding from the substrate. A support layer is formed on the at least one mesa leaving a portion of the structure and sacrificial layers exposed. At least a portion of at least one of the exposed sacrificial layers are etched from between the structure layers to form gaps between the structure layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott W. Corzine, Michael Renne Ty Tan, Chao Kun Lin, Jintian Zhu, Michael H. Leary
  • Patent number: 6942917
    Abstract: Transparent articles comprising transparent, nonmetallic substrate and a transparent film stack is sputter deposited on the substrate. The film stack is characterized by including at least one infrared reflective metal film, a dielectric film over the metal film, and a protective silicon nitride film of 10 ? to 150 ? in thickness over the said dielectric film. The dielectric film desirably has substantially the same index of refraction as does silicon nitride and is contiguous with the silicon nitride film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Cardinal CG Company
    Inventors: Robert Bond, Roger P. Stanek, Wayne Hoffman
  • Patent number: 6937398
    Abstract: Optical components may be made with reflectors that increase the reflectivity of the resulting device. Increasing in the reflectivity may reduce the need for higher power light sources. In particular, the use of deposited silver layers may dramatically increase the reflectivity compared to aluminum and copper alloys. In addition, an absorptive layer may be positioned over the reflective layer to reduce the amount of blue light output from the reflector. This blue light absorber may be used to automatically rebalance light sources that produce an excessive proportion of blue light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Kozhukh
  • Patent number: 6934085
    Abstract: A first surface mirror includes a reflective layer and one or more dielectric layers. A chromium (Cr) inclusive layer is provided under the reflective layer in order to improve durability and/or optical characteristics of the first surface mirror. In certain example embodiments, a silicon nitride inclusive layer may be located under the Cr inclusive layer to provide for still further improvements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Anna Stachowiak, Grzegorz Stachowiak
  • Patent number: 6906863
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a reflective sheet that uses silver which exhibits a high reflectance as a reflective layer and is excellent in light resistance and wet heat durability, as well as a lamp reflector that uses the sheet and does not generate a luminescent line. The reflective sheet constituted by sequentially arranging at least three layers, that is, an underlying layer, a metal layer made primarily of silver and a protective layer on a polymer film is laminated with a molded body by using an adhesive, allowing a polymer film side of the reflective sheet to be a surface to be adhered, to prepare a reflector. The resultant reflector is processed to prepare a lamp reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsui Chemicals Inc.
    Inventors: Hirotaka Yoshida, Shin Fukuda, Hiroshi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 6873464
    Abstract: A multilayer mirror (1), in particular a multilayer dispersive mirror, comprising several individual layers (2, 3) of different properities applied to a substrate (4; 14) and following each other via parallel, plane interfaces (6), and a plane front face (5; 5?) on the side of beam impact which is inclined relative to the interfaces (6) between the individual layers (2, 3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Femtolasers Produktions GmbH
    Inventors: Ferenc Krausz, Gabriel Florin Tempea
  • Patent number: 6846556
    Abstract: The subject of the invention is a glass-, ceramic- or vitroceramic-based substrate (1) provided on at least part of at least one of its faces with a coating (3) with a photocatalytic property containing at least partially crystalline titanium oxide. It also relates to the applications of such a substrate and to its method of preparation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventors: Philippe Boire, Xavier Talpaert
  • Patent number: 6841272
    Abstract: A film for optical applications comprising (A) a hard coat layer which comprises a metal oxide and a substance cured by heat or by an ionizing radiation and has a thickness in a range of 2 to 20 ?m and (B) a low refractivity layer which comprises porous silica and a polysiloxane-based polymer and has a refractive index in a range of 1.30 to 1.45 and a thickness in a range of 40 to 200 nm, layers (A) and (B) being successively laminated at least on one face of a substrate film. The film exhibits an excellent property for preventing reflection of light and excellent scratch resistance and can be produced at a low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Lintec Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Shoshi, Yutaka Onozawa, Shigenobu Maruoka, Yoshitaka Takesako
  • Patent number: 6839176
    Abstract: An environmentally stable Silver containing mirror or thin-film optical filter having very high reflection values over a large spectral and angular range, and a method for constructing the mirror, or thin-film optical filter, comprising using a substrate that has been exposed to an Argon rich ion stream to prepare the surface. A medium index material is then deposed on the surface with Argon ion bombardment. The Silver is then deposited until it is opaque. A second deposition of the medium index material is next done with the Argon ion bombardment. The coating is then followed with a standard ion assisted deposed optical film to maximize reflection at the desired wavelength and angle of incidence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Ocean Optics, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip E. Buchsbaum, James D. Lane
  • Patent number: 6838183
    Abstract: A hybrid film, comprising a first polymer film having a plasma-treated surface and a second polymer film having first and second surfaces, with the first surface of the second polymer film being disposed along the first plasma-treated surface of the first polymer film, has superior thermal and mechanical properties that improve performance in a number of applications, including food packaging, thin film metallized and foil capacitors, metal evaporated magnetic tapes, flexible electrical cables, and decorative and optically variable films. One or more metal layers may be deposited on either the plasma-treated surface of the substrate and/or the radiation-cured acrylate polymer. A ceramic layer may be deposited on the radiation-cured acrylate polymer to provide an oxygen and moisture barrier film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Sigma Laboratories of Arizona, Inc.
