Including Metal Or Conductive Layer Patents (Class 359/585)
  • Patent number: 6236510
    Abstract: A color shifting multilayer interference film is provided which may be used to produce flakes for use in colorants having color shifting properties. The flakes can be interspersed into liquid media such as paints or inks which can subsequently be applied to objects or papers to achieve color variations upon shifts in angle of incident light or upon shifts in viewing angle. A five layer design of the interference film includes a first absorber layer, a first dielectric layer on the first absorber layer, a reflector layer on the first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer on the reflector layer, and a second absorber layer on the second dielectric layer. A three layer design of the interference film includes first and second absorber layers with a dielectric layer therebetween. The dielectric layers are formed to have an optical thickness at a design wavelength that provides a color shift as the angle of incident light or viewing changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Flex Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Bradley, Jr., Matthew R. Witzman
  • Patent number: 6231999
    Abstract: A heat-resistant transparent glass article is formed with a film stack deposited on a glass substrate, the film stack comprising one or more infrared reflective films each bearing on its surface facing away from the substrate a protective film of niobium metal having a thickness of up to 25 Å and preferably in the range of about 7 Å to 20 Å. A protective film of niobium metal or metal oxide may be formed on the other surface (facing the substrate) of each infrared reflective film. Metal nitride films such as silicon nitride may be employed between neighboring infrared reflective films, and as an outer protective film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Cardinal IG Company
    Inventor: Annette J. Krisko
  • Patent number: 6229652
    Abstract: A material for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) multilayers that will reflect at about 11.3 nm, have a high reflectance, low stress, and high thermal and radiation stability. The material consists of alternating layers of Mo2C and Be deposited by DC magnetron sputtering on a substrate, such as silicon. In one example a Mo2C/Be multilayer gave 65.2% reflectance at 11.25 nm measured at 5 degrees off normal incidence angle, and consisted of 70 bilayers with a deposition period of 5.78 nm, and was deposited at 0.83 mTorr argon (Ar) sputtering pressure, with the first and last layers being Be. The stress of the multilayer is tensile and only +88 MPa, compared to +330 MPa of a Mo/Be multilayers of the same thickness. The Mo2C/Be multilayer was capped with carbon which produced an increase in reflectivity of about 7% over a similar multilayer with no carbon capping material, thus raising the reflectivity from 58.3% to over 65%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Sasa Bajt, Troy W. Barbee, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6221520
    Abstract: A transparent conductive film having a transparent oxide layer and a metal layer containing Ag, laminated in this order from a substrate side in a total of (2n+l) layers), wherein n is an integer of at least 1, wherein the transparent oxide layer contains ZnO and further contains In within a range of from 9 to 98 atomic % based on the sum of Zn and In, and a process for forming a transparent electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Takaki, Kazuo Sato, Masami Miyazaki, Yuki Kawamura, Hiromichi Nishimura
  • Patent number: 6212004
    Abstract: A reflector providing directional control of visible and infra-red radiation emanating from a lamp held within the reflector. The reflector includes a first, optical interference coating applied to the interior surface of the dome-shaped portion of the reflector which is operable to transmit infra-red radiation while reflecting visible light. A second coating which is non-transmissive to IR radiation is applied to selected portions of the reflector body, and preferably to the area adjacent the neck portion of the reflector whereby components placed rearwardly of the reflector are protected from IR radiation. Various application techniques are disclosed, and the second coating may be applied in manners allowing for coding of reflectors of different types, as well as creating an aesthetically pleasing effect on surfaces illuminated by the IR radiation transmitted rearwardly of the reflector. Visible light escaping from the neck portion of prior art reflectors is also addressed by the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Coatings, Inc.
