Abstract: A photodetector including a light transmissive electrically conducting layer having a textured surface with a semiconductor body thereon. This layer traps incident light thereby enhancing the absorption of light by the semiconductor body. A photodetector comprising a textured light transmissive electrically conducting layer of SnO.sub.2 and a body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon has a conversion efficiency about fifty percent greater than that of comparative cells. The invention also includes a method of fabricating the photodetector of the invention.

Abstract: The specification discloses a method for producing a curved glass member having a transparent, electroconductive coating by first coating the glass flat with indium-tin oxide, followed by coating that film with a layer of carbonaceous material and covering that layer with a mating piece of glass while the two pieces of glass are bent in a bending oven.

Abstract: An electrochromic element having an electrochromic layer, formed of cobalt hydroxide or cobalt carbonate as a material for evaporation, and interposed between first and second electrodes, each being made of an electrically conductive film.

Abstract: The present invention provides a means of relieving stress on an apertured mask, typically used to deposit thin-film structures on a glass substrate, such that the mask easily conforms to the substrate surface when the mask is in its hold down and patterning position during the deposition process. In particular, the present invention provides a mask assembly having a structurally relieved inner apertured mask portion from an outer mask portion that serves to eliminate wrinkles or crimps in the mask during deposition which may produce unacceptable blurs or shorts between thin-film structures. The stress relieving feature includes a slot which is disposed peripherally about the inner mask and two small segments providing the interconnection between the inner and outer mask of the mask assembly.

Abstract: A liquid coating composition for producing high quality, high performance fluorine-doped tin oxide coatings by chemical vapor deposition includes 1-30 wt. % of a reactive fluorine dopant compound and 70-99 wt. % of an organotin compound.

Abstract: Transparent, haze-free tin oxide coatings on glass are obtained by chemical vapor deposition of liquid monophenyltin trichloride. The method includes the steps of vaporizing liquid monophenyltin trichloride and contacting the vapor in an oxidizing atmosphere with a substrate at an elevated substrate temperature, preferably about 450.degree. to 600.degree. C. The tin oxide coating on glass produced by this method has a haze which is less than 1%, and is substantially equal to the haze value for uncoated glass.

Abstract: Fine quality catenated phosphorus thin films are produced in a high vacuum evaporator. Heated tungsten wire crackers are provided above the phosphorus boat and below the substrates. Amorphous pure phosphorus shiny red films have been deposited on glass, metallized glass and GaP and exhibit an optical edge at 2.0 eV. Films of KP.sub.x where x is equal to 15 or greater than 15 are produced by utilizing a second baffled boat source containing the potassium graphite intercalate, KC.sub.8. Addition of a nickel evaporation source provides nickel-doped polyphosphide films.

Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition method for forming fluorine-doped tin oxide coatings uses a liquid coating composition which includes an organic fluorine dopant and an organotin compound. In the method, the gas stream contains sufficient water vapor such that its relative humidity at 18.degree. C. is about 6% to 100%. A preferred liquid coating composition is monobutyltin trichloride and trifluoroacetic acid.

