Pane arrangement comprising a titanium carbide coating

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pane arrangement (1) comprising - at least one pane (2) having an exterior surface (I, III) and an interior surface (II, IV), wherein the pane (2) contains glass or consists of glass, and - a coating (20) on the exterior surface (I, III) or the interior surface (II, IV) of the pane (2), wherein the coating (20) at least comprises, in the following order starting from the surface (I, II, III, IV) of the pane (2): - a first IR-reflecting layer (22) based on titanium carbide, - an intermediate layer (23) or intermediate layer sequence, - a second IR-reflecting layer (24) based on titanium carbide, and - an upper dielectric layer (25) or layer sequence, wherein the upper dielectric layer (25) or layer sequence contains or is formed of a layer based on silicon nitride (SiN), silicon-metal mixed nitride, titanium oxide (TiO) or titanium-metal mixed oxide, wherein the upper dielectric layer (25) or layer sequence has a thickness of 2 nm to 100 nm. The invention further relates to a pane arrangement (1) which is designed as a composite pane, to a method for producing the pane arrangement (1) and to the use of the pane arrangement (1).

Description

[0001] Disc arrangement with a titanium carbide coating

[0002] The invention relates to a disc arrangement with a coating, its manufacture and use.

[0003] Known are discs with low light transmission coatings with a functional layer containing TiN stacks from WO 2018 / 129135 A1, TiN / NiCr(N) stacks from WO 2018 / 129125 A1 and TiN / ITO stacks from US 2018 / 0237336 A1. Nb and NbN functional layers are known from WO 2009 / 112759 A2, WO 01 / 21540 A1 and WO 2021 / 069616 A1.

[0004] Furthermore, tools are known from EP 0 693 574 B2 and JP H11-114704 A in which TiC is used to improve the mechanical stability of the tools. Additionally, CN 105970177 A discloses a solar-selective absorbing high-temperature coating based on TiC for use in the technical field of solar energy utilization. Accordingly, these disclosures relate to significantly different technical fields than the field of coated disks.

[0005] Furthermore, the use of TiC stacks in coated substrates is known from EP 3 515 871 A1 and EP 0 718 250 B2. In these documents, the TiC layer is used as a barrier layer against the diffusion of alkali ions and oxygen, while an IR-reflective layer based on silver is used.

[0006] A vehicle windshield with an anti-reflective coating made of titanium nitride (TiN) from WO2023 / 051996 A1 is also known. While TiN offers good thermal performance in terms of low emissivity combined with solar control properties, the TiN-containing coating undergoes a drastic color change during thermal tempering. This precludes the use of the same coating for both thermally tempered and non-thermally tempered products, thus reducing the overall market volume. In comparison, Nb coatings offer minimal color change after thermal tempering and low emissivity, but poor solar control properties. Conversely, solar control properties and minimal color change after thermal tempering can be achieved using NbN, but this material does not achieve low emissivity.WO2024 / 199894A1 describes that a disk with a TiC coating does not undergo a drastic color change during thermal annealing. However, further investigations have shown that when using only one TiC layer, a slight reddening of the disk can occur, depending on the configuration of the stack build-up.

[0007] A TiC coating is also already known from US 2002 / 045073 A1 and SR Reineck et al., Colloque international sur les plasmas et la pulverisation cathodique, Societe Frangaise du Vide, Bd. colloque 4, 13 September 1982, S. 385-395.

[0008] I. Dahan et al., Journal of Applied Physics 95, 4662-4669 (2004), reveals a structural evolution of Ti / TiC multilayers.

[0009] DE 10 2007 023 803 A1 discloses a method for producing layer systems with intermediate layers and an object with a layer system with intermediate layers.

[0010] DE Wolfe et al., Surface and Coatings Technology 160, 206-218 (2002), discloses a synthesis of titanium carbide / chromium carbide multilayers by co-evaporation of several bars by means of physical vapor deposition using electron beams.

[0011] S. Canovic et al., Micron 42, 808-818 (2011), disclose CVD-TiC / aluminium oxide multilayer coatings on sapphire single crystals.

[0012] EP2489507A1 discloses a laminated glass and a single-pane safety glass with low emissivity.

[0013] The object of the present invention is to provide a sustainable solar control coating for windows which has high chemical and mechanical resistance, shows a negligible color shift after thermal tempering and is also color neutral.

[0014] The object of the present invention is achieved according to the invention by a disk arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 12. The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the disk arrangement and a use thereof. Preferred embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims. According to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a disk arrangement (hereinafter also referred to as "first disk arrangement") comprising at least one disk with an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the disk contains or consists of glass, and a coating on the outer surface or the inner surface of the disk, wherein the coating, starting from the surface of the disk, comprises in the following sequence at least: a first IR-reflecting layer based on titanium carbide, an intermediate layer or sequence of intermediate layers,a second IR-reflecting layer based on titanium carbide, and an upper dielectric layer or sequence of layers, wherein the upper dielectric layer or sequence comprises or is formed from a layer based on silicon nitride (SiN), silicon-metal mixed nitride, titanium oxide (TiO) or titanium-metal mixed oxide, wherein the upper dielectric layer or sequence has a thickness of 2 nm to 100 nm.

[0015] According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a pane arrangement (hereinafter also referred to as "second pane arrangement") comprising at least one pane with an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the pane contains or consists of glass, and a coating on the outer surface or the inner surface of the pane, wherein the coating, starting from the surface of the pane, comprises in the following order at least: a first IR-reflecting layer based on titanium carbide, an intermediate layer or sequence of intermediate layers, a second IR-reflecting layer based on titanium carbide, and an upper dielectric layer or sequence of layers, wherein the pane arrangement is designed as a laminated pane, wherein the pane is connected to an outer pane or to an inner pane via a thermoplastic layer.The following embodiments apply to the first disk arrangement and to the second disk arrangement, unless otherwise specified.

[0016] The pane assembly is designed to separate the interior of a window opening from the external environment. The pane assembly according to the invention comprises at least one pane and a coating. The pane has two surfaces (main surfaces), namely an outer surface and an inner surface, and a circumferential edge surface between the two main surfaces. The outer surface is the main surface that faces the external environment when installed. The inner surface is the main surface that faces the interior when installed. The coating is arranged on the aforementioned outer surface or the inner surface of the pane.Preferably, the coating is arranged on the inner surface of the disc, as this provides the coating with particular protection against damage from mechanical and / or chemical influences from the environment.

[0017] According to the invention, the coating comprises, starting from the surface of the disk, at least the following in the following order: a first IR-reflecting layer based on titanium carbide (TiC), an intermediate layer or sequence of intermediate layers, a second IR-reflecting layer based on titanium carbide (TiC), and an upper dielectric layer or sequence of layers.

[0018] The major advantage of the present invention is that, in addition to its infrared (IR) reflective properties, the disc arrangement according to the invention exhibits high chemical and mechanical resistance, shows little color change after possible thermal annealing, and is also color-neutral. In particular, the disc arrangement according to the invention has no or only a slight red tint. For the purposes of the present invention, "color-neutral" means that no distinct coloration, especially red tint, of the disc arrangement can be detected by the observer. A slightly bluish or slightly greenish tint of the disc arrangement also falls under the definition of "color-neutral." The tint of the disc arrangement can be determined, for example, by measuring the reflection color in the L*a*b* color space, as described below.For assessing color neutrality, the reflection color of the pane arrangement to the outside is particularly important in the case of a laminated pane, and the reflection color of the pane arrangement from the glass side is most important in the case of a single pane.

