Heat stabilized sub-stoichiometric dielectrics

A method of making an optical stack, the method comprising:

• laminating a first stabilizing layer, a sub-stoichiometric layer and a second stabilizing layer;
• and
• producing an optical stack on a transparent glass substrate comprising the substoichiometric layer sandwiched between and in direct contact with the first stabilizing layer and the second stabilizing layer, wherein
• the sub-stoichiometric layer consists of
• a sub-stoichiometric composition selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrides, and oxynitrides, where
• the sub-stoichiometric composition comprises at least one element select from the group consisting of first metal elements and semiconductor elements, and
• the sub-stoichiometric composition further comprises a sub-stoichiometric amount of at least one element selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen;
• the first stabilizing layer and the second stabilizing layer each comprises
• at least one element selected from the group consisting of second metal elements and semiconductor elements, and
• a stoichiometric amount of the at least one element selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen
• wherein the first metal elements are selected from the group consisting of Mg, Y, Ti, Zr, Nb, Ta, W, Zn, Al, In, Sn, Sb and Bi;
• and
• the semiconductor elements are selected from the group consisting of Si and Ge.

A method of making an optical stack, comprising:

• laminating a stabilizing layer and a sub-stoichiometric layer;
• and
• producing an optical stack on a transparent glass substrate comprising the sub-stoichiometric layer in direct contact with the stabilizing layer, wherein
• the sub-stoichiometric layer consists of
• a homogeneous sub-stoichiometric composition selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrides and oxynitrides, where
• the sub-stoichiometric composition comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of metal elements and semiconductor elements, and
• the sub-stoichiometric composition further comprises a sub-stoichiometric amount of at least one element selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen;
• the stabilizing layer comprises
• the at least one element selected from the group consisting of metal elements and semiconductor elements, and
• a stoichiometric amount of the at least one element selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen;
• and
• the sub-stoichiometric layer is from 10 to 100 nm thick and thicker than the stabilizing layer,
• wherein the sub-stoichiometric layer has an index of refraction, n, such that n >2.3.

A method of making an optical stack, comprising:

• laminating a stabilizing layer and a sub-stoichiometric layer;
• and
• producing an optical stack on a transparent glass substrate comprising the sub-stoichiometric layer in direct contact with the stabilizing layer, wherein
• the sub-stoichiometric layer consists of
• a homogeneous sub-stoichiometric composition selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrides and oxynitrides, where
• the sub-stoichiometric composition comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of metal elements and semiconductor elements, and
• the sub-stoichiometric composition further comprises a sub-stoichiometric amount of at least one element selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen;
• the stabilizing layer comprises
• the at least one element selected from the group consisting of metal elements and semiconductor elements, and
• a stoichiometric amount of the at least one element selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen;
• and
• the sub-stoichiometric layer is from 10 to 100 nm thick and thicker than the stabilizing layer,
• wherein the sub-stoichiometric layer has an extinction coefficient, k, such that 0.03<k <015.

A method of making an optical stack, comprising:

• laminating a stabilizing layer and a sub-stoichiometric layer;
• and
• producing an optical stack on a transparent glass substrate comprising the sub-stoichiometric layer in direct contact with the stabilizing layer, wherein
• the sub-stoichiometric layer consists of
• a homogeneous sub-stoichiometric composition selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrides and oxynitrides, where
• the sub-stoichiometric composition comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of metal elements and semiconductor elements, and
• the sub-stoichiometric composition further comprises a sub-stoichiometric amount of at least one element selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen;
• the stabilizing layer comprises
• the at least one element selected from the group consisting of metal elements and semiconductor elements, and
• a stoichiometric amount of the at least one element selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen;
• and
• the sub-stoichiometric layer is from 10 to 100 nm thick and thicker than the stabilizing layer,
• wherein the optical stack further comprises a metal layer;
• and
• the sub-stoichiometric layer and the stabilizing layer are between the transparent glass substrate and the metal layer.

A method of making an optical stack, comprising:

• laminating a stabilizing layer and a sub-stoichiometric layer;
• and
• producing an optical stack on a transparent glass substrate comprising the sub-stoichiometric layer in direct contact with the stabilizing layer, wherein
• the sub-stoichiometric layer consists of
• a homogeneous sub-stoichiometric composition selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrides and oxynitrides, where
• the sub-stoichiometric composition comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of metal elements and semiconductor elements, and
• the sub-stoichiometric composition further comprises a sub-stoichiometric amount of at least one element selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen;
• the stabilizing layer comprises
• the at least one element selected from the group consisting of metal elements and semiconductor elements, and
• a stoichiometric amount of the at least one element selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen;
• and
• the sub-stoichiometric layer is from 10 to 100 nm thick and thicker than the stabilizing layer,
• tempering the optical stack on the transparent substrate;
• and
• wherein a glass side reflection tempering color shift of the optical stack on the transparent glass substrate is 3.0 or less.

A method of making an optical stack, comprising:

• laminating a stabilizing layer and a sub-stoichiometric layer;
• and
• producing an optical stack on a transparent glass substrate comprising the sub-stoichiometric layer in direct contact with the stabilizing layer, wherein
• the sub-stoichiometric layer consists of
• a homogeneous sub-stoichiometric composition selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrides and oxynitrides, where
• the sub-stoichiometric composition comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of metal elements and semiconductor elements, and
• the sub-stoichiometric composition further comprises a sub-stoichiometric amount of at least one element selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen;
• the stabilizing layer comprises
• the at least one element selected from the group consisting of metal elements and semiconductor elements, and
• a stoichiometric amount of the at least one element selected from the group consisting of oxygen and nitrogen;
• and
• the sub-stoichiometric layer is from 10 to 100 nm thick and thicker than the stabilizing layer,
• tempering the optical stack on the transparent substrate;
• and
• wherein an optical stack side reflection tempering color shift of the optical stack on the transparent glass substrate is 3.7 or less.

A method of making an optical stack, comprising:

• providing an optical stack comprising a transmission control layer selected from the group consisting of NiCrOx , NiOx CrOx CuOxand FeOx;
• selecting a thickness of the transmission control layer is from 2 to 20 nm
• so that during tempering of the optical stack an absolute change in transmission of the optical stack is 1.00% or less, and
• tempering the optical stack, and wherein the method of selecting a thickness of an optical stack further comprises:
• providing a plurality of optical stacks having two or more silver layers in which the thickness of the transmission control layer varies;
• determining a change in transmission through each of said plurality of optical coatings before and after tempering;
• estimating a zero transmission change thickness of the transmission control layer above which the change in transmission is positive and below which the change in transmission is negative, and
• selecting the thickness of the transmission control layer after determining the zero transmission change thickness.