    Inventors: Grzegorz Stachowiak, Robert G. Naum
  • Patent number: 6210784
    Abstract: The invention relates to a transparent substrate, in particular made of glass, provided with a thin-film stack including at least one metallic layer with infrared reflection properties, in particular a low-emission. layer, arranged between two dielectric-based coatings, the underlying coating having a wetting layer based on zinc oxide ZnO, optionally doped with aluminium ZnO:Al, directly in contact with the metallic layer. According to the invention, each of the two coatings based on the dielectric material comprises at least one layer with high refractive index, greater than or equal to 2.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Vitrage
    Inventors: VĂ©ronique Rondeau, Fabrice Didier
  • Patent number: 6212009
    Abstract: The invention relates to a phase annulus consisting of a phase shifting thin-film system, which, in the case of a cemented system, has the following structure: (first) substrate-Ag-nH-cement-(second) substrate, or a structure: (first) substrate-n1-Ag-n2-cement-(second) substrate. In the case of an uncemented structure, the thin-film system has the following structure: substrate-Ag-nH-air, wherein nH, n1 or n2 represent the respective refractive index of a dielectric film. Phase shifting of the positive phase contrast can be regulated in a targeted manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems Wetzlar GmbH
    Inventors: Sabine Alt-Nedvidek, Claus Gunkel
  • Patent number: 6198215
    Abstract: The present invention is aimed to realize a structure which satisfies all requirements of: being free from a problem on waste water treatment in a producing process when a Cr oxide film and a Cr metal film are used, and free from a weakness in water resistance when a Mo oxide film and a Mo metal film are used; adaptability to environment; low production cost; and stability in a producing process. The structure is realized by laminating a molybdenum oxynitride film in which one substance of Si, W, Ta, and Ni is added, i.e., (Mo:X)ON(X=Si,W,Ta,Ti), and one or more metal films of Ni, Al, Mo films and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Manabu Niboshi, Hiroyuki Shimoyama
  • Patent number: 6181727
    Abstract: A component for use in a high-temperature environment such as the coating chamber of a PVD apparatus. A reflective coating on the component serves as a barrier to radiant heat transfer to the component by reflecting thermal radiation. The coating comprises at least one pair of reflective layers, each layer being formed of a material that is essentially transparent to electromagnetic wavelengths of between 500 and 3000 nanometers (nm). In addition, the material of the outermost layer of the pair has a higher index of refraction than the material of the other layer of the pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William R. Stowell, John F. Ackerman, Jeffrey A. Conner, John D. Evans, Sr., Antonio F. Maricocchi
  • Patent number: 6159621
    Abstract: The invention concerns a transparent substrate provided with a thin-film stack comprising at least one metallic film with reflective properties in the infrared, under which is disposed a first antireflection coating consisting essentially of one or more metal oxides, and an upper protective metallic film characterized in that the protective metallic film consists of an alloy of Ti, Zr or Hf with Al, Pt or Pd or an AlSi alloy.According to the invention, the second upper antireflection coating includes at least two metal oxide films, one of which is ZnO based and contains 0.1 to 10% by weight of at least one of the elements B, Si, Ga, Sm, Al, Co, Mg, Mn, Fe, Ni and/or Cr and the other is SnO.sub.2 or Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 based, and a final, hard oxide based film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Vitrage
    Inventors: Heinz Schicht, Uwe Schmidt, Wilfried Kaiser, Bodo Hryniw
  • Patent number: 6157489
    Abstract: A color shifting multilayer interference film is provided which may be used to produce flakes for use in colorants having color shifting properties. The flakes can be interspersed into liquid media such as paints or inks which can subsequently be applied to objects or papers to achieve color variations upon shifts in angle of incident light or upon shifts in viewing angle. A five layer design of the interference film includes a first absorber layer, a first dielectric layer on the first absorber layer, a reflector layer on the first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer on the reflector layer, and a second absorber layer on the second dielectric layer. The first and second dielectric layers are formed to have an optical thickness at a design wavelength that provides a color shift as the angle of incident light or viewing changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Flex Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Bradley, Jr., Matthew R. Witzman