[0019] The IR-reflective properties of the glass assembly are primarily provided by the titanium carbide-based IR-reflective layers and cover the near-infrared range. This allows the coating to act as a solar control coating, partially reflecting the IR components of solar radiation. The IR-reflective properties also extend to thermal radiation in the mid-infrared range, thus acting as a low-E coating and reducing heat loss from the glass into the interior. Furthermore, it is corrosion-resistant, enabling its use on exposed surfaces. This is necessary for emissivity-reducing coatings (interior-facing exposed surfaces) and is unavoidable for monolithic glass units, as only exposed surfaces are available.

[0020] According to the invention, an “exposed surface” is defined as an external or exposed surface that forms an interface with the surrounding atmosphere and is accessible and touchable by people.

[0021] Furthermore, the coating according to the invention enables a light transmission of the pane assembly between 25% and 55%, which is advantageous, for example, for use as a rear window or roof window of a motor vehicle or rail vehicle, or as a window for a building. Moreover, due to the chemical resistance of titanium carbide, only minimal color change occurs during thermal tempering. Since titanium is also an abundant element, titanium carbide can be considered a sustainable material and enables cost-effective production. In addition, a color-neutral pane assembly can be achieved by using multiple titanium carbide layers. The use of the upper dielectric layer or layer sequence prevents the oxidation of the second IR-reflecting layer based on titanium carbide during a possible heat treatment, such as...Thermal tempering can be further reduced or prevented. The coating is preferably applied across the entire surface, so that the entire surface is completely covered by the coating. However, it is also possible for areas of the surface to be left uncoated, for example, a circumferential edge or a local uncoated area that acts as a data transmission window, improving the transmittance for electromagnetic radiation (antenna signals). Such a data transmission window may be necessary or helpful to ensure the transmittance for electromagnetic radiation (e.g., antenna signals), which can be attenuated or blocked by the electrically conductive TiC-based layers. Preferably, at least 80% of the surface is covered by the coating, and particularly preferably at least 90%.

[0022] In one embodiment of the invention according to the first pane arrangement, the pane arrangement is designed as a composite pane. According to the second pane arrangement, the pane arrangement is also designed as a composite pane. A composite pane comprises an outer pane and an inner pane, which are bonded together by a thermoplastic layer. For the purposes of the invention, the inner pane is the pane of the composite pane facing the interior. The outer pane is the pane facing the external environment. The pane according to the invention with the coating can be either the inner pane or the outer pane of the composite pane. The coating can be located on the outer surface or the interior surface of the pane used as the inner pane or the outer pane.If the pane is used as the outer pane of a laminated glass unit, the coating is preferably located on the inner surface of the pane, as this protects the coating from damage caused by mechanical and / or chemical influences from the environment and also allows for lower reflectivity. If the pane is the inner pane of a laminated glass unit, the coating is protected from these environmental influences on both the outer and inner surfaces of the pane. In one embodiment of the invention, the coating is located on the outer surface of the pane used as the inner pane of a laminated glass unit, thus enabling lower reflectivity.According to another embodiment, the coating is arranged on the interior surface of the pane when the pane is used as the inner pane of a laminated glass unit, since it then represents the surface of the laminated glass unit exposed to the interior and can thus additionally have an emissivity-reducing effect. Laminated glass units can be used, for example, in the automotive or building sectors. The pane assembly can be, for example, a rear window or roof window of a motor vehicle or rail vehicle, or a pane assembly for a building.

[0023] In an alternative embodiment of the invention according to the first pane arrangement, the pane arrangement according to the invention is a monolithic pane arrangement designed as a single pane. Apart from the pane with the coating, no other pane is present. Preferably, in the case of a single pane, the coating is arranged on the inner surface of the pane, as this protects the coating from damage caused by mechanical and / or chemical influences from the environment. The pane arrangement can be used, in particular, as so-called tempered safety glass (ESG), wherein the pane is thermally prestressed. The monolithic pane arrangement can, for example, be a rear window or roof window of a motor vehicle or rail vehicle, or a window for a building.

[0024] The first and second IR-reflective layers based on titanium carbide are preferably thin films. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second IR-reflective layers each have a thickness of 2 nm to 50 nm, preferably 3 nm to 40 nm, and most preferably 5 nm to 30 nm, independently of each other. This allows for very good IR-reflective properties and a light transmission (TL) of the disk arrangement of between 25% and 55%, preferably between 30% and 50%. Titanium carbide (TiC) is also known as TiC xTo understand this, x is from 0.8 to 1.2, preferably from 0.9 to 1.1, and more preferably about 1.0. Preferably, the titanium carbide is deposited essentially stoichiometrically, which corresponds to an atomic ratio of titanium to carbon of approximately 1:1. Titanium carbide exhibits electrical conductivity, which also accounts for its IR-reflective effect. The specific electrical resistivity of thin films is generally higher than the tabulated values ​​for the solid state (bulk values). The specific resistivity of the IR-reflective layers according to the invention, based on titanium carbide, is preferably less than 300 pQ cm, more preferably less than 250 pQ cm, and even more preferably less than 150 pQ cm. The specific resistivity depends critically on the proportion of carbon in the IR-reflective layer; layer parameters such as density and crystallinity also have an influence.Specific resistance can also manifest itself in the refractive index of the IR-reflecting layer. Strictly speaking, specific resistance refers to specific electrical resistance, which is often also called resistivity. Its reciprocal is electrical conductivity. Specific resistance can be determined with a standard resistance meter.

[0025] The refractive index (real part of the complex refractive index) of the IR-reflecting layers based on titanium carbide is preferably in the range of 1.5 to 3.4 in a wavelength range of 400 nm to 780 nm or of 1.5 to 6.3 in a

[0026] Wavelength range from 780 nm to 2500 nm, particularly preferably from 1.5 to 2.5 in a wavelength range from 400 nm to 780 nm or from 1.9 to 6.1 in a

[0027] Wavelength range from 780 nm to 2500 nm. The extinction coefficient (imaginary part of the complex refractive index) of the IR-reflecting layers based on titanium carbide is preferably in the range of 1.2 to 3.9 in a wavelength range from 400 nm to 780 nm, or from 3.5 to 9.2 in a wavelength range from 780 nm to 2500 nm, and particularly preferably from 1.3 to 3.8 in a wavelength range from 400 nm to 780 nm, or from 3.8 to 9.0 in a wavelength range from 780 nm to 2500 nm. According to one embodiment, the refractive index (real part of the complex refractive index) of the IR-reflecting layers based on titanium carbide is in the range of 1.0 to 3.0 at a wavelength of 550 nm, and more preferably in the range of 1.2 to 2.0 at a wavelength of 550 nm.According to another embodiment, the extinction coefficient (imaginary part of the complex refractive index) of the IR-reflecting layers based on titanium carbide is in the range of 1.6 to 2.9 at a wavelength of 550 nm, more preferably in the range of 1.6 to 1.8 at a wavelength of 550 nm.