    Inventor: Angelo Yializis
  • Publication number: 20040240066
    Abstract: A lens is provided comprising a substrate, a metal layer comprising a metal material uniformly covering an outer surface of said substrate, a first dielectric layer comprising a first dielectric material uniformly covering said metal layer and a second dielectric layer comprising a second dielectric material gradiently covering only a portion of said first dielectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: Giuseppe Iori, Graziano Marusi, Gian Giuseppe Giani
  • Patent number: 6808806
    Abstract: Methods and devices for producing images on coated articles are provided. The methods generally comprise applying a layer of magnetizable pigment coating in liquid form on a substrate, with the magnetizable pigment coating containing a plurality of magnetic non-spherical particles or flakes. A magnetic field is then applied to selected regions of the pigment coating while the coating is in liquid form, with the magnetic field altering the orientation of selected magnetic particles or flakes. Finally, the pigment coating is solidified, affixing the reoriented particles or flakes in a non-parallel position to the surface of the pigment coating to produce an image such as a three dimensional-like image on the surface of the coating. The pigment coating can contain various interference or non-interference magnetic particles or flakes, such as magnetic color shifting pigments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Flex Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger W. Phillips, Charlotte R. LeGallee, Charles T. Markantes, Paul G. Coombs, Matthew R. Witzman
  • Patent number: 6807004
    Abstract: A unique reflective surface is employed to compensate polarization dependence of optical taps. Specifically, the reflective surface compensates optical tap induced polarization by employing the intrinsic properties of metals rather than complex thin film stacks. To this end, a reflective thin metal film or a polished reflective metal surface may be employed. In a particular embodiment of the invention, a reflective surface that is coated with a single dielectric thin film can also be employed. In one example, the metal is preferably tungsten because it exhibits a large difference in the spread of reflectance between the s and p polarization states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Gary E. Carver
  • Publication number: 20040204555
    Abstract: A resin composition which can enhance the heat resistance and the humidity resistance of a dye possessing the maximum absorption at wavelengths in the range of 380-780 nm is provided. It is obtained by polymerizing a monomer mixture containing 5-100 wt. % of a monomer represented by the formula: CH2═CR—COOX (wherein R denotes a hydrogen atom or a methyl group and X denotes a hydrocarbon group of 4-25 carbon atoms) and/or a fluorine atom-containing unsaturated monomer and containing a dye possessing the maximum absorption at wavelengths in the range of 380-780 nm in an acryl type resin having an acid value in the range of 0-30 mgKOH/g and a hydroxyl value in the range of 0-30 mgKOH/g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Nobuhisa Noda, Takahiro Aoyama
  • Patent number: 6804048
    Abstract: A transparent substrate particularly of glass, provided with a stack of thin layers having at least one metallic layer (4) having properties in the infrared range particularly having low emissivity and two coatings having a base of dielectric material located one (8) under and the other (9) over the layer having properties in the infrared range, as well as a protective metallic layer (5) place immediately over an in contact with the layer having properties in the infrared range, characterized in that in order to prevent the modification of properties of the stack, particularly optical and thermal properties, in the case where the substrate is submitted to a thermal treatment of the tempering or bending kind, firstly the second coating (9) having a base of dielectric material, includes a barrier layer for the diffusion of oxygen chosen from the following materials: components of silicon SiO2, SiOxCy, SiONNy, nitrates such as Si3N4 or AlN, carbides such as SiC, TiC, CrC, TaC of a thickness of at least 10 nanome
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventors: Philippe MacQuart, Olivier Guiselin, Veronique Rondeau
  • Patent number: 6793339
    Abstract: An optical lens including an optically clear lens element; and a light absorbing coating on a surface of the lens that attenuates transmitted light; has a coloured or colourless reflection as seen from the front of the sunglass lens; and is anti-reflective as seen from the eye side of the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Sola-International Holdings, Ltd.