Abstract: A transparent conductive optical device comprising a transparent conductive layer of a metal oxide on a substrate wherein the degree of oxidation of the transparent conductive layer is differentiated depending on the proximity to the substrate so that the degree of oxidation adjacent to the substrate is higher than the rest of the layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for depositing a metal-containing film on the bottom surface of a glass ribbon by chemical vapor deposition whereby a turbulent stream of vaporized coating reactant is delivered to the bottom surface of a glass ribbon at a sufficient temperature to cause deposition of a film on the surface, and unreacted and undeposited coating reactant and reaction by-products are immediately exhausted.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a method for producing thin, transparent metal oxide films of very uniform thickness through the pyrolysis of a metal salt which comprises spraying an atomized mist of the metal salt into a fuming chamber operating at a sufficiently high temperature to vaporize the mist and then drawing the fumes out of said chamber into contact with the surface of a substrate which is at a temperature essentially equivalent to that of the fumes at the exit end of said chamber, that temperature being sufficiently high to thermally decompose said metal salt and deposit a film of metal oxide on the substrate.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for forming a glass pane having an upper filter band, and possibly both an upper and lower filter band. The glass pane may comprise a lamina of a laminated safety glass for use as a windshield of a vehicle.In the process filter strips are applied to a glass sheet as the glass sheet is moved through a chamber. The filter strips are applied as a family of filter strips which extend continuously along the glass sheet in the direction of its movement. The filter strips of the family are spaced apart laterally. Each filter strip may extend along a straight path, or the filter strips may be of repeating arcuate outline or of sineshaped outline, for example. The filter strips between a pair of marginal filter strips are of a width that may be greater than the width of the marginal strips, and the filter strips may vary in width along their continuous length.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a method of making an infrared reflective glass sheet. The method has the following steps. The glass sheet formed of soda/lime silica glass is selected. The glass sheet is heated to a temperature in a range from 900.degree. to 1100.degree. F. If desired, the sheet glass selected may be selected at the time it is being manufactured in a glass manufacturing operation and it would have upon leaving a process such as a float process a temperature in a range of 900.degree. to 1100.degree. F. An organic/tin ion-containing, chlorine-free compound is applied to a surface of the glass sheet. Application of this compound forms a tin oxide seal coating having a columnar grain microstructure on the surface of the glass sheet. A coating of tin oxide is applied to the tin oxide seal coating. The coating of tin oxide is formed from the decomposition of butyltin trichloride.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a method of making an infrared reflective glass sheet. The method has the following steps. The glass sheet formed of soda/lime silica glass is selected. The glass sheet is heated to a temperature in a range from 900.degree. to 1100.degree. F. If desired, the sheet glass selected may be selected at the time it is being manufactured in a glass manufacturing operation and it would have upon leaving a process such as a float process a temperature in a range of 900.degree. to 1100.degree. F. An organic/metallic ion-containing, chlorine-free compound is applied to a surface of the glass sheet. Application of this compound forms a metallic oxide seal coating on the surface of the glass sheet. A coating of tin oxide is applied to the metal oxide seal coating. The coating of tin oxide is formed from the decomposition of butyltin trichloride. The glass sheet is cooled to room temperature after application of the metal oxide seal coating and the tin oxide coating thereon.

Abstract: A thin flexible steel mask is provided for use in vacuum depositing high resolution back metal electrodes on the surface of a glass substrate already having deposited thereon front transparent electrodes and a thin-film structure including an electroluminescent layer sandwiched between layers of a dielectric.The spaced filaments provided on the mask for defining the openings through which the metal electrodes are deposited are joined together along the lengths thereof by reinforcing portions which provide for rigidly holding the filaments in the plane of the mask and enable a permanent magnet to retain the filaments of the mask in position flush against the surface of the substrate. After the metal has been deposited a first time through the openings in the mask, the mask is repositioned on the substrate such that the reinforcing portions now lie over the areas already deposited on and uncover the portions of the substrate that have yet to be deposited on.

Abstract: A method for forming a fluorine-containing tin oxide coating on the surface of a substrate which comprises contacting the heated surface of the substrate with a vapor of monobutyltin trichloride or a mixed vapor of monobutyltin trichloride and a doping agent composed of a fluorine-containing compound of the following formulaXCHF.sub.2wherein X represents a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, or a hydrocarbon group consisting only of carbon and hydrogen atoms,to oxidize and decompose the vapor or the mixed vapor thermally and deposit tin oxide or fluorine-containing tin oxide respectively thereon.

Abstract: The pyrolysis of aromatic compounds with fused rings in the aromatic system which form free radicals on the peri position, for example, by eliminating a stable inorganic gas produces desirable products. These products include electrically conductive inert films. Further, with the addition of suitable inorganic compounds to the reactant, superconducting materials are obtainable. The addition of sulfur to the pyrolysis reactant also is possible and allows production of compounds useful as donors for the production of organic electrically conducting compositions.