[0028] If a layer of the coating according to the invention is based on a material, the layer consists predominantly of this material, in particular essentially of this material, in addition to any impurities or dopants. The aforementioned dielectric materials (oxides, nitrides) can be deposited stoichiometrically, substoichiometrically, or superstoichiometrically. Therefore, stoichiometric coefficients are omitted when stating the molecular formulas. The molecular formulas serve only for abbreviation; they contain no information about the stoichiometry.

[0029] By doping with substances such as aluminum, zirconium, titanium, or boron, inherently dielectric materials can be endowed with a certain electrical conductivity. Those skilled in the art will nevertheless identify them as dielectric layers with regard to their function, as is common in the field of thin films. The material of the dielectric layers preferably exhibits an electrical conductivity (inverse of the resistivity) of less than 10⁻⁴. 4 S / m on.

[0030] Unless otherwise specified, the thickness or layer thickness of a layer within the meaning of the present invention always refers to the geometric thickness. If reference is made instead to the optical thickness, which is the product of the geometric thickness and the refractive index, this will be explicitly stated.

[0031] Unless otherwise noted, the stated values ​​for refractive indices are measured at a wavelength of 550 nm. The refractive index can be determined, for example, by ellipsometry. Ellipsometers are commercially available, for example, from Sentech. If absorption is very strong and an accurate measurement by ellipsometry is not possible, the refractive index can also be determined using optical models from simulations. A simulation can be performed, for example, with software commonly used in the field, such as CODE.

[0032] According to the invention, the coating comprises an upper dielectric layer or sequence of layers. It can be formed as a single layer (in which case an upper dielectric layer is present) or as a stack of several layers (in which case an upper dielectric sequence of layers is present). According to one embodiment, the second IR-reflecting layer based on titanium carbide and the upper dielectric layer or sequence of layers are in direct contact with each other.

[0033] “In direct contact” means, within the meaning of the invention, that there is no further layer between the layers that are in direct contact with each other.

[0034] The upper dielectric layer or sequence of layers preferably has a refractive index of more than 1.9, for example between 1.9 and 2.5. In the case of an upper dielectric sequence of layers, all layers preferably have a refractive index of more than 1.9.

[0035] In the first disk arrangement, the upper dielectric layer or layer sequence has a thickness of 2 nm to 100 nm, preferably 3 nm to 80 nm, more preferably 10 nm to 60 nm, and still more preferably 15 nm to 40 nm. In the second disk arrangement, the upper dielectric layer or layer sequence preferably has a thickness of 2 nm to 100 nm, more preferably 3 nm to 80 nm, more preferably 10 nm to 60 nm, and most preferably 15 nm to 40 nm.

[0036] The first disk arrangement comprises an upper dielectric layer or sequence, wherein the upper dielectric layer or sequence contains or is formed from a layer based on silicon nitride (SiN), silicon-metal mixed nitride, titanium oxide (TiO), or titanium-metal mixed oxide. Examples of silicon-metal mixed nitride include silicon zirconium nitride (SiZrN), silicon hafnium nitride (SiHfN), silicon titanium nitride (SiTiN), and silicon aluminum nitride (SiAlN). An example of titanium-metal mixed oxide is TiZrO. Advantages of these materials are described below.

[0037] In an advantageous embodiment of the second disk arrangement, the upper dielectric layer or sequence of layers contains or is formed from a nitride-based layer. This means that if an upper dielectric layer is present, it is formed from a nitride, and if an upper dielectric sequence of layers is present, it contains at least one layer based on a nitride. The nitride is preferably silicon nitride (SiN) or a silicon-metal mixed nitride, for example, silicon zirconium nitride (SiZrN), silicon hafnium nitride (SiHfN), silicon titanium nitride (SiTiN), or silicon aluminum nitride (SiAlN). These exhibit advantageous refractive indices (for example, SiN: 2.0; SiZrN: 2.2 to 2.4; SiAlN: 2.0), are relatively simple and inexpensive to produce, and show advantageous temperature resistance during thermal annealing.In a further embodiment of the second disk arrangement, the upper dielectric layer or layer sequence contains or is formed from an oxide-based layer. The oxide is preferably titanium oxide (TiO, refractive index 2.3) or a titanium-metal mixed oxide, for example TiZrO. TiZrO may contain traces of hafnium oxide. This allows the (averaged) refractive index of the upper layer(s) to be further increased, which is advantageous, for example, for an antireflective effect, provided that the disk arrangement according to an embodiment of the first or second disk arrangement further comprises a low-refractive-index dielectric layer or layer sequence, as described below. In particular, TiZrO, as the final layer of the coating, can impart very good mechanical and chemical stability to it.Here, "final layer" of the coating means that it is the uppermost layer of the coating and no further layer is arranged on top of it. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the layer of the upper dielectric layer or layer sequence that is in direct contact with the second IR-reflecting layer based on TiC is formed based on a nitride according to the second disk arrangement, in particular based on SiN, SiZrN, or SiAlN according to the first or second disk arrangement. This prevents the second IR-reflecting layer from being oxidized during deposition or subsequent heat treatment, as could occur if it came into contact with an oxide layer.This can be achieved by having an upper dielectric layer based on the nitride, or by having an upper dielectric layer sequence whose lowest layer (i.e., the one closest to the second IR-reflecting layer) is based on the nitride.

[0038] In one embodiment, a single upper dielectric layer based on silicon nitride (SiN) with a layer thickness of 5 nm to 60 nm, particularly preferably 10 nm to 50 nm, or based on silicon zirconium nitride (SiZrN) or silicon aluminum nitride (SiAIN) with a layer thickness of 5 nm to 60 nm, particularly preferably 10 nm to 50 nm, is provided. For other silicon-metal mixed nitrides, essentially the same layer thicknesses can be used as for SiZrN or SiAIN.

[0039] In a further embodiment, an upper dielectric layer sequence is provided. According to one embodiment, this comprises, "from bottom to top" (i.e., starting from the second IR-reflecting layer based on titanium carbide), in the following order: a first layer based on a nitride, in particular silicon nitride (SiN), or silicon-metal mixed nitride, in particular silicon zirconium nitride (SiZrN) or silicon aluminum nitride (SiAIN), and a second layer based on an oxide, in particular titanium oxide (TiO) or titanium-metal mixed oxide, for example TiZrO.

[0040] The first layer is preferably in direct contact with the second IR-reflecting layer and prevents its oxidation. The second layer increases the average refractive index of the layer sequence. The second layer, based on TiO₂ or titanium-metal mixed oxide, preferably has a thickness of 3 nm to 25 nm, particularly preferably 5 nm to 20 nm. The first layer preferably has a thickness of 3 nm to 30 nm, particularly preferably 5 nm to 25 nm. According to the invention, the coating comprises an intermediate layer or sequence of intermediate layers. It can be formed as a single layer (in which case an intermediate layer is present) or as a stack of several layers (in which case an intermediate layer sequence is present). According to one embodiment, the intermediate layer or sequence of intermediate layers and the first IR-reflecting layer are based on titanium carbide or titanium oxide.the intermediate layer or sequence of intermediate layers and the second IR-reflecting layer based on titanium carbide in direct contact with each other.