    Inventors: Brandon Yip, Colin James Hall, Frank Arnold Samson, Brian Douglas Adams, Randy Lee Gove
  • Patent number: 6773835
    Abstract: A film for optical applications comprising (A) a hard coat layer which comprises a resin cured by an ionizing radiation, (B) a high refractivity layer which comprises a resin cured by an ionizing radiation and at least two metal oxides comprising tin oxide doped with antimony and has a refractive index in a range of 1.65 to 1.80 and (C) a low refractivity layer which comprises a siloxane-based polymer and has a refractive index in a range of 1.37 to 1.47, layers (A) to (D) each having a specific thickness and being successively laminated at least on one face of a substrate film. The film exhibits an excellent property for preventing reflection of light and excellent scratch resistance and can be produced at a low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Lintec Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Shoshi, Yutaka Onozawa, Shigenobu Maruoka
  • Publication number: 20040145811
    Abstract: An optical-interference type reflective panel and a method for making the same are disclosed, wherein the display panel has a substrate on which multiple supporting layers are firstly formed. Then, a plurality of first conductive optical film stacks, spacing layers and multiple second conductive optical film stacks are sequentially formed on the substrate. Finally, once the spacing layers are removed, optical-interference regulators are formed. Since said supporting layers forming step is prior to the first conductive optical film stacks, a precise back-side exposing step is not necessary so that the making procedure of the panel is simplified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Applicant: PRIME VIEW INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wen-Jian Lin, Hsiung-Kuang Tsai
  • Patent number: 6761959
    Abstract: A security article includes a light transmissive substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface, with the first surface having an embossed region with an optical diffraction pattern or a holographic image pattern. A color shifting optical coating is formed on the substrate such as on the opposing second surface, with the optical coating providing an observable color shift as the angle of incident light or viewing angle changes. The security article can be used in a variety of applications and products to provide for enhanced security measures such as anticounterfeiting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Flex Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Bonkowski, Patrick K. Higgins, Charles T. Markantes, Roger W. Phillips
  • Publication number: 20040125455
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for optical interference type panel is provided. A patterned supporting layer is formed on a transparent substrate, and then a first electrode layer and an optical film are formed sequentially on the supporting layer and the transparent substrate. A sacrificial material layer is formed on the optical layer, and then, a backside exposure process is performed by using the supporting layer as a mask to pattern the sacrificial material layer. A portion of the patterned sacrificial material layer is removed to expose the optical film above the supporting layer to form a sacrificial layer, and then a second electrode layer is formed on the sacrificial layer between the adjacent supporting layers and portion of the optical film. Afterwards, the sacrificial layer is removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventor: WEN-JIAN LIN
  • Patent number: 6754006
    Abstract: A diffraction grating includes a metallic base layer and layers of dielectric materials of varying refractive index, where a bottom interface of the layers is adherent to the metallic base layer. The dielectric layers are periodically spaced on top of the metallic base layer, leaving the metallic base layer exposed in regions. This grating allows for the polarization insensitive reflective properties of the base metallic layer to operate in conjunction with the polarization sensitive diffraction properties of the multilayer grating structure to provide near 100% diffraction efficiency over a reasonable wavelength bandwidth, independent of the polarization of the incident beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: General Atomics
    Inventors: Ian Michael Barton, Steve Mathew Herman
  • Patent number: 6747800
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for optical interference type panel is provided. A patterned supporting layer is formed on a transparent substrate, and then a first electrode layer and an optical film are formed sequentially on the supporting layer and the transparent substrate. A sacrificial material layer is formed on the optical layer, and then, a backside exposure process is performed by using the supporting layer as a mask to pattern the sacrificial material layer. A portion of the patterned sacrificial material layer is removed to expose the optical film above the supporting layer to form a sacrificial layer, and then a second electrode layer is formed on the sacrificial layer between the adjacent supporting layers and portion of the optical film. Afterwards, the sacrificial layer is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Prime View International Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wen-Jian Lin