Abstract: The specification discloses a method for making a curved, conductively coated glass member, and the resulting product, by providing for a sufficient degree of substoichiometry at the moment of bend that the glass can be bent using conventional bending techniques without crazing the coating. Two alternative methods for achieving the degree of substoichiometry are disclosed. One involves coating the part to an initial light transmittance (T.sub.o) which is lower than that typically sought by prior artisans. The other involves bending the part in a reducing environment. Also disclosed is a method for increasing conductivity of the coating by exposing the coated part to a reducing environment at temperatures considerably higher than those heretofore thought feasible for use in reduction curing.

Abstract: Reactive gases providing a coating on a substrate by CVD are made to meet in counterflow, in order to ensure, by the turbulence effect, that there is an almost instantaneous mixing of the said reagents. The movement of the gases before contact is ensured by two pipes containing baffles, the effect of which is to cause the gases to rotate in opposite directions to one another. Application to the coating of glass with transparent conductive SnO.sub.2.

Abstract: A deposit of electrochromic display material such as, for example, lutetium diphthalocyanine chemically treated to have substantially the same color as electrolytically cycled deposits of the same display material.

Abstract: This disclosure describes transparent glass window structures of the type bearing a coating of infra-red reflective material which is advantageously less than about 0.85 microns in thickness and wherein the observance of iridescence resulting from such a reflective coating is markedly reduced by provision of a very thin coating system beneath said infra-red reflective coating. The thin coating system forms means to reflect and refract light to interfere with the observation of iridescence. A particular advantage of the invention is the ability of the thin coating system to be coated in a fraction of time presently required to coat anti-iridescent interlayers of the prior art.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing a thermochromic window comprising a glass substrate and a coating containing VO.sub.2 with a depressed switching temperature by doping the VO.sub.2 film with a compound of a metal having an ionic radius larger than that of vanadium, such as tungsten, niobium, tantalum, iridium or molybdenum.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing a thermochromic window comprising a glass substrate and a coating containing VO.sub.2 by chemical vapor deposition employing vanadium n-propylate in an oxidizing atmosphere.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the chemical vapor deposition of vanadium oxide film on glass substrates, as well as a thermochromic VO.sub.2 film for the variable transmittance of solar energy and a conductive V.sub.2 O.sub.3 film, both formed by chemical vapor deposition employing liquid vanadium compounds.

Abstract: An improved process for chemical vapor deposition of coatings of the type bearing silicon oxide or silicon oxide/tin oxide mixtures. The process involves the use of mono- or di-alkoxy terminated permethylpolysilanes, preferably monomethoxypentamethyldisilane, as a silicon-donating reactant. Also disclosed are novel transparent silicon-bearing coating compositions which can be formed by the improved process to have any desired refractive index value from about 1.44 to about 2.0.

Abstract: A conductive element such as an electrode useful in photovoltaic cells comprises a soda-lime glass support having thereon a layer containing polycrystalline SnO.sub.2 and a fluorine dopant, said conductive electrode being substantially haze-free and having a transmittance of radiation between 400 and 800 nm greater than 70% and an electrical resistance less than 30 ohm per square. The conductive element is particularly useful in thin film cadmium sulfide/cadmium telluride photovoltaic cells.

Abstract: A photomask comprises a transparent film of conductive material and a light shielding film of predetermined pattern on a transparent substrate. The pattern film is made of a metallic element having its atomic number not smaller than 25 or a composition containing the metallic element. The photomask structure is suited to the case where the pattern formed on the mask is inspected with an electron beam. With the mask structure, the contrast of a pattern related information signal (backscattered electrons, secondary electrons, absorption current, etc.) derived from the mask upon irradiation thereof with the electron beam is improved.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for fluidizing and vaporizing particulate solid coating reactants by establishing a fluidized bed of dispersed particulate solid coating reactants, drawing a volume of fluidizing gas and suspended particulate solid coating reactant into a vaporizer while mixing an additional volume of gas therewith, and vaporizing the dispersed particulate solid coating reactant in the reactant gas mixture. The vaporized coating reactant may then be directed into contact with a substrate to be coated in order to deposit a film thereon.