[0041] In one embodiment, the intermediate layer or sequence of intermediate layers contains or is formed from a dielectric layer. This means that if an intermediate layer is present, it is a dielectric layer, and if a sequence of intermediate layers is present, it contains at least one dielectric layer.

[0042] In an advantageous embodiment, the intermediate layer or sequence of intermediate layers contains, or is formed from, a nitride-based layer as a dielectric layer. This means that if an intermediate layer is present, it is nitride-based, and if a sequence of intermediate layers is present, it contains at least one nitride-based layer. The nitride is preferably silicon nitride (SiN) or a silicon-metal mixed nitride, for example, silicon zirconium nitride (SiZrN), silicon hafnium nitride (SiHfN), silicon titanium nitride (SiTiN), or silicon aluminum nitride (SiAlN). These have advantageous refractive indices (for example, SiN: 2.0; SiZrN: 2.2 to 2.4; SiAlN: 2.0), are relatively simple and inexpensive to produce, and are commonly used for thin-film coatings on disks. Furthermore, by using a nitride-based layer as a direct contact surface with the first or second layer, the following advantages can be achieved:The second IR-reflecting layer prevents the IR-reflecting layers from being oxidized during deposition or subsequent heat treatment, as could occur with contact to an oxide layer. An example of an intermediate layer sequence is SiZrN, SiAlN, SiZrN.

[0043] In one embodiment, the intermediate layer or sequence of intermediate layers, acting as a dielectric layer, contains or is formed from an oxide-based layer. This means that if an intermediate layer is present, it is oxide-based, and if a sequence of intermediate layers is present, it contains at least one oxide-based layer. The oxide is preferably silicon dioxide (SiO₂) or a silicon-metal mixed oxide, for example, silicon alumina (SiAIO₄). These have an advantageous refractive index (for example, SiO₂: 1.4), can be produced using thin-film technology as well as wet chemical processes, and are commonly used for coatings on discs.If at least one of the dielectric layers is an oxide-based layer, it is preferred that an intermediate layer sequence is present, wherein the oxide-based layer does not have direct contact with the first IR-reflecting layer or the second IR-reflecting layer in order to avoid oxidation of the TiC-based layer.

[0044] In one embodiment, the intermediate layer or sequence of intermediate layers contains or is formed from a layer based on a metal nitride and / or a layer based on a metal and / or a layer based on an alloy. This means that if an intermediate layer is present, it is formed from one of these layers, and if a sequence of intermediate layers is present, it contains at least one of these layers. The layer based on a metal nitride, the layer based on a metal, and the layer based on an alloy can be combined arbitrarily with each other in an intermediate layer sequence. According to one embodiment, these layers can also be combined arbitrarily with the dielectric layer defined above in an intermediate layer sequence.

[0045] The metal nitride-based layer is not particularly restricted. Preferably, the metal nitride-based layer is electrically conductive. In a preferred embodiment, the metal nitride-based layer is based on NbN, TiN, NiCrN, HfN, or ZrN.

[0046] The metal-based layer is not particularly restricted. According to one embodiment, the metal-based layer is a layer based on silver, gold, titanium, copper, nickel, zirconium, or chromium. The aforementioned alloy-based layer can contain an alloy of the aforementioned metals, such as NiCr.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment, the intermediate layer or sequence of intermediate layers has a thickness of 3 nm to 120 nm, particularly preferably 15 nm to 90 nm. An intermediate layer or sequence of intermediate layers with a thickness in this range is sufficiently thick to ensure a stable layer structure of the first and second IR-reflecting layers, while the overall thickness of the coating can be kept low, thus enabling cost-effective manufacturing.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the coating further comprises a lower dielectric layer or layer sequence formed between the disk and the first IR-reflecting layer. It can be formed as a single layer (in which case it is a lower dielectric layer) or as a stack of several layers (in which case it is a lower dielectric layer sequence). The use of the lower dielectric layer or layer sequence prevents components of the disk from penetrating the first IR-reflecting layer based on titanium carbide during potential heat treatment. According to a preferred embodiment, the lower dielectric layer or layer sequence and the first IR-reflecting layer are in direct contact with each other.

[0049] The lower dielectric layer or sequence of layers preferably has a refractive index of more than 1.9, for example between 1.9 and 2.5. In the case of a lower dielectric sequence of layers, all layers preferably have a refractive index of more than 1.9.

[0050] The lower dielectric layer or layer sequence preferably has a thickness of 3 nm to 120 nm, particularly preferably of 5 nm to 90 nm.

[0051] The materials of the lower and upper dielectric layers or layer sequences can be selected independently of one another. In an advantageous embodiment, the lower dielectric layer or layer sequence contains or is formed from a nitride-based layer. This means that if a lower dielectric layer is present, it is formed from a nitride, and if a lower dielectric layer sequence is present, it contains at least one layer based on a nitride. The nitride is preferably silicon nitride (SiN) or a silicon-metal mixed nitride, for example, silicon zirconium nitride (SiZrN), silicon hafnium nitride (SiHfN), silicon titanium nitride (SiTiN), or silicon aluminum nitride (SiAlN). In a further embodiment, the lower dielectric layer or layer sequence contains or is formed from an oxide-based layer.The oxide is preferably titanium oxide (TiO) or a titanium-metal mixed oxide, for example TiZrO. TiZrO may contain traces of hafnium oxide. In an advantageous embodiment, the layer of the lower dielectric layer or layer sequence that is in direct contact with the first IR-reflecting layer based on TiC is formed based on a nitride, in particular on SiN, SiZrN, or SiAlN. This prevents the first IR-reflecting layer from being oxidized during deposition or subsequent heat treatment, as could occur if it were in contact with an oxide layer. This can be achieved by having a lower dielectric layer formed based on the nitride, or by having a lower dielectric layer sequence whose uppermost layer (i.e., the one closest to the first IR-reflecting layer) is formed based on the nitride.

[0052] In one embodiment, a single lower dielectric layer based on a nitride is present, in particular based on silicon nitride (SiN) with a layer thickness of 5 nm to 60 nm, particularly preferably from 5 nm to 50 nm, or based on silicon zirconium nitride (SiZrN) or silicon aluminum nitride (SiAIN) with a layer thickness of 5 nm to 60 nm, particularly preferably from 10 nm to 50 nm. For other silicon-metal mixed nitrides, essentially the same layer thicknesses can be used as for SiZrN or SiAIN.

[0053] In a further embodiment, a lower dielectric layer sequence is provided, which, starting from the disk, comprises in the following order: a first layer based on an oxide, in particular titanium oxide (TiO) or titanium-metal mixed oxide, for example TiZrO, and a second layer based on a nitride, in particular silicon nitride (SiN) or silicon-metal mixed nitride, in particular silicon zirconium nitride (SiZrN) or silicon aluminum nitride (SiAIN).