  • Patent number: 6738188
    Abstract: The reflectivity of multilayered EUV mirrors tuned for 11-16 nm, for which the two-component Mo/Be and Mo/Si multilayered systems are commonly used, is enhanced by incorporating additional elements and their compounds mainly from period 5 of the periodic table. In addition, the reflectivity performance of the multilayer stacks is further enhanced by a numerical global optimization procedure by which the layer thicknesses are varied for optimum performance in, contradistinction to the constant layer thickness—i.e. constant partition ratio—multilayer stacks commonly designed and, fabricated hitherto. By incorporating additional materials with differing complex refractive indices in various regions of the stack, or by wholly replacing one of the components (typically Mo), we have observed peak reflectivity enhancements of up to 5% for a single reflector compared to a standard unoptimized stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Mandeep Singh
  • Patent number: 6738194
    Abstract: An optical modulating device capable of use as a light valve, display, or optical filter, which uses variation in incident angle to exploit color-selective absorption at a metal-dielectric interface by surface plasmons. The device includes a dielectric layer, at least one metallic layer through which electromagnetic radiation may be transmitted or reflected, and incident and exit layers which are both optically transmissive. A beam steering mechanism controls the incident angle of the electromagnetic radiation. In one embodiment, an external beam steering mechanism is used to set the incident light angle onto the filter. In another embodiment, the filter is formed as an integral part of, for example, a cantilever. The incident light angle is then controlled by the angle of the filter cantilever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Ayax D. Ramirez, Stephen D. Russell, Randy L. Shimabukuro
  • Patent number: 6728037
    Abstract: Multilayer-film mirrors are disclosed that include multiple units of Mo and Si layers formed on the surface of a mirror substrate and that exhibit reduced internal stress and hence improved imaging properties. Hence, the mirrors are especially suitable for use in X-ray optical systems such as used in X-ray lithography systems. In an exemplary mirror, a molybdenum oxide layer is formed on at least one Mo layer at the interface surface between the Mo layer and an adjacent Si layer. The molybdenum oxide layer is formed by irradiation with oxygen ions, or by forming at least a portion of the Mo layer in an atmosphere including oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Masayuki Shiraishi
  • Publication number: 20040075908
    Abstract: A multilayer mirror for incident electromagnetic waves includes a plurality of layers having different thicknesses. The plurality of layers includes at least two materials. At least one of the materials has a non-zero absorptance at a given wavelength. In some examples, the thicknesses of the respective layers of the multilayer mirror provide the multilayer mirror with a reflectivity at the given wavelength that is greater than a reflectivity of a second multilayer mirror formed of quarter wavelength thick layers of the same materials and having the same number of layers as the multilayer mirror. In other examples, the thicknesses are selected to strike a balance between high reflectivity and another property, such as transmittance or absorptance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Fei Chuang Chen, Chongfei Shen, Xiucheng Wu
  • Patent number: 6707610
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignees: Huper Optik International Pte Ltd, Southwall Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Floyd E. Woodard, Yisheng Dai
  • Patent number: 6699585
    Abstract: A glazing panel carrying a coating stack comprises in sequence at least: a glass substrate a base antireflective layer an infra-red reflecting layer, and a top antireflective layer in which at least one of the antireflective layers comprises at least one mixed nitride layer which is a mixture of Al and at least one additional material X, in which the atomic ratio X/Al is greater than or equal to 0.05 and in which X is one or more of the materials selected from the group comprising the elements of Groups 3a, 4a, 5a, 4b, 5b, 6b, 7b, 8 of the periodic table. The glazing panel is particularly suitable for heat treatment and incorporation in windscreens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Junichi Ebisawa, Nobutaka Aomine, Satoshi Takeda, Kazuyoshi Noda, Daniel Decroupet
  • Patent number: 6692902
    Abstract: A manufacturing method and structure of slanting diffusive reflectors simplifies their manufacturing process and reduces cost. A photo mask comprising a plurality of half-tone exposure units is used. A half-tone photolithography process is performed on the positive photoresist formed on a substrate. Only one exposure process and a suitable drying step are required to form a plurality of slants and rough astigmatisms on the slants. The size of the half-tone exposure units is randomly selected. Each half-tone exposure unit comprises a plurality of parallel transmitting strips or shadow strips. The pitch of the transmitting strips or the shadow strips in one half-tone exposure unit can be arbitrary. The width of the shadow strips is gradually changing from one side of the half-tone exposure unit to the other side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Yi-Chun Wong, Ming-Dar Wei, Shang-Wen Chang
