Double silver low-emissivity and solar control coatings

Abstract

A low-emissivity multilayer coating includes, in order outward from the substrate, a first layer including a layer containing titanium oxide, a layer containing silicon nitride, or a sublayer layer containing titanium oxide in combination with a sublayer containing silicon nitride; a second layer including Ag; a third layer including at least one layer selected from titanium oxide layers and silicon nitride layers; a fourth layer including Ag; and a fifth layer including silicon nitride. The color of the coatings can be varied over a wide range by controlling the thicknesses of the layers of titanium oxide, silicon nitride and Ag. A diffusion barrier of oxidized metal protects relatively thin, high electrical conductivity, pinhole free Ag films grown preferentially on zinc oxide substrates. Oxygen and/or nitrogen in the Ag films improves the thermal and mechanical stability of the Ag. Dividing the first layer of titanium oxide, the Ag layers, and/or the third layer with a sublayer of oxidized metal can provide greater thermal and mechanical stability to the respective layers.

1 : A low-emissivity coating on a substrate, the coating comprising, in numerical order outward from the substrate,
 a first layer including at least one layer selected from titanium oxide layers and silicon nitride layers;   a second layer including Ag;   a third layer including at least one layer selected from titanium oxide layers and silicon nitride layers;   a fourth layer including Ag; and   a fifth layer including silicon nitride, wherein   at least one of the second layer and the fourth layer consists of, in numerical order outward from the substrate,
 a first sublayer, which includes a zinc oxide and which is from 6 to 7 nm thick; 
 a second sublayer, which includes Ag; and 
 a third sublayer, which includes a first oxidized metal. 
   
     
     
         2 : The coating according to  claim 1 , wherein the first layer is from 5 to 30 nm thick. 
     
     
         3 : The coating according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first layer includes a titanium oxide layer; and   the titanium oxide in the first layer is amorphous.   
     
     
         4 : The coating according to  claim 1 , wherein the third layer comprises at least one of a TiO 2  layer and a Si 3 N 4  layer. 
     
     
         5 : The coating according to  claim 1 , wherein the third layer comprises a superlattice of titanium oxide and silicon nitride. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 : The coating according to  claim 1 , wherein the zinc oxide comprises nitrogen. 
     
     
         8 : The coating according to  claim 1 , wherein the first oxidized metal comprises an at least partially oxidized Ni—Cr alloy. 
     
     
         9 : The coating according to  claim 1 , wherein the Ag in at least one of the second layer and the fourth layer further comprises at least one of oxygen and nitrogen. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 : The coating according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first layer, the second layer, the third layer, and the fourth layer is divided by a layer of a second oxidized metal. 
     
     
         12 : The coating according to  claim 11 , wherein the second oxidized metal is an at least partially oxidized Ni—Cr alloy. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 : A method of making a low-emissivity coating on a substrate, the method comprising
 depositing at least one layer including Ag on the substrate; and   producing the coating of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         15 : The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the depositing comprises sputtering. 
     
     
         16 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 : A low-emissivity coating on a transparent substrate, the coating comprising, in numerical order outward from the substrate,
 a first layer, which includes a silicon nitride and which is from 5 to 30 nm thick;   a second layer, which includes a zinc oxide and which is from 6 to 7 nm thick;   a third layer which includes Ag and which is from 8 to 16 nm thick;   a fourth layer, which includes a first oxidized Ni—Cr alloy directly on the Ag of the third layer and which is from 2 to 8 nm thick;   a fifth layer, which includes a silicon nitride and which is from 45 to 90 nm thick;   a sixth layer, which includes a zinc oxide and which is from 6 to 7 nm thick;   a seventh layer, which includes Ag and which is from 8 to 24 nm thick;   an eighth layer, which includes a second oxidized Ni—Cr alloy directly on the Ag of the seventh layer and which is from 2 to 8 nm thick; and   a ninth layer, which includes a silicon nitride and which is from 25 to 60 nm thick.   
     
     
         23 : The coating according to  claim 1 , wherein the silicon nitride comprises less than a stoichiometric amount of nitrogen. 
     
     
         24 : The coating according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first layer includes a layer of SiN x , where 0<x≦1.34;   the third layer includes a layer of SiN x , where 0<x≦1.34; and   the fifth layer includes a layer of SiN x , where 0<x≦1.34.   
     
     
         25 : The coating according to  claim 24 , wherein the first layer includes a layer of SiN x , where x=1.34. 
     
     
         26 : The coating according to  claim 22 , wherein
 the first layer includes a layer of SiN x , where 0<x≦1.34;   the fifth layer includes a layer of SiN x , where 0<x≦1.34; and   the ninth layer includes a layer of SiN x , where 0<x≦1.34.   
     
     
         27 : The coating according to  claim 26 , wherein the first layer includes a layer of SiN x , where x=1.34. 
     
     
         28 : The coating according to  claim 22 , wherein the zinc oxide in at least one of the second layer and the sixth layer comprises nitrogen.