Antistatic coating

Abstract

An antistatic article including a substrate having a first surface, a sputtered conductive layer arranged on the first surface and having a thickness ranging from approximately 0.5 nanometers to approximately 10 nanometers, and an outer layer or a series of layers arranged atop the sputtered conductive layer, wherein, the antistatic article exhibits a surface resistivity of less than approximately 10 12 ohms/square. A method of making an antistatic article includes pretreating a surface of the substrate, sputtering the conductive layer onto the surface to a thickness ranging from approximately 0.5 nanometers to approximately 10 nanometers, and sputtering the outer layer and one or more additional layers atop the conductive layer, wherein, the antistatic article exhibits a surface resistivity of less than approximately 10 12 ohms/square.

1 . An antistatic article, comprising:
 a substrate having a first surface;   a sputtered conductive layer arranged on the first surface and having a thickness ranging from approximately 0.5 nanometers to approximately 10 nanometers; and   at least one of an outer layer and a series of layers arranged atop the sputtered conductive layer,   
       wherein, the antistatic article exhibits a surface resistivity of less than approximately 10 12  ohms/square. 
     
     
         2 . The antistatic article of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises acrylic. 
     
     
         3 . The antistatic article of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises glass. 
     
     
         4 . The antistatic article of  claim 1 , wherein the sputtered conductive layer comprises tin oxide and at least one of the outer layer and the series of layers comprises silicon dioxide. 
     
     
         5 . The antistatic article of  claim 1 , wherein the sputtered conductive layer comprises zinc oxide and at least one of the outer layer and the series of layers comprises silicon dioxide. 
     
     
         6 . The antistatic article of  claim 1 , further comprising a frame, the antistatic article being arranged in the frame. 
     
     
         7 . The antistatic article of  claim 6 , further comprising a specimen, the specimen being arranged in the frame and generally adjacent to the first surface. 
     
     
         8 . The antistatic article of  claim 7 , wherein the specimen comprises artwork. 
     
     
         9 . A method of making an antistatic article having a substrate, a conductive layer, and at least one of an outer layer and a series of layers, the method comprising:
 pretreating a surface of the substrate;   sputtering the conductive layer onto the surface to a thickness ranging from approximately 0.5 nanometers to approximately 10 nanometers; and   sputtering the at least one of the outer layer and the series of layers atop the conductive layer,   
       wherein, the antistatic article exhibits a surface resistivity of less than approximately 10 12  ohms/square. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the conductive layer comprises tin oxide and the at least one of the outer layer and the series of layers comprises silicon oxide. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein sputtering the conductive layer further comprises supplying an oxygen gas at a selected rate. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the selected rate ranges from approximately 20 standard cubic centimeters per minute to approximately 40 standard cubic centimeters per minute using a small scale development coater. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the selected rate ranges from approximately 25 standard cubic centimeters per minute to approximately 35 standard cubic centimeters per minute using a small scale development coater. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the selected rate ranges from approximately 28 standard cubic centimeters per minute to approximately 30 standard cubic centimeters per minute using a small scale development coater. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the selected rate is approximately 29 standard cubic centimeters per minute using a small scale development coater. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein pretreating the surface of the substrate comprises using a linear ion source. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein pretreating the surface of the substrate comprises chemically cleaning the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         18 . An antistatic article having a substrate with a first surface, a conductive layer arranged on the first surface and having a thickness ranging from approximately 0.5 nanometers to approximately 10 nanometers, and at least one of an outer layer and a series of layers arranged atop the conductive layer, wherein the antistatic article exhibits a surface resistivity of less than approximately 10 12  ohms/square formed by:
 pretreating a surface of the substrate;   sputtering the conductive layer onto the surface; and   sputtering at least one of the outer layer and the series of layers atop the conductive layer.