[0054] The second layer is preferably in direct contact with the first IR-reflecting layer and prevents its oxidation. The first layer increases the average refractive index of the layer sequence. The first layer, based on TiO₂ or titanium-metal mixed oxide, preferably has a thickness of 3 nm to 25 nm, particularly preferably 5 nm to 20 nm. The second layer preferably has a thickness of 3 nm to 40 nm, particularly preferably 5 nm to 35 nm.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the coating further comprises a low-refractive-index dielectric layer or sequence of layers with a refractive index of less than 1.6, arranged on the upper dielectric layer. It can be formed as a single layer (in which case a low-refractive-index dielectric layer is present) or as a stack of several layers (in which case a low-refractive-index dielectric sequence is present). With the aid of this low-refractive-index dielectric layer or sequence of layers, the disk arrangement can exhibit an antireflective effect in addition to its IR-reflective properties.

[0056] The low-refractive-index dielectric layer or sequence of layers has a refractive index of less than 1.6, for example between 1.2 and 1.6, preferably less than 1.5. In the case of a low-refractive-index dielectric sequence of layers, all layers have a refractive index of less than 1.6.

[0057] The low-refractive-index dielectric layer or layer sequence preferably has an optical thickness of 40 nm to 130 nm, particularly preferably of 55 nm to 115 nm. This results in particularly good antireflective properties.

[0058] In an advantageous embodiment, the low-refractive-index dielectric layer or layer sequence contains or is formed from a layer based on an oxide. The oxide is preferably silicon dioxide (SiO₂). This has a suitable refractive index (1.4), can be produced by thin-film technology as well as by wet chemical processes, and is commonly used for coatings on disks.

[0059] In a preferred embodiment, a single low-refractive-index dielectric layer is present, in particular based on SiO with a layer thickness of 30 nm to 90 nm, particularly preferably of 40 nm to 80 nm.

[0060] The coating according to the invention has been described above as containing or comprising certain layers, or, according to embodiments, being able to contain or comprise certain layers. This means that, in addition to the layers mentioned, further layers may be present, for example, between the individual layers or layer sequences, or as part of one or more layer sequences. According to one embodiment, the coating consists only of the first IR-reflecting layer, the intermediate layer or intermediate layer sequence, the second IR-reflecting layer, and the upper dielectric layer or layer sequence. This means that, in this case, no further layers are present between, above, or below these layers.According to a preferred embodiment, the coating consists only of the lower dielectric layer or layer sequence, the first IR-reflecting layer, the intermediate layer or layer sequence, the second IR-reflecting layer, and the upper dielectric layer or layer sequence, with no further layers present between, above, or below these. It is further preferred that the individual layers (or sequences) consist only of the layers explicitly mentioned above and contain no further layers. The aforementioned layers are sufficient to produce a good IR-shielding effect. Additional layers would increase manufacturing costs and effort. However, according to one embodiment, the coating can, for example, further include the low-refractive-index layer or layer sequence described above to achieve an anti-reflective effect in addition to the IR-reflective property.

[0061] According to the invention, the pane contains or consists of glass, preferably flat glass, more preferably soda-lime glass, borosilicate glass, or quartz glass. The glass can be clear or tinted or colored. Clear glass is defined as a glass pane that has an integrated light transmission of at least 90% according to ISO 9050. Tinted or colored glass panes have a lower integrated light transmission. The same applies to the inner and outer panes if the pane assembly is a laminated pane. The thickness of the pane can be freely selected according to the requirements of the application. The thickness of the pane, the inner pane, or the outer pane is typically from 0.5 mm to 5 mm.

[0062] According to one embodiment, the disc assembly is curved in one or more spatial directions, as is common for automotive windshields, with typical radii of curvature ranging from approximately 10 cm to approximately 40 m. The inner surface of the disc assembly is generally concave. According to another embodiment, the disc assembly is flat, for example, when it is intended as a windshield for buses, trains, tractors, or buildings.

[0063] The disc arrangement according to the invention preferably has an interior emissivity of less than 65%, more preferably less than 60%, and most preferably less than 50%. Interior emissivity is defined as the measure that indicates how much thermal radiation the disc arrangement, in its installed position, emits into an interior space, such as a building or a vehicle, compared to an ideal thermal radiator (a black body). For the purposes of this invention, emissivity is understood to be the normal emissivity at 283 K according to standard EN 12898.

[0064] The disc arrangement according to the invention preferably has a light transmission between 25% and 55%, more preferably between 30% and 50%. A disc arrangement with such a light transmission is particularly advantageous in areas with very strong sunlight, as it allows for a pleasant dimming of the incident light. Light transmission here refers to the integrated light transmission according to ISO 9050, measured with a light source of type D65.

[0065] According to one embodiment, the disc arrangement according to the invention has the smallest possible color difference AE. The color difference AE is a measure of a color change, for example due to heat treatment, and is measured according to EN ISO 11664-4. The smaller the color difference, the less it is perceived by the human eye. Preferably, after thermal heating, the disc arrangement has a color difference AE of less than 5, more preferably less than 4, and even more preferably less than 3.

[0066] According to a preferred embodiment, the disk arrangement has a value for a*R of 1.0 or less, where R here refers to the reflection color in the L*a*b* color space. A further preferred a*R value is 0 or less, and even more preferred -0.5 or less. This effectively prevents any undesirable red tinting of the disk arrangement.

[0067] The coating according to the invention exhibits electrical conductivity due to its TiC-based layers, making it suitable for use as a heating coating. For this purpose, it is provided with so-called busbars extending along two opposing edges of the disc assembly and connected to the terminals of a voltage source, allowing current to flow through the coating and heat the disc assembly. Particularly advantageous heating effects are achieved due to the surface resistance when the voltage source operates at 42 to 48 volts or even 300 to 400 volts. Such voltages are readily available, especially in electric vehicles. A third aspect of the invention relates to a method for manufacturing the disc assembly according to the invention, wherein

[0068] (a) a disc is provided with an outer surface and an inner surface,

[0069] (b) a coating is applied to the outer surface or the inner surface of the disk by depositing the layers in the following sequence: a first IR-reflecting layer based on titanium carbide, an intermediate layer or sequence of intermediate layers, a second IR-reflecting layer based on titanium carbide, and an upper dielectric layer or sequence of layers.

[0070] The intermediate layer or sequence of layers and the upper dielectric layer or sequence of layers are preferably deposited independently of one another by vapor deposition, for example by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), or atomic layer deposition (ALD). Physical vapor deposition (PVD), for example evaporation, is particularly preferred, as is sputtering, and especially magnetron sputtering.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the coating further comprises a lower dielectric layer or sequence of layers deposited between the disk and the first IR-reflecting layer. The lower dielectric layer or sequence can be produced using the same methods as the intermediate layer or sequence and the upper dielectric layer or sequence, with magnetron sputtering being particularly preferred.

[0072] The IR-reflective layers based on TiC can also be deposited using the aforementioned methods, with magnetron sputtering being particularly preferred. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the IR-reflective layers are deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering. It has been shown that this method produces IR-reflective layers with particularly advantageous mechanical strength, light transmission, reflection color, and low resistivity at a high deposition rate. These advantageous properties can be attributed to the fact that the use of reactive magnetron sputtering achieves excellent layer homogeneity (i.e., consistent composition, crystallinity, layer thickness, and density) with good crystallinity and density.