  • Patent number: 6147821
    Abstract: A penta prism mask havimg having an antireflective coating film on its surface, the antireflective coating film being an electrodeposition coating film formed by electrophoretic deposition using an electrodeposition paint comprising a dispersion of a resin and fine particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Susumu Kadokura, Naoya Saitoh, Tomoaki Kato
  • Patent number: 6147803
    Abstract: A method of forming a reflective mirror comprised of a copper-free reflective metal layer carried on a transparent substrate, the method including the steps of providing a substrate which is transparent; contacting the substrate with an activating solution comprised of ions of at least one of bismuth (III), chromium (II), gold (III), indium (III), nickel (II), palladium (II), platinum (II), rhodium (III), ruthenium (III), titanium (III), vanadium (III) and zinc (II) to provide an activated substrate; forming a coating comprised of a layer of copper-free reflective metal on a surface of the activated substrate; applying a paint powder which is includes a polymer onto the coating to provide a powder coated assembly; and treating the polymer to form a protective layer of paint on the coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Glaverbel
    Inventors: Pierre Laroche, Pierre Boulanger
  • Patent number: 6142642
    Abstract: A heat formable mirror is formed by sputter depositing upon a sheet such as glass a reflective coating utilizing a base layer of silicon or a combination of silicon and stainless steel films, a reflective layer formed of a reflective metallic film such as titanium or aluminum, and a protective layer comprising preferably silicon nitride. The resulting mirror can be heat formed at elevated temperatures to form a curved mirror having a reflective coating free of objectionable defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Cardinal IG Company
    Inventors: Annette J. Krisko, Wayne L. Hoffman, Scott A. Maxwell
  • Patent number: 6132881
    Abstract: A high visible light transmitting, low-E sputter coating system, achieving neutral color and non-mirror-like appearance, useful in 2-pane and 3-pane IG units is achieved by an intermediate layer of silver, an undercoat of a metal oxide or nitride having an index of refraction of 2.35-2.75 and an overcoat of a metal oxide or nitride having an index of refraction of 1.85-2.25.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Klaus W. Hartig, Philip J. Lingle, Steven L. Larson
  • Patent number: 6128126
    Abstract: An environmentally stable silver containing mirror having very high reflection values over a large spectral range comprises a silver containing layer disposed on a substrate, which is covered by a zinc sulfide layer. So that the sulfur being set free during the application or during the vaporization of the zinc sulfide to be applied, does not attack the silver, at least one barrier or intermediate layer is placed between the silver containing layer and the zinc sulfide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karl Hohenegger, Peter Wierer, Christian Beyeler
  • Patent number: 6111698
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Southwall Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Floyd Eugene Woodard, Clark I. Bright
  • Patent number: 6104534
    Abstract: In an optical member having a coating for reducing a ray reflecting on the coating and for reducing an electromagnetic wave incident on the coating, the optical member includes: a transparent substrate; and the coating including, and formed on the transparent substrate in the order named from the transparent substrate, a first light transmitting thin layer having a high refractive index, a first light transmitting thin layer having a low refractive index, a second light transmitting thin layer having a high refractive index, a second light transmitting thin layer having a low refractive index. At least one of the first light transmitting thin layer having the high refractive index and the second light transmitting thin layer having the high refractive index is a transparent conductive layer having a sheet resistivity of 100 .OMEGA./.quadrature. or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuo Ohta, Shingo Nakamura, Satoshi Nakano
  • Patent number: 6104530
    Abstract: Transparent laminates which have high transparency and, moreover, excellent electromagnetic shielding characteristics and near-infrared cutting-off characteristics, and optical filters for displays using these transparent laminates. These transparent laminates are formed by laminating a transparent electrically conductive layer composed of high-refractive-index transparent film layers (B) and metal film layers (C) consisting of silver or a silver-containing alloy on one major surface of a transparent substrate (A) in such a way that a repeating unit comprising a combination of one high-refractive-index transparent film layer (B) and one metal film layer (C) is laminated three times or more, and further laminating one high-refractive-index transparent film layer (B) thereon. The transparent laminate has a sheet resistance of not greater than 3 .OMEGA./sq., a visible light transmittance of not less than 50%, and a light transmittance of not greater than 20% in a wavelength region longer than 820 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Okamura, Fumiharu Yamazaki, Shin Fukuda, Ryu Oi, Masaaki Yoshikai, Masato Koyama
