GLAZING PANEL

Abstract: A glazing panel carrying a solar control coating stack comprising in sequence at least: a glass substrate base antireflective layer comprises at least one layer comprising a nitride of aluminium an infra-red reflecting layer; and a top antireflective layer. The nitride of aluminium confers, inter alia, good thermal stability on the coating, particularly during heat treatment.

Description: Glazing Panel This invention relates to glazing panels and particularly, but not exclusively, to solar control glazing panels which are intended to undergo heat treatment following application of a solar control filter. EP 233003A describes a glazing panel carrying a sputter coated optical filter having the structure: glass substrate/ Sn0 2 base dielectric/ first metallic barrier of Al, Ti, Zn, Zr or Ta / Ag / second metallic barrier of Al, Ti, Zn, Zr or Ta / Sn0 2 top dielectric. The optical filter is designed to block a significant portion of the incident radiation in the infra red portion of the spectrum whilst allowing passage of a significant portion of the incident radiation in the visible portion of the spectrum. In this way, the filter acts to reduce the heating effect of incident sunlight whilst allowing good visibility through the glazing and is particularly suitable for car windscreens. In this type of structure, the Ag layer acts to reflect incident infra red radiation; in order to fulfil this role it must be maintained as silver metal rather than silver oxide and must not be contaminated by adjacent layers. The dielectric layers which sandwich the Ag layer serve to reduce the reflection of the visible portion of the spectrum which the Ag layer would otherwise provoke. The second barrier serves to prevent oxidation of the Ag layer during sputtering of the overlying Sn0 2 dielectric layer in an oxidising atmosphere; this barrier is at least partially oxidised during this process. The main role of the first barrier is to prevent oxidation of the silver layer during heat treatment of the coating (e.g. during bending and/or tempering) of the glazing panel by being oxidised itself rather than allowing passage of oxygen to the Ag layer. This oxidation of the barrier during heat treatment provokes an increase in TL of the glazing panel. EP 792847A discloses a heat treatable solar control glazing panel which is based on the same principle and has the structure: glass substrate/ ZnO dielectric/ Zn barrier/ Ag / Zn barrier/ ZnO dielectric/ Zn barrier/ Ag / Zn barrier/ ZnO dielectric. The Zn barriers positioned below each of the Ag layers are intended to be oxidised completely during heat treatment and serve to protect the Ag layers from oxidation. As well known in the art, the structure of having two, spaced Ag layers rather than a single layer Ag layer increases the selectivity of the filter. EP 718250A discloses the use of a layer which provides a barrier to oxygen diffusion as at least part of the outermost dielectric layer in this type of filter stack. Such a layer must have a thickness of at least 100 A and preferably at least 200 A in order to form an effective barrier and may comprise a silicon compound Si0 2 , SiOxCy, SiOxNy, nitrides like Si 3 N 4 or AIN, carbides like SiC, TiC, CrC and TaC. According to one aspect, the present invention provides a glazing panel as defined in Claim 1. The term "heat treatable glazing panel" as used herein means that the glazing panel carrying the coating stack is adapted to undergo a bending and/or thermal tempering and/or thermal hardening operation and/or other heat treatment process without the haze of the so treated glazing panel exceeding 0.5, and preferably without the haze exceeding 0.3. The term "substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel" as used herein means a glazing panel carrying a coating stack which has been bent and/or thermally tempered and/or thermally hardened and/or subject to another heat treatment process after deposition of the coating stack and has a haze that does not exceed 0.5 and which preferably does not exceed 0.3. Such heat treatment processes may involve heating or exposing the glazing carrying the coating stack or to a temperature greater than about 560 °C, for example, between 560 °C and 700°C in the atmosphere. Other such heat treatment processes may be sintering of a ceramic or enamel material, vacuum sealing of a double glazing unit and calcination of a wet-coated low reflective coating or anti-glare coating. The heat treatment process, especially when this is a bending and/or thermal tempering and/or thermal hardening operation, may be carried out at a temperature of at least, 600 °C for at least 10 minutes, 12 minutes, or 15 minutes , at least 620 °C for at least 10 minutes, 12 minutes, or 15 minutes, or at least 640 °C for at least 10 minutes, 12 minutes, or 15 minutes. Any suitable method or combination of methods may be used to deposit the coating layers. For example, evaporation (thermal or electron beam), liquid pyrolysis, chemical vapour deposition, vacuum deposition and sputtering, particularly magnetron sputtering, the latter being particularly preferred. Different layers of the coating stack may be deposited using different techniques. The nitride of aluminium may be pure AIN, substantially pure AIN, AIN containing impurities or AIN containing one or more dopants, for example, chromium and/or silicon and/or