Abstract: A transparent electrically conductive film and processes for the production thereof are described, said film comprising a metallic oxide wherein the metallic component comprises from 60 to 95 wt % indium and from 40 to 5 wt % tin formed on the surface of a plastic base, wherein the weight ratio of the tin to the indium changes continuously from the outer surface to the inner surface in such a manner that the ratio on the inner surface of the film is appreciably lower than the average ratio of the film and the ratio on the outer surface of the film is appreciably higher than the average ratio of the film.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming an electrode pattern which is free of erosion, separation of a wiring pattern from a substrate, etc., through the use of a lift-up method, which comprises the steps of: etching a transparent, electrically conductive film deposited on a major surface of the substrate for the formation of the transparent electrode pattern; overlaying the whole of the major surface of the substrate with a layer of photoresist; removing a portion of said photoresist layer in the metal electrode pattern; coating substantially the entire major surface of the substrate with a layer of metal electrode material; and removing the remaining photoresist layer with the aid of a resist remover thereby forming the metal electrode pattern.

Abstract: A gas containing a film forming component is shot through a shooting means in the form of a high speed stream of gas. The gas stream is shot toward the surface of a heated base where a film is to be deposited. The stream is directed at an inclination relative to the base surface. As the stream approaches the base surface it is subjected to the action of a high speed sucking stream of air produced by a sucking means. The sucking means causes the gas stream to flow in a V-shaped path with the upper ends of the V located at the shooting means and the sucking means, with the vertex of the V located therebetween. The film coating is placed on the surface of the base by allowing the base surface to contact the V-shaped path of the stream at the vertex of the path.

Abstract: In an electrochromic display device including an electro-chromic layer comprising a film made of amorphous tungsten oxide (WO.sub.3), the device is fabricated under the ambience of both a relative humidity below 60% and an absolute humidity below 1.17.times.10.sup.-2 Kg/Kg to assure electro-optical properties of the electrochromic display device.

Abstract: By means of the nozzle, three gaseous curtains are formed converging on the surface of the substrate heated to a temperature of about 600.degree. C. which is driven in translatory movement, the intermediate curtain being constituted by a gaseous reactant or a reactant diluted in a carrier gas and the two lateral curtains being constituted by another naturally gaseous reactant or reactant diluted in a gas. The gaseous products of the reaction issuing from the nozzle are compelled to flow above a predetermined region of the substrate and these products are evacuated by suction by means of channels disposed at the extremities of this region of the substrate and a pump to which the channels are connected.

Abstract: Method for forming conductive, transparent coating such as may be used on the interior surface of a vitreous tubular member. In a carrier gas and exterior to the member to be coated, there is formed a vapor from a material substantially comprising organic tin halide compound having a predetermined condensation temperature and a predetermined decomposition temperature, with the temperature of the carrier gas and the formed vapor maintained between these temperatures. The member to be coated is heated to a temperature greater than the decomposition temperature of the organic tin halide compound and the heated carrier gas and formed vapor are longitudinally flowed through the heated tubular member. Upon contact with the heated tubular member, the vapor breaks down to form the transparent conducting coating. The carrier gas and residual heated vapor are flowed out of the member being coated and are cooled to condense and collect the residual material.

Abstract: A process of coating glass with tin oxide by exposing the glass to a gaseous medium containing tin tetrachloride vapor under conditions causing formation of the oxide coating by chemical reaction and/or decomposition. The glass is moved continuously through the coating zone and in order to promote a high optical quality of the coating the gaseous medium is formed with a tin tetrachloride concentration corresponding to a partial pressure of at least 2.5.times.10.sup.-3 atm. and contains water vapor in a concentration corresponding to a partial pressure of at least 10.times.10.sup.-3 atm. and the gaseous medium contacts the glass face to be coated while said medium is at a temperature of at least 300.degree. C. and such face is at a temperature above 550.degree. C.