  • Patent number: 6088163
    Abstract: A metal-coated multilayer mirror having high reflectivity and high specularity. The mirror comprises a multilayered polymer film and a reflective metal layer. The multilayered polymer film preferably comprises layers of a crystalline, semi-crystalline, or liquid crystalline material, such as a naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester, having an average thickness of not more than 0.5 microns and layers of a second polymer having an average thickness of not more than 0.5 microns. Preferably, the layers of semi-crystalline naphthalene dicarboxylic acid polyester have a positive stress optical coefficient. The reflective metal layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of silver, gold, aluminum, nickel, copper, and titanium, with silver and aluminum being particularly preferred. The metal-coated multilayer mirrors are useful in applications requiring broad bandwidth reflection, high specularity, low manufacturing costs, and high reflectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Laurence R. Gilbert, Andrew J. Ouderkirk
  • Patent number: 6076932
    Abstract: This invention provides a light absorber which can be used for optical equipment like optical-disk equipment and a liquid crystal display. The light absorber has a layered structure including a light absorbing layer and a transparent layer. The light absorbing layer absorbs a reflected light from the inside of the absorber as well as incident light into the absorber while the transparent layer helps attenuate the reflected light by interference of light. One of the light absorbing layers which is thicker than others may work as a shading layer for the incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Uchida, Tsuguhiro Korenaga, Hiroyasu Tsuji, Shougo Nasu, Norimoto Nouchi, Toshio Fukazawa, Toshihiro Kuriyama, Yuji Matsuda
  • Patent number: 6078425
    Abstract: A durable multilayer mirror includes reflective layers of aluminum and silver and has high reflectance over a broad spectral range from ultraviolet to visible to infrared. An adhesion layer of a nickel and/or chromium alloy or nitride is deposited on an aluminum surface, and a thin layer of silver is then deposited on the adhesion layer. The silver layer is protected by a passivation layer of a nickel and/or chromium alloy or nitride and by one or more durability layers made of metal oxides and typically a first layer of metal nitride. The durability layers may include a composite silicon aluminum nitride and an oxinitride transition layer to improve bonding between nitride and oxide layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Jesse D. Wolfe, Norman L. Thomas
  • Patent number: 6071616
    Abstract: A glass surface with a low reflectance opaque aperture coating (12). In one example the coating has two layers, in another the coating has three layers. In a third example the coating includes a filter layer structure(36). The coating can be deposited onto the glass or an antireflective coating (14). A process is included in which the opaque coating is formed. The process includes depositing the coating on an antireflective coating, then patterning and etching the opaque coating to define a clear aperture area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Frank C. Sulzbach, Ching-Tai Chen
  • Patent number: 6064525
    Abstract: An optical device includes (a) a dichromatic mirror composed of a vitreous substrate having a front surface and a rear surface; and a coating provided on the vitreous substrate composed of a three-layer stack including a semiconductor layer composed of a semiconductor material having a refractive index of more than 3.0, a layer composed of a material having an intermediate refractive index in the range 1.9 to 2.8, and a layer composed of a material having a low refractive index in the range 1.2 to 2.0, wherein the refractive indices of the materials of intermediate and low refractive index differ by at least 0.2, and wherein the dichromatic mirror has a luminous transmittance of at least 20% and a luminous reflectivity of at least 40%; and (b) radiation detecting means positioned on the side of the rear surface of the vitreous substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Glaverbel
    Inventor: Jean-Michel Depauw
  • Patent number: 6060178