titanium, which may improve chemical durability of the material. The nitride of aluminium may contain about 97% pure AIN by weight. Alternatively, it may contain an oxynitride, a carbonitride or an oxycarbonitride. The nitride of aluminium may be deposited by sputtering a target in a nitrogen atmosphere. Alternatively, it may be deposited by sputtering a target in an atmosphere which is a mixture of argon and nitrogen. The target may be, for example, 6061 alloy, 6066 alloy or 4032 alloy. A nitride of aluminium in the base antireflective layer is believed effective in blocking not only oxygen but also sodium ions and other ions that can diffuse from the glass into the coating stack and cause a deterioration of optical and electrical properties, particularly if the glazing panel is subjected to heat treatment. Si0 2 and A1 2 0 3 are known to be effective barriers to diffusion of sodium ions in sputtered coating stacks. In addition to being easier, quicker and more cost effective to deposit by sputtering, it is believed that a nitride of aluminium as part of the base dielectric layer provides an effective barrier to both sodium ions and oxygen diffusion. Furthermore, it is believed that a nitride of aluminium may provide an effective diffusion barrier at smaller geometrical thicknesses than that required using known materials. For example, good thermal resistance with respect to ion and oxygen diffusion from the glass substrate may be conferred on the coating stack by arranging a nitride of aluminium having a geometrical thickness of greater than 40 A , for example, about 50 A as at least part of the base antireflective layer particularly if the coating stack also includes a barrier layer, for example a metal or sub-oxide barrier layer, underlying the infra-red reflecting layer. In the absence of such a barrier layer underlying the infra-red reflecting layer, good thermal resistance with respect to ion and oxygen diffusion from the glass substrate may be conferred on the coating stack by arranging a nitride of aluminium having a geometrical thickness of greater than 50 A, preferably greater than 80 A or 90 A , for example, about 100 A as at least part of the base antireflective layer. A layer of a nitride of aluminium may confer advantageous properties even if it is less than 195 A thick. The coating stack may comprise a barrier layer overlying the infra red reflecting layer and/or a barrier layer underlying the infra red reflecting layer. Such barriers may contain one or more metals and may be deposited, for example, as metal oxides, as metal sub-oxides or as metals. The ability to block ion and oxygen diffusion from the glass substrate with a relatively thin layer provides great flexibility in the materials and thickness that may be used for the other layers in the coating stack. Providing a layer of a metal oxide between the nitride of aluminium and the infra-red reflecting material (particularly when this is silver or a silver alloy) may combine the thermal stability properties of the nitride of aluminium with an interposed material which favours crystallisation of the infra-red reflecting material so as to balance the infra red reflecting properties with the haze of the coating stack, particularly when it is subjected to heat treatment. One preferred such oxide is a mixed oxide of zinc and aluminium, preferably with a Al/Zn atomic ratio of about 0.1 to 0.2, especially 0.1 to 0.15. One possible explanation for this may be that the presence of the Al in the zinc oxide structure may reduce the crystal grain growth in the mixed oxide layer. Heat treatment may provoke an increase in the TL of the glazing panel. A controlled increase in TL may be advantageous in ensuring that TL is sufficiently high for the glazing panel to be used, for example, in a vehicle windscreen. TL may increase in absolute terms during heat treatment by , for example, greater than about 2.5%, greater than about 3%, greater than about 5% , greater than about 8% or greater than about 10%. Heat treatment may also provoke a decrease in the emissivity of the glazing panel. The effectiveness of a relatively thin layer of the nitride of aluminium in conferring thermal stability allows use of a relatively thick layer of such an oxide. Both Si 3 N 4 and AIN take longer to deposit by common sputtering techniques than oxides traditionally used in such coatings e.g. ZnO, Sn0 2 . The ability to provide good thermal stability with a relatively thin layer of a nitride of aluminium thus alleviates the deposition of such a layer as a limiting factor in a deposition process. A nitride of aluminium is also more cost effective to deposit by sputtering than, for example, Si 3 N 4 and does not require the doping or control precautions required for depositing Si 3 N 4 . The optical thickness of the antireflective layers and particularly that of the top antireflective layer is critical in determining the colour of the glazing panel. If a portion of an antireflective layer is oxidised, for example during heat treatment of the glazing panel then, particularly with Si 3 N 4 (refractive index about 2) the optical thickness can be modified as Si 3 N 4 may be oxidised to Si02 (refractive index about 1.45). Where the antireflective layer comprises a nitride of aluminium having a refractive index of about 1.7, oxidation of a part of this to A1 2 0 3 (refractive index about 1.7) will have negligible