Abstract: There has been provided composite coatings for solar absorber surfaces wherein solar radiation impinges on one surface of the absorber and which absorber is adapted to transfer energy so received from the impinging solar radiation in the form of sensible heat to a working fluid in contact with a delivery surface therewith comprising: a smooth surface absorber substrate having a first coating of metal oxides deposited on the smooth layer which oxides are selected from the group, consisting essentially of tin, antimony, indium and iron, and a second coating of metal oxides deposited on the first coating selected from the aforementioned group for said first layer; said first and second coatings disposed so as to exhibit a relatively high absorption characteristic .alpha. of at least 0.85 in the solar wavelength range, and a relatively low emissivity characteristic .epsilon. of less than 0.2 within the wavelength range of the infrared greater than about 2 micrometers.

Abstract: A continuous layer of transparent material is formed on a base. A desired pattern of transparent electrically conductive material is included in the layer. The regions of the layer not included in the conductor pattern are insulative. The insulative material is preferably an indium oxide. Tin is preferably used as a dopant in the indium oxide to make it electrically conductive according to the desired pattern. The electrically conductive pattern is first formed in metallic tin. The tin pattern is diffused into a layer of metallic indium. The layer is then thermally oxidized to form the electrically conductive pattern as indium-tin-oxide (ITO) in indium sesquioxide, In.sub.2 O.sub.3, an insulator.

Abstract: Electrically-conductive films of tin oxide are prepared by a novel process utilizing gaseous chemical compounds which react to form a tin-fluorine bond at a temperature which is (1) high enough so that the newly-created tin-fluorine bond-bearing molecule remains in the vapor phase; and (2) low enough so that oxidation of the molecule occurs only after the indicated re-arrangement. Films prepared by the process of the invention are characterized by surface resistances as low as 1 ohm per square when the film thickness is as thin as about a micron. These films are also characterized by extremely good reflectance of infrared radiation.

Abstract: Improved adhesion of the phosphor coating in a fluorescent lamp having a transparent film of conductive material (such as tin oxide) on the inner surface of the bulb is obtained by adding small but correlated amounts of finely-divided aluminum oxide, calcium nitrate, and ammonium nitrate to the water-base phosphor-coating composition. The combination of additives bonds the phosphor particles to the bulb despite the intervening layer of tin oxide and the lower lehring temperature required to preserve its conductivity. When the conductive film is composed of a material which can tolerate higher lehring temperatures, other additives such as barium nitrate, cadmium nitrate and strontium nitrate can be substituted for or admixed with the calcium nitrate.

Abstract: A method of applying a layer of a source substance over a recipient, consisting in that the substance of the source is converted to gas and then precipitated onto the surface of the recipient, wherein the substance is, according to the invention, applied over at least one intermediate body and then the substance is transferred from the intermediate body onto the recipient.

Abstract: Optically transparent, conducting metal oxide films are produced on plastic or suitable ceramic substrates by placing the substrate to be coated in a partially evacuated chamber containing a mixture of a suitable organo-metallic compound vapor and oxygen and utilizing a glow discharge sustained by a DC, AC or RF electromagnetic field.

Abstract: Transparent heat-mirrors are disclosed which are formed from tin-doped indium oxide films or antimony-doped tin oxide films deposited onto polymeric substrates. Low temperature deposition processes, such as ion-beam sputtering, are employed to preserve the polymeric substrates, and films having high transparency to visible radiation and high reflectivity to infrared radiation are deposited on the polymeric substrates by carefully controlling the partial pressure of oxygen during deposition.

Abstract: Thin, amorphous electrochromic layers deposited on substrate electrodes by, for example, vacuum deposition techniques, are subjected to a special heat treatment at a selected high temperature for a selected short time to convert at least a free portion of each layer to be exposed to the electrolyte from the amorphous form to a crystalline form while preventing excessive water loss which might adversely affect the electrochromic properties of the layer for display purposes. Crystallization of at least the free surface portion of the electrochromic layer significantly increases its etch resistance whereas retention of water in the electrochromic layer maintains satisfactory electrochromic properties for display purposes.