    Abstract: A heat-resistant transparent glass article is formed with a film stack deposited on a glass substrate, the film stack comprising one or more infrared reflective films each bearing on its surface facing away from the substrate a barrier film of niobium metal having a thickness of up to 25 .ANG. and preferably in the range of about 7 .ANG. to 20 .ANG.. A barrier film of niobium metal or, preferably, a metal oxide may be formed on the other surface (facing the substrate) of each infrared reflective film. Metal nitride films such as silicon nitride may be employed between neighboring infrared reflective films, and as an outer protective film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Cardinal IG Company
    Inventor: Annette J. Krisko
  • Patent number: 6040937
    Abstract: An interferometric modulator (Imod) cavity has a reflector and an induced absorber. A direct view reflective flat panel display may include an array of the modulators. Adjacent spacers of different thicknesses are fabricated on a substrate by a lift-off technique used to pattern the spacers which are deposited separately, each deposition providing a different thickness of spacer. Or a patterned photoresist may be used to allow for an etching process to selectively etch back the thickness of a spacer which was deposited in a single deposition. A full-color static graphical image may be formed of combined patterns of interferometric modulator cavities. Each cavity includes a reflector, and an induced absorber, the induced absorber including a spacer having a thickness that defines a color associated with the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Etalon, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark W. Miles
  • Patent number: 6040939
    Abstract: A coated article of manufacture comprises a substantially transparent substrate with a substantially transparent dual-function coating on a surface of the substrate. The coating provides low emissivity and high anti-solar performance properties. It comprises a first anti-reflection layer of dielectric material, preferably tungsten oxide. An infra-red reflective layer of silver metal overlies the anti-reflection dielectric layer. Optionally, a buffer layer is positioned between the anti-reflection layer and the infra-red reflective layer. Also, optionally, a color control layer may be positioned between the anti-reflection layer and the substrate. A silicon buffer layer, directly overlies the infra-red reflective layer of silver metal. A second anti-reflection layer of tungsten oxide overlies the buffer layer. In accordance with a method of manufacturing the coated article, each of the layers of the dual-function coating are deposited in turn by cathodic sputtering in a multi-station sputtering chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Turkiye Sise ve cam Fabrikalari A.S.
    Inventors: Huyla Demiryont, Huseyin Parlar, Ayse Ersoy, Ender Aktulga
  • Patent number: 6034813
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Southwall Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Floyd Eugene Woodard, David A. Jones, Reto Furler
  • Patent number: 6034820
    Abstract: An optical filter, for absorbing a part of the optical signals with a central wavelength .lambda. and restricting the intensity of the transmitted light, includes a dielectric block with a high refractive index, a metal film, and a dielectric block with a low refractive index deposited on a substrate in that order in the direction of the incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Someno, Koichi Kamiyama
  • Patent number: 6031652
    Abstract: A modulator for modulating an incident beam of light includes a substrate having a cavity formed therein and a plurality of spaced-apart deformable elements formed in the cavity. The deformable elements each has a base layer, a poled magnetic layer formed in the base layer and a first light reflection layer deposited on the magnetic layer for reflecting an incident beam of light. Between adjacent deformable elements on the base of the cavity is arranged a second light reflection layer. A conductive element formed in the substrate electro-magnetically energizes the deformable elements to deflect in the cavity. Incident light passing through each one of the first light reflection layers is caused to destructively interfere with light reflected from the second light reflection layers thereby causing modulation of the incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Edward P. Furlani, Syamal K. Ghosh, Dilip K. Chatterjee
  • Patent number: 6021001
    Abstract: A filter (10) for selectively transmitting electromagnetic energy over a range of frequencies (28, 30, 32) adapted for use with white light (24). The filter (10) includes rugate layers (18, 20) for creating a resonant cavity that resonates at desired bandpass frequencies (28, 30, 32). An absorptive layer (12) absorbs frequencies near the bandpass frequencies (28, 30, 32) and reflects frequencies outside the bandpass frequencies (28, 30, 32). Phase matching layers (14, 16) allow the transmission of electromagnetic energy within the transmission bands (28, 30, 32) through the absorption layer 12. In an illustrative embodiment, the bandpass frequencies (28, 30, 32) comprise the three tristimulus frequencies, i.e., red (28), green (30) and blue (32) frequencies. The rugate layers (18, 20) include first (18) and second (20) rugate layers made of SiO.sub.2 and Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Aaron N. Turner