[0073] Reactive magnetron sputtering is a special variant of magnetron sputtering, which itself is a variant of sputtering. In sputtering, a target (cathode) is bombarded with ions, causing material to be ejected from the target and deposited onto the surface to be coated. While simple sputtering uses only an electric field, magnetron sputtering incorporates an additional magnetic field behind the cathode plate. Due to the superposition of the electric and magnetic fields, the charge carriers no longer move parallel to the electric field lines, but instead circulate in a helical path above the target surface. This lengthens their path and increases the number of collisions per electron. The effectively higher ionization capacity of the electrons leads to an increased sputtering rate. Thus, significantly higher coating rates can be achieved at the same process pressure.Furthermore, denser layers can be produced. Reactive magnetron sputtering is a process based on this, in which one or more reactive gases are added to an inert working gas (such as argon). The gases react with the sputtered layer atoms at the target, in the vacuum chamber, or at the surface to be coated, forming new materials. The resulting reaction products are then deposited on the surface to be coated. According to a preferred embodiment, the reactive gas is at least one of methane, acetylene, and nitrogen; more preferably, at least one of methane and acetylene; and most preferably, either methane or acetylene is used, since the properties of the reaction product (such as stoichiometry, crystallinity, and layer thickness) can be more easily controlled by using only one reactive gas. When using reactive magnetron sputtering, a titanium target is preferably used.The target and the sputtered layer can be doped with additional materials, such as nitrogen, boron, or aluminum, which can influence the mechanical, electrical, chemical, and optical properties of the layer and / or increase the deposition rate. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the reactive magnetron sputtering is either direct current (DC) or alternating current mid-frequency (ACMF) magnetron sputtering, which allows for good control of the sputtering process and is also cost-effective. In another embodiment, the IR-reflective TiC-based layers are produced by simple magnetron sputtering using a titanium carbide target and an inert working gas (e.g., Ar).

[0074] According to one embodiment, the coating further comprises a low-refractive-index dielectric layer or sequence of layers with a refractive index of less than 1.6, which is deposited on the upper dielectric layer.

[0075] In one embodiment of the invention, the low-refractive-index dielectric layer is also deposited by the aforementioned methods of gas phase deposition, with magnetic field-assisted cathode sputtering being particularly preferred.

[0076] The IR-reflecting layers based on TiC, the upper dielectric layer, the lower dielectric layer and the low-refractive-index dielectric layer correspond to the layers described above for the disk arrangement according to the invention.

[0077] After the coating is applied, the disk assembly is preferably subjected to a heat treatment, which improves the crystallinity of the layers and regularly enhances the light transmission and optical properties of the disk assembly. The heat treatment can, for example, be carried out at a temperature of at least 500 °C. The heat treatment can also be performed as part of a bending and / or prestressing process. According to the invention, the heat treatment described above is also referred to as "thermal tempering" or "tempering".

[0078] According to one embodiment, the disc assembly can be subjected to a bending process after the coating has been applied to bring it into a cylindrically or spherically curved shape, as is common for disc assemblies for use in vehicles, particularly for passenger cars or trucks. For bending, the disc assembly is softened by heating so that it becomes plastically deformable and then shaped by methods known per se, such as gravity bending, press bending, and / or suction bending. Typical temperatures for glass bending processes range, for example, from 500°C to 700°C. If the disc assembly is to be designed as a laminated disc (according to the second disc assembly or optionally the first disc assembly), the coated (and optionally bent) disc is bonded to the outer or inner disc via a thermoplastic layer.This involves the use of well-known lamination processes, such as autoclave processes.

[0079] Vacuum bag processes, vacuum ring processes, calender processes, vacuum laminators, or combinations thereof are used. The bonding of the disc to the outer or inner disc via the thermoplastic layer typically occurs under the influence of heat, vacuum, and / or pressure. The thermoplastic layer is preferably formed from at least one thermoplastic film, preferably a PVB film, EVA film, or PU film. Typical thicknesses for such films range from 0.2 mm to 2 mm, particularly from 0.3 mm to 1 mm.

[0080] According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to the use of the disc arrangement according to the invention as a window pane of a means of transport on land, water or in the air, preferably a motor vehicle or rail vehicle, particularly preferably as a rear window or roof pane, or as a pane for a building, preferably as a window pane, facade pane or door pane.

[0081] Several specific applications of the disk arrangement according to the invention are conceivable:

[0082] The coating can thus serve to provide a pane arrangement with a low light transmission TL of 50% or less and low emissivity, which may be particularly advantageous in use as a rear window or roof window of a motor vehicle or rail vehicle, or as a pane for a building, preferably as a window pane, facade pane or door pane.

[0083] Since the coating can be used for both thermally tempered and non-thermally tempered products, and since thermal tempering causes only a minimal color change in the disc arrangement, the corresponding manufacturing processes are efficient, resulting in low production costs for the products. In particular, a disc arrangement according to the invention that has undergone thermal tempering and a disc arrangement according to the invention that has not undergone thermal tempering can be used in close proximity to each other without creating an optically adverse impression on the observer, since the disc arrangement according to the invention undergoes only a minimal color change during thermal tempering and is thus virtually indistinguishable from the disc arrangement according to the invention that has not undergone thermal tempering.

[0084] Due to the minimal color change during thermal tempering, the disc arrangement according to the invention can be used in a variety of ways as a prestressed disc arrangement without any undesirable coloration of the disc arrangement occurring, which can be particularly advantageous in its use as a rear window or roof window of a motor vehicle or rail vehicle, or as a window pane for a building, preferably as a window pane, facade pane, or door pane. The same applies due to the fact that the disc arrangement has a color-neutral appearance.

[0085] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to drawings and exemplary embodiments. The drawings are schematic representations and not to scale. The drawings do not limit the invention in any way.

[0086] They show:

[0087] Fig. 1 shows a cross-section through an embodiment of the disk arrangement 1 according to the invention ,

[0088] Fig. 2 shows a cross-section through a further embodiment of the disk arrangement 1 according to the invention ,

[0089] Fig. 3 shows a cross-section through an embodiment of the coating 20 according to the invention on a disk 2,

[0090] Fig. 4 shows a cross-section through a further embodiment of the coating 20 according to the invention on a disk 2,

[0091] Fig. 5 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of the method according to the invention,

[0092] Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a pane arrangement 1 according to the invention. The pane arrangement 1 is exemplified as a rear window or roof window of a motor vehicle or rail vehicle, or as a window for a building. It is a monolithic pane (single pane) and comprises a single pane 2 made, for example, of thermally tempered soda-lime glass with a thickness of 1.9 mm. The pane 2 has an outer surface I, which, in its installed position, faces the external environment, and an inner surface II, which, in its installed position, faces the interior. The inner surface II is completely provided with a coating 20 according to the invention.

[0093] The coating 20 according to the invention has IR-reflective properties. It therefore functions as a solar control coating. This increases thermal comfort in the interior, as it heats up less. In addition to its infrared (IR)-reflective properties, the coating 20 according to the invention is also chemically and mechanically resistant due to the use of TiC in the IR-reflective layers and exhibits only minimal color change after possible thermal tempering.

