Article and method of preparing pigments using multiple deposition sources
AssigneeOptical Coating Laboratory, Inc.
InventorsAlberto Argoitia, Roger W. Phillips, Ludvik Martinu, Jolanta E. Klemberg-Sapieha
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Particles are encapsulated with a layer or sequence of layers. The particles can be flakes and the layers can form an optical interference stack for use as an optically variable pigment, among other purposes. In a particular embodiment a highly reflective metal layer is deposited around a glass flake with specular surfaces. The particles can be produced using a variety of deposition systems. In a particular embodiment, a downstream plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition system achieves high deposition rates while avoiding contamination of the plasma source with deposition products.
Claims37
An optically variable pigment particle comprising:
- a substrate particle;
- a reflector layer disposed on and encapsulating the substrate particle;
- a spacer layer disposed on and encapsulating the reflector layer;
- and
- an absorber layer disposed on and encapsulating the spacer layer.
An optically variable pigment particle comprising:
- a glass flake;
- an aluminum reflector layer disposed on the glass flake;
- a silicon-containing spacer layer disposed on the reflector layer;
- and
- a titanium-containing absorber layer disposed on the silicon-containing spacer layer.
A particle comprising:
- a dielectric flake having
- a specular surface, and
- an aspect ratio of at least 4:1;
- a reflector layer disposed on at least one surface and on at least one side of the dielectric flake;
- and
- a dielectric layer disposed on and encapsulating the reflector layer.
A particle comprising:
- a glass flake having an interference thickness;
- and
- an absorber layer disposed on the glass flake.
A pigment particle comprising:
- a first absorber layer disposed on
- a first major surface of a glass flake having an interference thickness;
- and
- a second absorber layer disposed on
- a second major surface of the glass flake.
A particle comprising:
- a glass flake having a thickness between 0.07 microns and 1.2 microns;
- and
- an absorber layer surrounding the glass flake to result in the particle having a thickness less than 800 nm.
A reflective flake comprising:
- a flake substrate having a specular surface;
- and
- an aluminum layer surrounding the flake substrate.
A reflective flake comprising:
- a glass flake having
- a first specular surface and
- a second specular surface;
- and
- a reflective layer surrounding the glass flake to provide a reflectivity of at least 60%.
An optically variable pigment particle consisting of:
- a substrate particle,
- a reflector layer disposed on and encapsulating the substrate particle;
- a spacer layer disposed on and encapsulating the reflector layer;
- and
- an absorber layer disposed on and encapsulating the spacer layer.
A reflective flake consisting of:
- a flake substrate having first and second specular surfaces and a width between 5 and 200 microns;
- and
- an aluminum reflector layer encapsulating the flake substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.