Method of making heat treated coated article with carbon based coating and protective film

A method of making a heat treated coated article, the method comprising:

• heat treating a coated glass substrate, the coated glass substrate comprising, prior to the heat treating, a glass substrate, a layer comprising diamond-like carbon (DLC) on the glass substrate, and a protective film on the glass substrate over at least the layer comprising DLC, wherein the protective film includes (i) a release layer comprising zinc oxide which has been ion beam treated with at least oxygen ions, and (ii) and an oxygen harrier layer, the release layer and the oxygen barrier layer being of different material;
• during said heat treating of the coated glass substrate with the layer comprising DLC and the protective film thereon, the protective film prevents significant burnoff of the layer comprising DLC, and wherein the heat treating comprises heating the glass substrate to temperature(s) sufficient for thermal tempering, heat strengthening, and/or heat bending;
• and
• exposing the protective film to a release liquid and removing at least part of the protective film during and/or after said heat treating.

A coated article comprising:

• a glass substrate supporting a coating, the coating comprising moving away from the glass substrate:
• a layer comprising diamond-like carbon (DLC);
• a layer comprising zinc oxide, wherein a concentration of OH-groups at a surface of the layer comprising zinc oxide farthest from the glass substrate is no greater than about 40%;
• and
• a layer comprising aluminum nitride on the glass substrate over and directly contacting the layer comprising zinc oxide.