Patent ID: 6216491
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: C03C,G02F

Abstract:
A method of producing a glass panel for a LCD device wherein the glass is nominally free of alkali metal oxides, that is, has no intentionally added alkali metal compound in its batch, but contains up to about 0.1% by weight Na.sup.+ as an impurity, and wherein the method comprises depositing on at least one surface of a clean glass panel a continuous, permanent, and transparent barrier layer film from an atmosphere of an atomized or ionized inert refractory material, or reactive precursor, the film being greater than 50 nm, but not over 500 nm, in thickness, and, after depositing the transparent film on the clean glass panel, stacking the filmed glass panel with a plurality of the clean, filmed glass panels to form a stack of adjacent panels, the total film thickness between each pair of adjacent panels in the stack being greater than 100 nm and subjecting the stack to a heat treatment to compact the glass, the permanent barrier layer film on the clean glass panel functioning both as a barrier to sodium ion migration from the glass and as a parting agent during the compacting heat treatment.