[0094] Both surfaces 1, 11 of such a single disk are exposed, i.e., in contact with the atmosphere. They could not be coated with conventional, corrosion-prone (e.g., silver-based) IR-reflective coatings. Since the coating 20 according to the invention with IR-reflective effect is not corrosion-prone, such a coating is easily possible.

[0095] Figure 2 shows a further embodiment of a disk arrangement 1 according to the invention. The disk arrangement 1 is designed as a laminated disk, wherein a disk 2 functions as the outer disk and is connected to an inner disk 4 via a thermoplastic layer 3. In its installed position, the disk 2 faces the external environment. The inner disk 4 faces the interior in its installed position. The disk 2 has an outer surface I and an interior surface II. The inner disk 4 also has an outer surface III and an interior surface IV. The disk 2 and the inner disk 4 are, by way of example, made of soda-lime glass with a thickness of 4 mm each. The thermoplastic layer 3 is, by way of example, made of a polyvinyl butyral (PVB)-based film with a thickness of 0.38 mm.The pane arrangement 1 is exemplified as a rear window or roof window of a motor vehicle or rail vehicle, or as a window for a building. The interior surface II of the pane 2 is completely provided with a coating 20 according to the invention.

[0096] Figure 3 shows an embodiment of the coating 20 according to the invention on a disk 2. The coating 20 is arranged on the inner surface II or IV or on the outer surface I or III of the disk 2. The coating 20 consists of a first IR-reflecting layer 22 based on titanium carbide, an intermediate layer 23, a second IR-reflecting layer 24 based on titanium carbide, and an upper dielectric layer 25, arranged on the disk 2 in this order, starting from its surface I, II, III, or IV. The IR-reflecting effect is provided by the first IR-reflecting layer 22 based on titanium carbide and the second IR-reflecting layer 24 based on titanium carbide. The upper dielectric layer 25 reduces or prevents the oxidation of the second IR-reflecting layer 24 during any heat treatment.The intermediate layer 23 ensures a stable layer structure of the first and second IR-reflecting layers, while the overall coating thickness can be kept low, thus enabling cost-effective manufacturing. The intermediate layer 23 and the upper dielectric layer 25 can independently comprise, for example, SiN, SiAlN, or SiZrN.

[0097] Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of the coating 20 according to the invention on a disk 2. It differs from the embodiment shown in Figure 3 in that the coating 20 further comprises a lower dielectric layer 21. The use of the lower dielectric layer 21 prevents components of the disk 2 from penetrating the first IR-reflecting layer 22 based on titanium carbide during potential heat treatment. The lower dielectric layer 21 can, for example, comprise SiN, SiAlN, or SiZrN.

[0098] Figure 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of the inventive method for producing a disk arrangement 1 with coating 20 by means of a flowchart.

[0099] Examples

[0100] Example 1a

[0101] A disk assembly 1 according to the invention was produced. It was designed as a single disk (single glass disk) and comprised a disk 2 (Planiclear® from Saint-Gobain Glass, soda-lime glass, light transmission TL of 91%) with a thickness of 4.0 mm, on the surface of which a coating 20 according to the invention was applied. Starting from the disk 2, the layer sequence with the listed layer thicknesses and materials was as follows: lower dielectric layer 21: SiN (56.8 nm, refractive index 2.0), first IR-reflecting layer 22 based on titanium carbide: TiC (6.0 nm), intermediate layer 23: SiN (76.4 nm, refractive index 2.0), second IR-reflecting layer 24 based on titanium carbide: TiC (13.9 nm), and upper dielectric layer 25: SiN (37.7 nm, refractive index 2.0).

[0102] The lower dielectric layer 21, the intermediate layer 23, and the upper dielectric layer 25 were each deposited by magnetron sputtering. The first IR-reflecting layer 22 and the second IR-reflecting layer 24 were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering using a titanium target and acetylene as the reactive gas. Properties of the disk arrangement 1 according to the invention as shown in Example 1a are presented in Tables 1 and 2.

[0103] Example 1b

[0104] The coated disk assembly 1 of Example 1a was further subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature of 650 °C for a period of 8 min (“thermal tempering”). Properties of the tempered disk assembly 1 according to Example 1b are also shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0105] Tables 1 and 2 contain / show the following information:

[0106] TL the integrated light transmission according to ISO 9050 (illuminant D65); a*T and b*T the values ​​of the transmission color in the L*a*b* color space, measured with an incident angle of 8° and an observation angle of 2° (illuminant D65);

[0107] RLc is the integrated light reflection, measured from the coating side with an incidence angle of 8° and an observation angle of 2° (light type D65); a*Rc and b*Rc are the values ​​of the reflection color from the coating side in the L*a*b* color space, measured with an incidence angle of 8° and an observation angle of 2° (light type D65);

[0108] RLg is the integrated light reflection, measured from the glass side with an incidence angle of 8° and an observation angle of 2° (light type D65); a*Rg and b*Rg are the values ​​of the reflected color from the glass side in the L*a*b* color space, measured with an incidence angle of 8° and an observation angle of 2° (light type D65); g is the Solar Control value, which corresponds to the percentage of solar energy that passes through the glass into a room. This factor takes into account the direct transfer of the glass and the phenomenon of the energy reflectivity of the glass wall towards the interior (glass heats up by absorbing solar radiation), measured according to ISO 9050 AM 1.5; and s is the normal interior emissivity at 283 K according to standard EN 12898.

[0109] Table 1

[0110] Table 2

[0111] The disk arrangements 1 according to the invention, as shown in Examples 1a and 1b, exhibit a light transmission TL of less than 40%, similarly low internal and external reflection (RLg and RLc, respectively), and neutral transmission colors a*T and b*T and reflection colors a*RLg, b*RLg, a*Rg, and b*Rg. In particular, the disk arrangements 1 do not exhibit any red tint. Instead, they show a slightly bluish transmission color and slightly bluish reflection colors.

[0112] Examples 2 and 3

[0113] Examples 2 and 3 show pane arrangements 1 according to the invention. They are designed as laminated panes and comprise a pane 2 and an inner pane 4 (pane 2 and inner pane: Planiclear® from Saint-Gobain Glass, soda-lime glass, light transmission TL of 91%) with a thickness of 4.0 mm each, wherein the pane 2 functions as the outer pane and the coating 20 is arranged on the interior surface (II) of the pane 2 as the outer pane.

[0114] The lower dielectric layer 21, the intermediate layer 23, and the upper dielectric layer 25 are each deposited by magnetron sputtering. The first IR-reflecting layer 22 and the second IR-reflecting layer 24 are deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering using a titanium target and acetylene as the reactive gas. The coated disk assemblies 1 are heat-treated at a temperature of 650 °C for a period of 8 minutes (“thermal annealing”). Properties of the disk assemblies 1 according to the invention are shown in Tables 3 and 4.

[0115] The arrangement of the panes and the coating 20 for the laminated panes was as follows:

[0116] Example 2:

[0117] Inner pane 4: Glass (4.0 mm) thermoplastic layer 3: PVB (0.38 mm) upper dielectric layer 25: SiN (14.7 nm) second IR-reflecting layer 24 based on titanium carbide: TiC (6.7 nm)

[0118] Intermediate layer 23: SiN (68.4 nm) first IR-reflecting layer 22 based on titanium carbide: TiC (6.0 nm) lower dielectric layer 21 : SiN (6.4 nm), and the disk 2 as outer disk: glass (4.0 mm).