Abstract: Coating apparatus having a vacuum chamber and a rotary motion assembly rotatably mounted in the vacuum chamber. Drive means is carried by the vacuum chamber for rotating the rotary motion assembly on an axis. At least one coating source is disposed within the chamber and is generally coincident with the axis of rotation for the rotary motion assembly. A mask structure is mounted in the chamber for rotational movement about an axis which is generally coincident with the axis of rotation of the rotary motion assembly. Additional drive means is provided for rotating the mask structure as the rotary motion assembly is rotated.

Abstract: Applying a thin film coating to the surface of a workpiece, in particular, applying a coating of titanium nitride to a klystron window by means of a crossed-field diode sputtering array. The array is comprised of a cohesive group of numerous small hollow electrically conducting cylinders and is mounted so that the open ends of the cylinders on one side of the group are adjacent a titanium cathode plate. The workpiece is mounted so as to face the open ends of the other side of the group. A magnetic field is applied to the array so as to be coaxial with the cylinders and a potential is applied across the cylinders and the cathode plate, the cylinders as an anode being positive with respect to the cathode plate.

Abstract: A process for applying within an image intensifier tube, in particular one of the proximity-focus type, a light absorbing, electron permeable layer on to a film coated on a layer of luminescent material applied to the anode of the tube. The layer is applied by evaporation of a low atomic weight element, preferably silicon or boron, or a compound of such an element, under conditions of high vacuum, preferably in the range of 10.sup.-5 to 10.sup.-6 torr, and up to a thickness of 1/4.lambda., where .lambda. is the average wavelength of the light which during operation of the tube impinges upon the photocathode thereof.

Abstract: This invention relates to the art of coating glassware while the ware is moving through an annealing lehr which is provided with a cooling section near the exit end of the lehr. The cooling section is of the continuous recirculation type providing an arrangement for generally cooling the ware to a relatively even temperature even though the ware is moving through the lehr in multiple rows and columns. The ware is moved through the lehr on a lehr belt which is formed as a webbed belt and constitutes a foraminous conveyor. A lubricious material in the form of a vapor or mist of an organic, non-metallic coating material selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, fatty acids and their derivatives is injected into the recirculating cooling air in the cooling section of the lehr to thereby form a durable lubricious coating on the exterior surfaces of the glass article. The articles, at the time they are passed through the cooling section, will be at a temperature between 200.degree. F. and 400.degree. F.

Abstract: The gas discharge panel described here is an AC plasma display panel with electrodes arranged on a substrate, and the electrodes and substrate are coated with a dielectric layer for insulation from the gas filled discharge space, with an improvement in the dielectric layer surface. The improvement being an overcoat layer of at least two alkaline earth compounds, especially CaO and SrO, provided on the dielectric layer surface of this display panel. This overcoat layer significantly lowers the operating voltages of the panel.

Abstract: A method for making an optically clear, colorless, transparent, electrically conductive coating by vacuum deposition is disclosed. The method involves depositing a first layer of titanium suboxide, a second layer of silver or gold, and a third layer of titanium suboxide, and treating the coating with an oil, wax, or other organic material before exposure to an ordinary atmosphere of air in order to control the rate of subsequent oxidation of the titanium suboxide. The coating deposited on a rigid transparent substrate such as glass or plastic, or on a flexible transparent plastic substrate subsequently laminated to a rigid transparent substrate, is useful for electrically heating windows.

Abstract: Electrically-conductive films of tin oxide are prepared by a novel process utilizing gaseous chemical compounds which react to form a tin-fluorine bond at a temperature which is (1) high enough so that the newly-created tin-fluorine bond-bearing molecule remains in the vapor-phase; and (2) low enough so that oxidation of the molecule occurs only after the indicated re-arrangement. Films prepared by the process of the invention are characterized by surface resistances as low as 1 ohm per square when the film thickness is as thin as about a micron. These films are also characterized by extremely good reflectance of infrared radiation.