  • Patent number: 6693747
    Abstract: An optical element having a plastic substrate and an antireflection film provided on the plastic substrate, characterized in that the optical element has a basic layer comprising Nb between the plastic substrate and the antireflection film. The optical element has high adhesiveness between the plastic substrate and the antireflection film and is characterized by excellent resistance to heat, impact, alkali, and abrasion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Mitsuishi, Kenichi Shinde
  • Patent number: 6692831
    Abstract: A heat treatable coated article including an infrared (IR) reflecting layer (e.g., of or including Ag), the coated article being able to attain a &Dgr;E* (glass side) no greater than about 3.0, more preferably no greater than 2.5, and even more preferably no greater than 2.0, following or due to heat treatment (e.g., thermal tempering). Accordingly, low-E (i.e., low emissivity) coated articles of certain embodiments of this invention appear from the glass side thereof visually similar to the naked eye both before and after heat treatment. Coated articles herein may be used in the context of insulating glass (IG) window units, vehicle windshields, or any other suitable applications. In certain embodiments of this invention, an exemplary layer stack includes: glass/Si3N4/NiCr/Ag/NiCr/Si3N4. Other materials may instead be used without departing from the scope and/or spirit of the instant invention which is a low-E matchable product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventor: Grzegorz Stachowiak
  • Patent number: 6686042
    Abstract: Pigment flakes are provided which can be used to produce colorant compositions having color shifting properties. The pigment flakes can have a symmetrical coating structure on opposing sides of a reflector layer, can have an asymmetrical coating structure with all of the layers on one side of the reflector layer, or can be formed with encapsulating coatings around a reflector layer. The coating structure includes a selective absorbing layer on one or more sides of the reflector layer, a dielectric layer on the selective absorbing layer, and an absorber layer on the dielectric layer. The pigment flakes exhibit a discrete color shift such that the pigment flakes have a first color at a first angle of incident light or viewing and a second color different from the first color at a second angle of incident light or viewing. The pigment flakes can be interspersed into liquid media such as paints or inks for subsequent application to objects or papers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Flex Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Charlotte R. LeGallee
  • Patent number: 6671092
    Abstract: A reflective measuring scale graduation, as well as a method for manufacturing the same are described. The reflective measuring scale graduation includes first and second subdivisions having different reflection properties, which extend in at least one first direction on a reflecting substrate. The highly reflecting first subdivisions are made of a plurality of partial layers having different indices of refraction and function as an interference filter. The low reflecting second subdivisions are composed of at least one absorber layer on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Georg Flatscher
  • Patent number: 6665120
    Abstract: The present invention provides a reflective optical element being excellent in reflectivity and transmittance having a metallic thin film being excellent in durability and abrasion resistance wherein, in the reflective optical element in which light impinges in the transparent substrate and projects out after repeating reflection on the back plane, the reflection plane is formed by laminating the transparent substrate, metallic thin film and amorphous fluorocarbon resin in this order while forming a layer of the amorphous fluorocarbon resin on the incident and projection planes simultaneously with forming the layer on the outermost layer to allow durability and abrasion resistance to be improved with the amorphous fluorocarbon resin on the reflection plane, silver being deposited on the metallic layer by electroless plating in depositing the films while the amorphous fluorocarbon resin being preferably deposited by a wet film-deposition method such as a dip-coating method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hatakeyama, Masanobu Ohgane
  • Patent number: 6650478
    Abstract: An optical filter in the form of a film which can be used in a window to control the amount of absorbed light, reflected light, transmitted light and solar energy rejection. The optical filter contains a unique combination of an interfering Fabry-Perot stack and a massive Fabry-Perot stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: CPFilms Inc.