  • Patent number: 6007901
    Abstract: A heat reflecting fenestration composite is provided which includes in sequence: (a) a substantially transparent substrate; (b) a first outer dielectric layer; (c) an infrared reflecting metal layer; (d) a color correcting metal layer comprising a metal different from the infrared reflecting metal layer; (e) a protective metal layer comprising a metal different from the infrared reflecting metal layer and different from the color correcting layer; and (f) a second outer dielectric layer. The dielectric layers are typically indium oxide, indium zinc oxide, indium tin oxide or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the composite also includes additional layers of infrared reflecting metal layer, color correcting metal, protective metal and dielectric. Also preferably, the composite comprises a top layer of glass or transparent polymeric plastic. The infrared reflecting metal layer is typically silver, gold, copper or alloys thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: CPFilms, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Maschwitz, Ronald Spraker
  • Patent number: 6005715
    Abstract: A reflector formed on a polished aluminum base which is lightly anodized (0.2-0.5 microns thick) as a protective coating over which is vacuum deposited a thick (0.05 to 2.0 microns) layer of non-porus oxide underlying an aluminum reflectance layer which supports a pair of quarter wave length reflectance-enhancing layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Dielectric Coating Industries
    Inventors: Carmen B. Bischer, Jr., Edward A. Small, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6000804
    Abstract: To provide a retroreflective material which has high utilization efficiency of light and which can give a reflected light to various color tones: the retroreflective material in accordance with the present invention, which comprises synthesizing an incident light by giving a phase contrast to a part of the incident light, and emphasizing a light component of specific wavelength region by interference and returning a colored light that the color tone is different from the incident light to the incident direction of the light, and to provide a hologram reconstructor which reflect the light to the almost the same direction as the incident direction, when the linear light that has regular directionality is irradiated, and which comprises graphic design function, decorating function and high forgery prevention property by using said retroreflective material as the hologram reconstructor: the retroreflective reconstructor in accordance with the present invention laminates said retroreflective material and a hologra
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Shiseido Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Asa Kimura
  • Patent number: 5993950
    Abstract: A coated substrate including a substrate; a stack of coating layers provided on the substrate composed of, in the sequence recited, (i) a first layer of dielectric material which is a composite layer including a sub-layer comprising a selectively absorbent material having a refractive index of at least 1.4, a spectral absorption index k.sub..lambda. of at least 0.4 in the range 380<.lambda.<450 nm and having a ratio of k.sub.380<.lambda.<450 nm /k.sub.650<.lambda.760 nm >2, (ii) a first layer of a metal selected the group consisting of silver, gold, copper and alloys of one or more thereof, and (iii) a second layer of dielectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Glaverbel
    Inventors: Yvan Novis, Jean-Michel Depauw
  • Patent number: 5986808
    Abstract: A surface plasmon filter having two symmetric metal-dielectric interfaces coupled with each other to produce a transmission optical wave at a surface plasmon resonance wavelength at one interface from a p-polarized input beam on the other interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Yu Wang
  • Patent number: 5986737
    Abstract: A multi-layer flat panel display screen. The present invention includes a multi-layer flat panel display screen including a rear polarizer for polarizing incident light; a back glass structure disposed adjacent to the rear polarizer; a thin film matrix for selectively polarizing light emitted through the rear polarizer, the thin film matrix including a transistor layer having a two-dimensional matrix of individually addressable transistors; a color filter layer; and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the transistor layer and the color filter layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel E. Evanicky, Leroy Bertrand Keely, Steven Siefert