[0119] Inner pane 4: Glass (4.0 mm) thermoplastic layer 3: PVB (0.38 mm) upper dielectric layer 25: SiN (48.7 nm) second IR-reflecting layer 24 based on titanium carbide: TiC (9.8 nm)

[0120] Intermediate layer 23: SiN (31.9 nm) first IR-reflecting layer 22 based on titanium carbide: TiC (13.7 nm) lower dielectric layer 21: SiN (56.0 nm), and the disk 2 as outer disk: glass (4.0 mm).

[0121] The properties TL, a*T, b*T, and g listed in Tables 3 and 4 correspond to the properties specified above for Tables 1 and 2. In Tables 3 and 4,

[0122] RLin is the integrated light reflection from the inner pane of the laminated glass at an incidence angle of 8° and an observation angle of 2° (illuminant D65); a*Rin and b*Rin are the values ​​of the reflection color from the inner pane of the laminated glass in the L*a*b* color space at an incidence angle of 8° and an observation angle of 2° (illuminant D65);

[0123] RLout is the integrated light reflection from the outer pane of the laminated glass at an incidence angle of 8° and an observation angle of 2° (illuminant D65); a*Rout and b*Rout are the values ​​of the reflection color from the outer pane of the laminated glass in the L*a*b* color space at an incidence angle of 8° and an observation angle of 2° (illuminant D65); and

[0124] AE(Rout) is the color difference as viewed from the outer pane according to EN ISO 11664-4.

[0125] The disk arrangements 1 according to the invention, as shown in Examples 2 and 3, have a light transmission TL of less than 50%, similar internal and external reflections (RLin and RLout, respectively), and neutral transmission colors a*T and b*T and reflection colors a*Rin, b*Rin, a*Rout, and b*Rout at a low g-value. In particular, the disk arrangements 1 do not exhibit a distinct red tint.

[0126] Table 3

[0127] Table 4 Reference symbol list:

[0128] (1) Disc arrangement

[0129] (2) disc

[0130] (3) thermoplastic layer

[0131] (4) Inner disc

[0132] (20) coating

[0133] (21) lower dielectric layer

[0134] (22) first IR-reflecting layer based on titanium carbide

[0135] (23) Intermediate layer

[0136] (24) second IR-reflecting layer based on titanium carbide

[0137] (25) upper dielectric layer

[0138] (I) outer surface of pane 2 in the case of a single pane / outer surface of pane 2 or of the outer pane in the case of a laminated pane

[0139] (II) inner surface of pane 2 in the case of a single pane / inner surface of pane 2 or of the outer pane in the case of a laminated pane

[0140] (III) outer surface of the pane 2 or the inner pane 4 in the case of a laminated pane

[0141] (IV) interior surface of pane 2 or inner pane 4 in the case of a laminated pane

Claims

Patent claims 1. A disk arrangement (1) comprising at least one disk (2) with an outer surface (I, III) and an inner surface (II, IV), wherein the disk (2) contains or consists of glass, and a coating (20) on the outer surface (I, III) or the inner surface (II, IV) of the disk (2), wherein the coating (20), starting from the surface (I, II, III, IV) of the disk (2), comprises at least the following in the following order: a first IR-reflecting layer (22) based on titanium carbide, an intermediate layer (23) or sequence of intermediate layers, a second IR-reflecting layer (24) based on titanium carbide, and an upper dielectric layer (25) or sequence of layers, wherein the upper dielectric layer (25) or sequence of layers contains or is formed from a layer based on silicon nitride (SiN), silicon-metal mixed nitride, titanium oxide (TiO), or titanium-metal mixed oxide.wherein the upper dielectric layer (25) or layer sequence has a thickness of 2 nm to 100 nm.

2. Disc arrangement (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first IR-reflecting layer (22) and the second IR-reflecting layer (24) each independently have a layer thickness of 2 nm to 50 nm, preferably of 3 nm to 40 nm, particularly preferably of 5 nm to 30 nm.

3. Disk arrangement (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the upper dielectric layer (25) or layer sequence contains or is formed from a layer based on silicon nitride (SiN) or silicon-metal mixed nitride.

4. Disc arrangement (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the intermediate layer (23) or sequence of intermediate layers contains or is formed from a dielectric layer.

5. Disc arrangement (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the intermediate layer (23) or sequence of intermediate layers is a layer based on a metal nitride and / or contains or is formed from a layer based on a metal and / or a layer based on an alloy.

6. Disc arrangement (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the intermediate layer (23) or sequence of intermediate layers has a thickness of 3 nm to 120 nm, preferably of 15 nm to 90 nm.

7. Disk arrangement (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the coating (20) further comprises a lower dielectric layer (21) or layer sequence formed between the surface (I, II, III, IV) of the disk (2) and the first IR-reflecting layer (22).

8. Disk arrangement (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the upper dielectric layer (25) or layer sequence has a thickness of 3 nm to 80 nm, preferably of 10 nm to 60 nm, more preferably of 15 nm to 40 nm.

9. Disc arrangement (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the disc (2) contains or consists of flat glass, preferably soda-lime glass, borosilicate glass or quartz glass.

10. Disc arrangement (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, which is designed as a composite disc, wherein the disc (2) is connected to an outer disc or to an inner disc (4) via a thermoplastic layer (3).

11. Disc arrangement (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, which is designed as a single disc.

12. A pane arrangement (1) comprising at least one pane (2) with an outer surface (I, III) and an inner surface (II, IV), wherein the pane (2) contains or consists of glass, and a coating (20) on the outer surface (I, III) or the inner surface (II, IV) of the pane (2), wherein the coating (20), starting from the surface (I, II, III, IV) of the pane (2), comprises at least the following in the following order: a first IR-reflecting layer (22) based on titanium carbide, an intermediate layer (23) or sequence of intermediate layers, a second IR-reflecting layer (24) based on titanium carbide, and an upper dielectric layer (25) or sequence of layers, wherein the disk arrangement (1) is designed as a composite disk, wherein the disk (2) is connected to an outer disk or to an inner disk (4) via a thermoplastic layer (3).

13. Method for manufacturing a disk arrangement (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein (a) a disk (2) is provided with an outer surface (I, III) and an inner surface (II, IV), (b) a coating (20) is applied to the outer surface (I, III) or the inner surface (II, IV) of the disk (2) by depositing the layers in the following sequence: a first IR-reflecting layer (22) based on titanium carbide, an intermediate layer (23) or sequence of intermediate layers, a second IR-reflecting layer (24) based on titanium carbide, and an upper dielectric layer (25) or sequence of layers.

14. Method according to claim 13, wherein the first IR-reflecting layer (22) and the second IR-reflecting layer (24) are each deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering.

15. Use of a pane arrangement (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12 as a window pane of a means of transport on land, water or in the air, preferably a motor vehicle or rail vehicle, particularly preferably as a rear window or roof pane, or as a pane for a building, preferably as a window pane, facade pane or door pane.

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