    Inventors: Steven DeBusk, Peter Maschwitz
  • Patent number: 6638630
    Abstract: Coating solutions having anti-reflective and anti-static properties, a coating derived therefrom, a substrate coated with the coating and methods for their preparation. A coating includes a sol-gel alkoxide polymeric material and a conductive colloidal metal compound material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Chemat Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sung-Soon Park, Haixing Zheng
  • Patent number: 6631033
    Abstract: Optical filters (1) designed in pairs, which are essentially colourless in their individual general appearance designed to take on a strong coloration when viewed together in transmission, said filters being particularly, useful for identification of counterfeit articles. The optical filters (1) utilize resonantly-coupled Fabry-Perot etalons of, an asymmetric design. The filters (1) are configured such that one of the Fabry-Perot cavities within the filter incorporates an additional multiple quarter wave thickness layer (20), said additional layer having a contrasting refractive index to that of the cavity spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: QinetiQ Limited
    Inventor: Keith L Lewis
  • Publication number: 20030156326
    Abstract: The invention relates to a material with spectrally selective reflection in the primary valences of red, green and blue. This material is applied preferably onto laser projection screens in order to make possible the projection even in daylight. In a first embodiment, a first layer of a material that is highly reflective over the entire range of visible light, e.g., aluminum is applied onto a substrate, e.g., glass or a synthetic material, which is followed by a second layer of a material that is essentially non-absorbing over the entire range of visible light, e.g., SiO2, on which, in turn, a third layer f a material that is partially transmissive over the entire range of visible light, e.g., of NiCr is disposed. The latter is in contact with air. An alternative embodiment comprises five layers, of which a first is comprised of a material with a high index of refraction, e.g., TiO2, a second of a material with a low index of refraction, e.g., SiO2, the third of a material with a high index of refraction, e.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventors: Hans-Georg Lotz, Peter Sauer
  • Patent number: 6606196
    Abstract: An optical element having a plastic substrate and an antireflection film of a &lgr;/4-&lgr;/2-&lgr;/4 or &lgr;/4-&lgr;/4-&lgr;/2-&lgr;/4 type (&lgr;=500 nm) provided in that order on the plastic substrate, wherein the layer of &lgr;/2 is a high-refraction equivalent film containing at least three layers and having a refractive index of from 1.80 to 2.40, and the even-numbered layer(s) of the equivalent film is an SiO2 layer or a layer in which SiO2 is a main component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Mitsuishi, Hitoshi Kamura, Kenichi Shinde
  • Patent number: 6601960
    Abstract: A polymer-based mirror formed from a synthetic thermoplastic or thermoset resin substrate, such as polymethyl methacrylate, which is resistant to warping and distortion from moisture. A composite multi-layer surface-hardening coating is formed on at least the anterior surface of the resin substrate. The mirror further includes a composite multi-layer reflective coating. A protective back-coat layer is deposited on a posterior surface of the mirror. A multi-layer weather-resistant coating may optionally be applied to the anterior surface of the polymer-based mirror in order to increase the weatherability and durability of the mirror. The various layers coating the synthetic resin substrate have their moisture permeabilities selected so that substantially equal amounts of moisture permeate through to both the anterior and posterior side of the synthetic resin substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: VTEC Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Richard
  • Patent number: 6602587
    Abstract: A transparent substrate particularly of glass, provided with a stack of thin layers having at least one metallic layer (4) having properties in the infrared range particularly having low emissivity and two coatings having a base of dielectric material located one (8) under and the other (9) over the layer having properties in the infrared range, as well as a protective metallic layer (5) place immediately over an in contact with the layer having properties in the infrared range, characterized in that in order to prevent the modification of properties of the stack, particularly optical and thermal properties, in the case where the substrate is submitted to a thermal treatment of the tempering or bending kind, firstly the second coating (9) having a base of dielectric material, includes a barrier layer for the diffusion of oxygen chosen from the following materials: components of silicon SiO2, SiOxCy, SiONNy, nitrates such as Si3N4 or AlN, carbides such as SiC, TiC, CrC, TaC of a thickness of at least 10 nanome
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventors: Philippe Macquart, Olivier Guiselin, Veronique Rondeau
  • Patent number: 6600603
    Abstract: A surface capable of supporting surface charge oscillations and exhibiting a profiled grating, said profile comprising at least two superposed periodic profiles. The surface has applications as radar absorber and authentication devices. Also disclosed is a method of detecting the authenticity of an object comprising providing a surface as described above claim adjacent to or on the object, illuminating said surface with radiation from at least one angle and determining the reflectivity characteristics and comparing this with reflectivity characteristics of a reference surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Qinetiq Limited