  • Patent number: 5982546
    Abstract: A reflecting film has at least a transparent polymer film and a thin silver layer applied on the transparent polymer film to reflect light entered from a side of the transparent polymer film. The reflecting film retains a reflectance of at least 90% to visible light even after the reflector is exposed for 300 hours at a reflecting film temperature of 100.degree. C. and an exposure intensity of 500 mW/cm.sup.2 to artificial sunlight from which light of 390 nm and shorter in wavelength has been eliminated. For fabricating the reflecting film, a surface of the transparent polymer film is preferably treated with a metal-containing plasma, then the thin-silver layer is deposited on the treated surface. A reflector making use of the reflecting film is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Satoshi Kawamoto, Yumi Gotoh, Shin Fukuda, Nobuhiro Fukuda
  • Patent number: 5982547
    Abstract: An optical filter, which has a predetermined transmittance and a low reflectance at a wavelength .lambda. of, for example, 780 nm, comprises a metal film and a dielectric thin-film deposited adjacent to the metal film, the dielectric thin-film having a refractive index lower than that of the metal film and a thickness of .lambda./40 or less. Also disclosed is an optical filter, comprising a substrate, a plurality of sets of dielectric thin-films (H) with a high refractive index and dielectric thin-films (L) with a low refractive index, and a metal layer. The dielectric thin-films (H) and the dielectric thin-films (L) are alternately deposited on the substrate and the metal film is provided between one dielectric thin-film (H) and the adjacent dielectric thin-film(L). The dielectric thin-film (L) adjacent to the metal film has a thickness .lambda./40 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Someno, Koichi Kamiyama
  • Patent number: 5978134
    Abstract: The invention relates to a low-pass optical filtering device for the UV band, comprising:a dielectric stacking (14) ensuring an anti-reflective function for .lambda.<.lambda..sub.c, where .lambda..sub.c is a so-called cutoff wavelength, of less than 300 nm, a metal base (12) ensuring a reflective function for .lambda.>.lambda..sub.c.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Patrick Chaton, Jean Dijon
  • Patent number: 5965246
    Abstract: The subject of the invention is a transparent substrate (1), in particular one made of glass, coated with a stack (7) of thin layers comprising at least one layer (4) having reflection properties in the infrared and/or in the solar radiation range, this layer (4) being interposed between a first and a second coating (3, 6) comprising a dielectric material. An interlayer (2) made of a material having a refractive index less than that of the substrate (1) is interposed between the substrate (1) and the stack (7) such that the difference in refractive indices between the substrate (1) and the layer (2) is at least 0.07 and preferably at least 0.12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Vitrage
    Inventors: Olivier Guiselin, Philippe Macquart, Veronique Rondeau
  • Patent number: 5962115
    Abstract: A system of layers applied to a transparent substrate includes a first layer of an oxide such as ZnO or SnO.sub.2, a second layer of a substoichiometric oxide of Zn or Ta, a third layer of Ag or Cu, a fourth layer of a substoichiometric oxide of Ti, Cr, or Nb, and a fifth layer of similar composition as the first layer. The layers are preferably deposited by magnetron cathode sputtering in an atmosphere which consists of inert gas and, in the case of the oxide layers, a reactive gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Balzers und Leybold Deutschland Holding AG
    Inventors: Anton Zmelty, Joachim Szczyrbowski, Christoph Braatz
  • Patent number: 5952084
    Abstract: The subject of the invention is a transparent substrate (1), in particular a glass substrate, including a coating (6) of one or more thin films on at least one of its faces, comprising at least one A film containing an aluminum fluoride or aluminum oxyfluoride Al.sub.x O.sub.y F.sub.z, with y.gtoreq.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Saint Gobain Vitrage
    Inventors: Charles-Edward Anderson, Jean-Paul Rousseau
  • Patent number: 5948538
    Abstract: The subject of the invention is a glazing assembly comprising at lest one transparent substrate provided with a stack of thin "A" layers composed in succession of a first coating of dielectric material, a first "functional" layer having reflection properties in the infrared, in particular a metallic layer, and a third coating of dielectric material. The sum of the thicknesses of the first and second functional layers is greater than or equal to 25 nm. The ratio of the thickness of the first functional layer to the thickness of the second functional layer is less than 0.55.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Village
