Plasma induced crystallization and densification of amorphous coatings

28:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein the coating solution is a sol-gel based coating solution and is applied in a sol-gel-process.

29:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein a maximum treatment temperature does not exceed 400° C.

30:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein during an entirety of the method, the coating is exposed to a maximum temperature of at most 150° C. to 400° C. for a duration of at most 0.1 min to 90 min.

31:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein the treating the amorphous coating with the plasma treatment according to step d) forms a crystalized coating having a degree of reflection of 0.05 to 0.3 when determined according to ISO 15368:2001 under an angle of 6° in a range of 250 nm to 850 nm on a coating having a thickness of 100 nm-120 nm.

32:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein the treating the amorphous coating with the plasma treatment according to step d) forms a crystalized coating having a porosity of less than 20% when determined as a ratio between an inter-crystallite area and a total examined area in a scanning electron microscope image.

33:

• The method as recited in claim 27 further comprising one or more repetitions of steps b) to d) to form one or more further layer of further crystalized coating on the crystalized coating.

34:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein the substrate includes glass, polymers, metals, or alloys or combinations thereof.

35:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein the coating solution includes a metal or a metal oxide.

36:

• The method as recited in claim 35 wherein a precursor is decomposed by the action of the plasma treatment into the metal or metal oxide and organic components transferred into a gas phase.

37:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein the coating includes a metal or a metal oxide.

38:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein step d) forms a crystalized coating having an average crystallite size of less than 40 nm when determined on a coating having a thickness of 80 nm-120 nm via image processing an SEM image.

39:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein the plasma treatment includes creating a radio frequency plasma or a microwave plasma.

40:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein plasma of the plasma treatment is created in an atmosphere of oxygen, argon, nitrogen, air, or hydrogen either at ambient pressure or at reduced pressure.

41:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein a time of the plasma treatment is from 0.1 s to 120 min.

42:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein during the plasma treatment the substrate temperature does not exceed 400° C.

43:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein a plasma of the plasma treatment is generated via a radio frequency plasma generator with a capacitive electrode arrangement or a pulsed magnetron microwave generator.

44:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein a generator for generation of plasma of the plasma treatment is operated at a power of 0.2 kW-10 kW.

45:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein a morphology of the amorphous coating is modified regarding a state of crystallization or a state of modification or density or surface roughness.

46:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein the crystalized coating has a UV absorption of 15% to 90%.

47:

• The method as recited in claim 27 wherein applying the coating solution in step b) includes spin coating, printing, spray coating, roll coating, air knife coating, or dip coating the coating solution on the surface of the substrate.

48:

• A substrate comprising:
• an at least partially crystalline coating, wherein the coating has a porosity of less than 20% when determined as a ratio between an inter-crystallite area and a total examined area in a scanning electron microscope image.

49:

• The substrate as recited in claim 48 wherein the coating has an average crystallite size of less than 40 nm when determined on a coating having a thickness of 80 nm-120 nm.

52:

• The substrate as recited in claim 48 wherein the coating includes two or more layers.