    Inventor: John R Sambles
  • Patent number: 6587263
    Abstract: An method, and method of production thereof, which provides excellent performance, reduced cost, and reduced breakage due to reduced manual handling. The present invention comprises a substrate, a bond layer coating the substrate, a reflective layer coating the bond layer, and a radiative layer coating the reflective layer. Preferably, the radiative layer comprises SiO2, Si3N4 or SiOxNy, low absorbency of electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths of approximately 200 nm to approximately 2500 nm and high absorbency and emissivity electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths of approximately 2.5 &mgr;m to approximately 25 &mgr;m. Preferably, the bond layer comprises chromium, titanium, or titanium-tungsten and the substrate comprises aluminum, aluminum alloys, polyimide, carbon-filled polyimide, or carbon composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Dominic Iacovangelo, Yiqun Pan, Chang Wei, Mao Chen
  • Patent number: 6583935
    Abstract: Low reflective, flexible, transparent, laminates having a sheet of flexible plastic substrate, a conductive outer layer on one side of the sheet, and an anti-reflective stack of at least one pair of oxide layers on at least one of the sides of the sheet, adapted for use as touch panel membrane electrodes in screen interface displays. A preferred laminate includes a flexible, polyethylene terephthalate sheet substrate having on one side a outer conductive surface of indium tin oxide and on one or both sides an anti-reflective stack of oxide layers, e.g., a stack of a layer of silicon dioxide and a layer of indium tin oxide. Preferred laminates have at least 90% transmission and less than 2% reflection of visible light in the range of 460 to 700 nm and are especially useful as touch panel electrodes, e.g., on computer display screens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: CPFilms Inc.
    Inventors: Mohtashim Saif, Andrew Wrzesinski, Hassan Memarian
  • Publication number: 20030112517
    Abstract: A distributed Bragg reflector and a method of fabricating the same incorporates a support for supporting the gaps against collapse. The method includes forming a plurality of alternating structure and sacrificial layers on a substrate. The structure and sacrificial layers are etched into at least one mesa protruding from the substrate. A support layer is formed on the at least one mesa leaving a portion of the structure and sacrificial layers exposed. At least a portion of at least one of the exposed sacrificial layers are etched from between the structure layers to form gaps between the structure layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Inventors: Scott W. Corzine, Michael Renne Ty Tan, Chao Kun Lin, Jintian Zhu, Michael H. Leary
  • Patent number: 6569517
    Abstract: A color-tailorable, surface-metalized, pigmented optical body comprising a single or multiple layer polymeric core comprising at least one layer of a thermoplastic polymer material having dispersed therein a particulate pigment, and a metallic layer located on at least one outer surface of the polymeric core. The optical bodies are generally constructed such that the at least one of the L*, a*, and b* color scales of the polymeric core differs from the L*, a*, and b* color scales of the metallic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Daniel J. McGurran, Laurence R. Gilbert, Bryan L. Klaenhammer, James A. Olson
  • Publication number: 20030058541
    Abstract: An optical filter arrangement comprises an optical filter and an optical element compensating or flattening at least a portion of a group delay profile generated by said optical filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Inventor: Bram Vingerling
  • Patent number: 6535336
    Abstract: A high reflection mirror has a layer structure comprising on a substrate, a TiOx layer, an Ag layer, an Al2O3 layer and a TiO2 layer in this order, or alternatively on a substrate, an SiOx layer, a Cr layer, an Ag layer, an Al2O3 layer and a TiO2 layer in this order (1≦x≦2). An SiOy protective layer may be formed on the top TiO2 layer (1≦y≦2). The high reflection mirror shows a high reflectance and a high durability and can be produced at a lower cost because of the reduced number of layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shumpei Tatsumi
  • Patent number: RE38321
    Abstract: A hologram forming layer, transparent evaporated layer, colored layer, adhesion anchor layer, and adhesive layer are sequentially laminated on the under surface of a base member. The laminated body is used as a seal by the presence of the adhesive layer. It is preferable for the base member to have adequate rigidity (flexibility, tensile strength) and surface flatness. The hologram forming layer has a relief type hologram image. The transparent evaporated layer is a multi-layered ceramic layer constructed by alternately laminating high-refractive index layers and low-refractive index layers and the thickness thereof is preferably set to 1 &mgr;m or less. In the transparent evaporated layer, the color of visible light in predetermined wavelength range is changed according to the viewing angle when it is transmitted therethrough or reflected therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruo Uyama, Takahiro Harada, Mitsuru Kano, Nagahisa Matsudaira, Kazuhisa Hoshino, Satoshi Kitamura, Fuminobu Noguchi, Tsutomu Shikakubo