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Brochot, Fabrice Didier
  • Patent number: 5942319
    Abstract: A light absorptive antireflector comprising a substrate, a light absorbing film formed on the substrate and a silica film formed on the light absorbing film, to reduce reflection of incident light from the silica film side, wherein the geometrical film thickness of the light absorbing film is from 5 to 25 nm, and the geometrical film thickness of the silica film is from 70 to 110 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuji Oyama, Yoshihito Katayama
  • Patent number: 5935702
    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 SiO.sub.2, SiO.sub.x C.sub.y SiO.sub.N N.sub.y, nitrates such as Si.sub.3 N.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Vitrage
    Inventors: Philippe Macquart, Olivier Guiselin, Veronique Rondeau
  • Patent number: 5892618
    Abstract: Gold is useful for infrared polarization-insensitive mirrors on silica. However, gold does not adhere to bare silica. The adherence is enhanced by depositing an optically thin glue layer of Ni--P on a silica surface after sensitization of the surface and activation. The Ni--P layer has a thickness sufficient to enhance adherence of gold to the surface of silica, but insufficient to act as a barrier to the passage of infrared radiation to or from the gold layer. One measure of the Ni--P thickness is the absorbance of the glue layer of >0.008 at 550 nm (>0.003 at 850 nm) as measured by a spectrophotometer. A 100-150 nm thick gold layer, deposited on this adhesion layer, adheres well enough to pass the commonly used "Scotch tape adhesion test". The ability to make gold adhere to silica with very low optical loss is useful in fabrication of lightwave devices which require the use of reflecting surfaces, such as an optical fibers or waveguides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert William Filas
  • Patent number: 5877895
    Abstract: Several techniques may be used for forming a colored interference filter coating on a substrate such as polyester film. The interference filter has two metal reflective films, at least one of which is semi-transparent. A layer of transparent acrylate polymer dielectric between the metal layers completes the interference filter, which may be sandwiched between protective layers. The dielectric is formed by evaporating an acrylate monomer having a molecular weight in the range of from 150 to 600. Preferably the acrylate monomer has a molecular weight to acrylate group ratio in the range of from 150 to 400. The acrylate condenses on the substrate and is polymerized in situ for forming a monolithic film with a sufficient thickness to produce an interference color. In several embodiments different areas of the film have different thicknesses for producing different interference colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Catalina Coatings, Inc.
    Inventors: David G. Shaw, Daniel S. Cline, Eric P. Dawson, Marc Langlois
  • Patent number: 5864994
    Abstract: A glazing element, in particular, for facing building facades, having two nes enclosing a gaseous atmospheric intermediate space and having a predetermined layer on at least one pane surface facing the intermediate space. The glazing element is distinguished by the fact that the predetermined layer has a reactive layer applied on one pane and a catalytic layer applied on the reactive layer. The catalytic layer, depending on the composition of the gas atmosphere contained between the panes, activates in the reactive layer. The reaction changes the optical and/or electrical properties of the reactive layer, and varies the composition of the gas atmosphere in the intermediate space, thereby making the electrical and/or optical properties of the reactive layer variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Graf, Andreas Georg, Volker Wittwer, Michael Koehl, Franz Brucker, Andreas Gombert, Ludwig Thomas
  • Patent number: RE36308
    Abstract: A solar control film having low visible light transmittance and low visible light reflectance is comprised of two or more transparent substrates each bearing a thin, transparent, discontinuous, incoherent film of metal having low visible light reflectance and a degree of visible light blocking capacity, the substrates being so assembled and laminated into a composite that the visible light blocking capacities of the metal films are effectively combined to provide a composite having low visible light transmittance. Performance characteristics are enhanced by providing on one or more of the substrates a transparent coating of high refractive index underlying the metal film. The material of high refractive index is preferably a synthetic high oxygen content oxide of bismuth, which facilitates efficient and economical production of the solar control film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: MSC Specialty Films, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Y. Yang