effect upon the optical thickness of the layer. The infra red reflecting material may be silver or a silver alloy, for example an alloy of silver containing one or more of Pd, Au, and Cu as an additional material. Such an additional material may be present in the silver alloy in an atomic ratio based on the total amount of silver and additional metal of 0.3 to 10%, preferably 0.3 to 5% and more particularly, especially where the additional material is Pd 0.3 to 2%. One or more of the antireflective layers may comprise an oxide, a nitride, a carbide or a mixture thereof. For example, the antireflective layer may comprise: • an oxide of one or more of Zn, Ti, Sn, Si, Al, Ta or Zr; an oxide of zinc containing Al, Ga, Si or Sn or an oxide of indium containing Sn; • a nitride of one or more of Si, Al and B or a mixture (including a double nitride) of a nitride of Zr or Ti with one of the aforementioned nitrides; • a double compound, for example, SiOxCy, SiOxNy, SiAlxNy or SiAlxOyNz. The antireflective layer may be a single layer or it may comprise two or more layers having different compositions. An oxide of zinc, preferably a zinc oxide containing at least one of Sn, Cr, Si, B, Mg, In, Ga and preferably Al and/or Ti is particularly preferred as use of these materials may facilitate stable formation of an adjacent infra red reflecting layer with a high crystallinity. According to another aspect, the present invention provides a glazing panel as defined in Claim 5. The ability to use a layer of a nitride of aluminium which is less than 100 A in thickness to provide an effective thermal barrier provides significant flexibility in the choice of the overall structure of the top antireflective layer. The layer comprising a nitride of aluminium may be about 85 A in thickness; this provides a compromise between good thermal resistance and thickness. The layer comprising a nitride of aluminium may have a thickness of greater than or equal to about 50 A , 60 A or 80 A; its thickness may be less than or equal to about 85 A , 90 A or 95 A. According to a further aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a glazing panel as defined in Claim 16. This provides a heat treated glazing panel having a haze of less than about 0.5 and preferably less than about 0.3 suitable for use, for example, in architectural, vehicle and industrial applications. Examples of the present invention will now be described with reference to Fig 1 which is a cross-section through a glazing panel prior to a bending and tempering operation (for ease of representation, the relative thicknesses of the glazing panel and coating layers are not shown to scale). Example 1 Fig 1 shows a double Ag layer, heat treatable, coating layer deposited on a glass substrate by magnetron sputtering and having the following sequential structure: in which ZnAlOx is a mixed oxide containing Zn and Al deposited in this example by reactively sputtering a target which is an alloy or mixture of Zn and Al in the presence of oxygen . The ZnAlOy barriers are similarly deposited by sputtering a target which is an alloy or mixture of Zn and Al in an argon rich oxygen containing atmosphere to deposit a barrier that is not fully oxidised. Alternatively, the mixed oxide layer ZnAlOx may be formed by sputtering a target which is a mixture of zinc oxide and an oxide of Al, particularly in an argon gas or argon rich oxygen containing atmosphere. Where the barrier layers comprise the same materials as the mixed oxide layer, particularly the adjacent mixed oxide layer, this may facilitate management of targets and control of deposition conditions and may provide good adhesion between the layers and thus good mechanical durability of the coating stack. The oxidation state in each of the base, central and top ZnAlOx dielectric layers need not necessarily be the same. Similarly, the oxidation state in each of the ZnAlOy barriers need not be the same. Equally, the Al/Zn ratio need not be the same for all of the layers; for example, the barrier layers may have a different Al/Zn ratio to the antireflective dielectric layers and the antireflective dielectric layers may have different Al/Zn ratios from each other. Each overlying barrier protects its underlying silver layer from oxidation during sputter deposition of its overlying ZnAlOx oxide layer. Whilst further oxidation of these barrier layers may occur during deposition of their overlying oxide layers a portion of these barriers preferably remains in the form of an oxide that is not fully oxidised to provide a barrier for subsequent heat treatment of the glazing panel. This particular glazing panel is intended for incorporation in a laminated vehicle windscreen and displa s the followin properties: Note 1: Measured for monolithic glazing panel with coating prior to heat treatment Note 2: Measured following heat treatment at 650° C for 10 minutes followed by bending and tempering, and lamination with clear 2mm glass sheet and 0.76mm clear pvb Heat treatment preferably causes substantially complete oxidation of all of the barrier layers such that the structure of the coating stack after heat treatment The AIN (partially oxidised) layers may comprise a mixture of AIN and A1 2 0 3 , the AIN being partially oxidised during the heat treatment process. The barrier layers are not necessarily completely oxidised and their thickness will depend to a certain extent upon