# US 2018/0022642 A1 · Index matching layer in optical applications

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- Number: US 2018/0022642 A1
- Document ID: US20180022642A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/595,459
- Filed: 2017-05-15
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-21
- Assignees: Honeywell International Inc.
- Applicants: Honeywell International Inc.
- Inventors: Ya Qun Liu; Hong Min Huang; Helen X. Xu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022642A1

## CPC

- C03C 17/3417: {all coatings being oxide coatings}
- C23C 28/00: Coating for obtaining at least two superposed coatings either by methods not provided for in a single one of groups C23C2/00 - C23C26/00 or by combinations of methods provided for in subclasses C23C and C25C or C25D
- C23C 28/021: {including at least one metal alloy layer}
- C23C 28/023: {only coatings of metal elements only}
- C03C 2217/732: made of a single layer
- C03C 2217/948: Layers comprising indium tin oxide [ITO]
- C03C: CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES OR VITREOUS ENAMELS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF GLASS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF FIBRES OR FILAMENTS MADE FROM GLASS, MINERALS OR SLAGS; JOINING GLASS TO GLASS OR OTHER MATERIALS
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)

## Abstract

A layered construct including: a substrate, a transparent electrically conductive layer positioned along an upper surface of the substrate, and an index-matching layer positioned adjacent the transparent electrically conductive layer that reduces the refractive index differential between the transparent electrically conductive layer and the substrate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A layered construct comprising:
a substrate;
a transparent electrically conductive layer positioned along an upper surface of the substrate; and
an index-matching layer positioned adjacent the transparent electrically conductive layer, said index-matching layer comprising:
a metal oxide layer containing titanium and having a refractive index of at least 1.5, the metal oxide layer having the structure below:
wherein each R1 is an independent hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbons, alkylene oxide, or titanium connected groups
wherein each R2 is an independent hydrogen or an alkyl group.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The layered construct of claim 1, wherein the index-matching layer further comprises a silicon oxide layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The layered construct of claim 1, wherein the substrate is glass, quartz, sapphire, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethersulphone (PES), polycarbonate (PC), polyimide (PI) or a combination thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The layered construct of claim 1, further comprising a refractive index differential between the transparent electrically conductive layer and the index-matching layer between 0 and 1.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The layered construct of claim 1, wherein the titanium connected groups has the general formula TimOxCyHz, wherein m, x, y, z is independent integer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The layered construct of claim 5, wherein the titanium connected groups include Ti(OC3H6)3 and Ti(OC4H9)3.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The layered construct of claim 1, wherein the R1 comprise C3H6 and C4H9.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The layered construct of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide layer has a refractive index from 1.5 to 2.0.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The layered construct of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide layer has a thickness between 5 to 100 nm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The layered construct of claim 1, wherein the index-matching layer is applied as a single layer.

### Claim 11

A method of forming a layered construct comprising:
providing a substrate;
applying a transparent electrically conductive layer to the substrate; and
applying an index-matching coating to the substrate;
wherein the index-matching coating is positioned adjacent the transparent electrically conductive layer, the index-matching coating comprising a metal oxide coating formed with the structure below:
wherein each R1 is an independent hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbons, alkylene oxide, or a titanium connected group, wherein the titanium connected group includes any organic or inorganic groups connected to the titanium atom;
wherein each R2 is an independent hydrogen or an alkyl group.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the index-matching coating further includes a silicon oxide coating.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the metal oxide coating and silicon oxide coating are applied alternately.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein applying the silicon oxide coating to the substrate is done by CVD, PECVD, spin coating, spray coating, and slit coating.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the substrate is glass, quartz, sapphire, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethersulphone (PES), polycarbonate (PC), polyimide (PI) or a combination thereof.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the titanium connected group has the general formula TimOxCyHz, wherein m, x, y, z is independent integer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the index-matching coating includes a metal oxide coating, wherein application of the metal oxide coating creates a refractive index differential between 0 and 1 between the metal oxide coating and the transparent electrically conductive layer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the metal oxide coating is formed by curing at a temperature of at least 50° C. to form the index-matching layer on the substrate.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the metal oxide coating is applied having a thickness between 5 nm to 100 nm and the coating has a refractive index between 1.5 and 2.0.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the index-matching coating is applied as a single metal oxide coating on the substrate.

### Claim 21 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein applying the transparent electrically conductive layer to the substrate is done by sputtering, spin coating, spray coating, and slit coating.

### Claim 22 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein applying the metal oxide coating to the substrate is done by spin coating, spray coating, and slit coating.

### Claim 23 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the index matching layers may be further selectively etched by fluorine contained chemicals.