High-Reflection Glass Panel Sputtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing glazing technologies face challenges in achieving high reflection and transmission while maintaining mechanical and chemical resistance, particularly when exposed to external hazards, and require specific precursors and heavy installations for pyrolysis, limiting geographical distribution and increasing production costs. Additionally, vacuum sputtering techniques produce layers with insufficient mechanical strength for external use.
Innovation Solution
The use of cathode sputtering to deposit reflective layers made from tantalum, niobium, and zirconium oxides or mixed oxides, combined with other layers like titanium oxide or tin oxide, to achieve the desired resistance and optical properties, allowing for subsequent thermal treatments without altering the characteristics, and incorporating a protective layer to prevent diffusion of glass constituents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pyrolysis technique is used to deposit coatings, then mechanical and chemical resistance is improved, but device complexity and geographical distribution are worsened due to requirement of large specialized installations integrated into production lines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the pyrolysis process (thermal decomposition method) with a sputtering deposition process (physical vapor deposition method). This substitution eliminates the need for large specialized pyrolysis installations while achieving coatings with comparable or superior mechanical and chemical resistance. The sputtering process can be performed in standard vacuum coating chambers, significantly reducing device complexity and enabling geographical distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the deposition parameters by using sputtering instead of pyrolysis. This parameter change allows the coating process to be performed at lower temperatures and in different environmental conditions, eliminating the need for high-temperature pyrolysis installations while maintaining coating quality. The process can be performed on pre-manufactured glass sheets, further simplifying the overall system.
2Ease of manufacture
If vacuum sputtering technique is used to deposit coatings, then ease of manufacture and geographical distribution are improved, but mechanical and chemical resistance is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite coating structures deposited by sputtering, combining multiple layers with different materials and functions. This includes using sputtered metal oxides (such as silicon oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide) that provide both mechanical strength and chemical resistance. The composite structure allows each layer to contribute its specific properties, achieving the desired resistance characteristics while maintaining the ease of sputtering deposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the sputtering process parameters (such as deposition rate, substrate temperature, gas composition, and power density) to produce coatings with enhanced mechanical and chemical resistance. By optimizing these parameters, the sputtered coatings achieve hardness and chemical stability comparable to pyrolysis-derived coatings, while retaining the advantage of independent coating facilities and geographical flexibility.
3Illumination intensity
If silver-based layers are used for high reflection, then optical performance is improved, but mechanical and chemical resistance is worsened due to fragility to external aggressions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive and fragile silver-based reflective layers with alternative sputtered metal oxide layers (such as silicon oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide) that are more resistant to mechanical and chemical degradation. While individual layers may have lower reflection properties, the multi-layer composite structure achieves comparable or superior overall performance with enhanced durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite structures combining multiple sputtered metal oxide layers to achieve the desired optical properties without relying on fragile silver-based materials. The composite structure distributes the mechanical and chemical stress across multiple resilient layers, providing both high reflection and resistance to external aggressions.
4Reliability
If thicker reflective layers are deposited to increase resistance, then mechanical and chemical resistance is improved, but manufacturing cost is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the thickness parameters of individual sputtered layers and the number of layers in the composite structure to achieve the desired resistance properties with minimal material usage. By carefully controlling deposition parameters and layer thicknesses, the patent achieves cost-effective coatings that provide sufficient mechanical and chemical resistance without excessive material costs.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides glazing with enhanced mechanical and chemical resistance, maintaining reflection and transmission properties, and allowing for heat treatments without compromising the layers' integrity or inducing haze, while being cost-effective and geographically flexible.
Implementation Method 1
The use of cathode sputtering to deposit reflective layers made from tantalum, niobium, and zirconium oxides or mixed oxides
Implementation Method 2
cathode sputtering to deposit reflective layers
Implementation Method 3
incorporating a protective layer to prevent diffusion of glass constituents
Implementation Method 4
a quantity that represents the ratio of the energy transmitted through the glazing and re-emitted by it back into the interior, after absorption
Data Source
Figure 1~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a glass panel, including at least one reflective layer deposited by cathode sputtering, said layer consisting of one or more oxides of one of the metals including Ta, Nb, Zr or the mixed oxides of said metals, the thickness of the layer in question and optionally other layers present in the assembly having a refractive index greater than 2.2 being selected such that, on a 4-mm thick sheet of clear "float" glass, said layer(s) result(s) in a reflection of at least 15% and a light transmission of at least 60%, the layer or system of layers in question further having a mechanical and/or chemical resistance comparable to those of layers produced by pyrolysis for obtaining products having the same type of optical properties.