their degree of oxidation. Example 2 Example 2 is similar to Example 1, save that the underlying barriers of the coating stack were omitted. The coating stacks and properties of the Example are set out below: in which ZnAlOx is a mixed oxide containing Zn and Al deposited in this example by reactively sputtering a target which is an alloy or mixture of Zn and Al in the presence of oxygen . The ZnAl barriers are similarly deposited by sputtering a target which is an alloy or mixture of Zn and Al in a substantially inert, oxygen free atmosphere. At least a portion of the overlying barriers 16, 20 is oxidised during deposition of their overlying oxide layers. Nevertheless, a portion of these barriers preferably remains in metallic form, or at least in the form of an oxide that is not fully oxidised to provide a barrier for subsequent heat treatment of the glazing panel. This particular glazing panel is intended for incorporation in a laminated vehicle windscreen and dis la s the followin ro erties: Note 1: Measured for monolithic glazing panel with coating prior to heat treatment Note 2: Measured following heat treatment at 625° C for 14 minutes followed by bending and tempering, and lamination with clear 2 mm glass sheet and 0.76mm clear pvb Heat treatment preferably causes substantially complete oxidation of all of the barrier layers such that the structure of the coating stack after heat treatment is: At least a portion of the overlying barriers 16, 20 is oxidised during deposition of their overlying oxide layers. Nevertheless, a portion of these barriers preferably remains in metallic form, or at least in the form of an oxide that is not fully oxidised to provide a barrier for subsequent heat treatment of the glazing panel. This particular glazing panel is intended for incorporation in a laminated vehicle windscreen and displa s the followin ro erties: Note 1: Measured for monolithic glazing panel with coating prior to heat treatment Note 2: Measured following heat treatment at 645° C for 14 minutes with bending and tempering, and lamination with clear 2 mm glass sheet and 0.76 mm clear pvb Examples 4 Example 4 is similar to Example 2. The coating stacks and properties of the Example are set out below: At least a portion of the overlying barriers 16, 20 is oxidised during deposition of their overlying oxide layers. Nevertheless, a portion of these barriers preferably remains in metallic form, or at least in the form of an oxide that is not fully oxidised to provide a barrier for subsequent heat treatment of the glazing panel. This particular glazing panel is intended for incorporation in a laminated vehicle windscreen and displays the following properties: Note 2: Measured following heat treatment at 645° C for 14 minutes with bending and tempering, and lamination with clear 2 mm glass sheet and 0.76 mm clear pvb Examples 5 Example 5 is similar to Example 2. The coating stacks and properties of the Example are set out below: At least a portion of the overlying barriers 16, 20 is oxidised during deposition of their overlying oxide layers. Nevertheless, a portion of these barriers preferably remains in metallic form, or at least in the form of an oxide that is not fully oxidised to provide a barrier for subsequent heat treatment of the glazing panel. This particular glazing panel is intended for incorporation in a laminated vehicle windscreen and displa s the followin properties: Note 2: Measured following heat treatment at 645° C for 14 minutes with bending and tempering, and lamination with clear 2 mm glass sheet and 0.76 mm clear pvb Additional layers may be introduced above, below or between the film stacking arrangement if desired without departing from the invention. In addition to the advantageous optical properties that may be obtained, each of the examples provides a coating layer which may be electrically heated, for example, in an electrically heated car windscreen to provide a de-misting and/or de-frosting function with the addition of suitably placed electrical connectors. The colour co-ordinates of the examples are particularly suited to car windscreens as they give a neutral or slightly blue or slightly green appearance in reflection when the windscreen is mounted at an angle in the car body. For other applications, for example architectural applications, the colour in reflection may be adjusted as is known in the art by adjusting the thicknesses of the dielectric layers and/or silver layer(s) . The TL of the glazing panel may be adjusted to suit the desired application. For example • if the glazing panel is to be used as a windscreen for the European market, TL may be selected to be greater than 75% (as required by European regulations). • if the glazing panel is to be used as a windscreen for the US market, TL may be selected to be greater than 70% (as required by US regulations) . • if the glazing panel is to be used as a vehicle front sidelight, TL may be adjusted to be greater than 70% (as required by European regulations) . • if the glazing panel is to be used as a vehicle rear sidelight or a rear window for a vehicle, TL may be selected to be between about 30% and 70%. Such adjustment of TL may be achieved, for example, • by adapting the thicknesses of the layers of the coating stack, in particular the thicknesses of the dielectric layers and/or the infra-red reflecting layer(s). • by combining the coating stack with a tinted glass substrate. • by combining the coating stack with a tinted pvb or other laminating materials. Glossary Unless otherwise indicated by the context, the terms listed below have the followin meanin s in this s ecification:

Claims: Claims 1. A heat treatable or substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel carrying a coating stack comprising in sequence at least : a glass substrate a base antireflective layer comprising at least one layer comprising a nitride of aluminium an infra-red reflecting layer, and a top antireflective layer characterised in that heat treatment of the heat treatable glazing panel to form a substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel provokes an increase of the value of TL of the glazing panel of at least 2.5%. . 2. A heat treatable or substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel in accordance with Claim 1 comprising in sequence at least: a glass substrate a base antireflective layer comprising at least one layer comprising a nitride of aluminium an infra-red reflecting layer a central antireflective layer an infra-red reflecting layer a top antireflective layer characterised in that heat treatment of the heat treatable glazing panel to form a substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel provokes an increase of the value of TL of the glazing panel of at least 2.5%.. 3. A heat treatable or substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel in accordance with Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the at least one layer comprising a nitride of aluminium has a geometrical thickness greater than 40 A. 4. A heat treatable or substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel in accordance with any preceding claim, in which the at least one layer comprising a nitride of aluminium has a geometrical thickness less than 195 A. 5. A heat treatable or substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel carrying a solar control coating stack comprising in sequence at least : a glass substrate a base antireflective layer an infra-red reflecting layer, and a top antireflective layer characterised in that the top antireflective layer comprises at least one layer comprising a nitride of aluminium having a geometrical thickness of less than 100 A. 6. A heat treatable or substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel in accordance with any preceding claim, in which the base antireflective layer and the top antireflective layer each comprises at least one layer comprising a nitride of aluminium. 7. A heat treatable or substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel in accordance with any preceding claim, in which each antireflective layer comprises at least one layer comprising a nitride of aluminium. 8. A heat treatable or substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel in accordance with any preceding claim, in which the base antireflective layer comprises a first layer adjacent to the substrate comprising a nitride of aluminium and an overlying layer comprising a metal oxide. 9. A heat treatable or substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel in accordance with any preceding claim, in which the top antireflective layer comprises a first layer of a metal oxide and an overlying layer comprising a nitride of aluminium. 10. A heat treatable or substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel in accordance with Claim 8 or Claim 9, in which the layer of a metal oxide is a layer of a mixed oxide of zinc and aluminium. 11. A heat treatable or substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel in accordance with claim 10, in which the mixed oxide of zinc and aluminium has an atomic ratio Al/Zn of greater than or equal to 0.05 and less than or equal to 0.25. 12. A heat treatable or substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel in accordance with any preceding claim, in which heat treatment of the heat treatable glazing panel to form the substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel provokes an increase of the value of TL of the glazing panel of at least 2.5%. 13. A heat treatable or substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel in accordance with any preceding claim, in which heat treatment of the heat treatable glazing panel to form the substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel provokes an increase of the value of TL of the glazing panel of at least 7%. 14. A heat treatable or substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel in accordance with any preceding claim, in which the nitride of aluminium is substantially pure AIN. 15. A heat treatable or substantially haze free heat treated glazing panel in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 13, in which the nitride of aluminium contains at least 90% and preferably at least 95% pure AIN by weight. 16. A method of manufacturing a glazing panel having a haze of less than about 0.5 comprising the step of subjecting a glazing panel in accordance with any preceding claim to a heat treatment process at at least 570 °C.

Inventors: AOMINE NOBUTAKA, DECROUPET DANIEL, EBISAWA JUNICHI, NODA KAZUYOSHI, TAKEDA SATOSHI, AOMINE, NOBUTAKA, DECROUPET, DANIEL, EBISAWA, JUNICHI, NODA, KAZUYOSHI, TAKEDA, SATOSHI
Applicants: GLAVERBEL
Application year: 1999
Main classification: C03C17
IPC codes: B32B9, B32B17, C03C17, C23C14