Patent Application
20200333593
The present disclosure generally relates to coatings for transparent articles such as a glass substrate for use with head-up display technologies. Among other things, the disclosed coatings have improved anti-reflective functionality, based on nano-structured thin film.
Head-up displays (HUD) are used in vehicles to project an image so that a driver may see the image without averting their eyes from the windshield in front of them. HUD displays typically include a projector and reflect a projected image off of the windshield to create an image for the driver. The windshield, however, has two reflective surfaces and multiple images may be formed by a single projector. A weaker ghost image may be formed, creating a hazy projected image.
Wedge shaped polymer interlayers have been used to address this problem by aligning the two images so that there is a single image to the driver. However, the wedge shape is not adjustable, and the images are aligned only for drivers of a particular height. There is a need in the art for a widely applicable solution for HUD displays. Particularly, there is a need for drivers of any height to see an image and for the ability to use multiple projectors to create a more complex display.
Automotive glass windows, particularly windshields, are subject to physical and chemical elements. Thus, exposed surfaces must exhibit durability to withstand such elements. Coatings for automotive uses must also provide required light transmission. Existing coatings do not provide durability when exposed to these elements.
The following disclosure is based, in part, on certain coating technology published by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in the non-patent literature, Aytug, T. et al., Journal of Materials Chemistry C, Vol. 3, No. 21, pp. 5440-5449 (2015), incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. This publication generally discloses a nano-structured coating comprising an interconnected network of nanoscale pores surrounded by silica glass framework, created through metastable spinodal phase separation. Among other things, the literature also disclosed: “low-refractive index antireflective glass films that embody omni-directional optical properties over a wide range of wavelengths, while also possessing specific wetting capabilities.” The surface microstructures may have a graded reflective index, providing antireflective characteristics, suppressing surface reflection. The surface chemistry may be adjusted to provide self-cleaning qualities and provide resistance to mechanical wear and abrasion.
Disclosed herein are embodiments including a method of manufacturing a vehicle windshield for a head-up display (HUD) system, the method comprising forming a coating on a supporting substrate, heating the coating and the supporting substrate at a determined temperature for a period of time to both heat treat the supporting substrate and cause phase separation in the coating, wherein heat treating the supporting substrate comprises at least one of bending the supporting substrate or tempering the supporting substrate, and etching the coating.
In certain embodiments, heal treating the supporting substrate may comprise bending the supporting substrate. In further embodiments, heat treating the supporting substrate may comprise tempering the supporting substrate, wherein phase separation of the coating occurs while the supporting substrate and the coating are heated, and then the supporting substrate and coating are cooled to temper the supporting substrate.
In further embodiments of the method, the coating may have an anti-reflective functionality and the coating may comprise nano-pores within the coating after etching. The coating may include a particle size of less than or equal to 400 nm. In certain embodiments, the etching may comprise determining an etching depth to control particle sizes of a nano-structured surface of the coating.
In certain embodiments, heating the coating and the supporting substrate may comprise exposing the coating and the supporting substrate to heat from 560° C. to 700° C. and holding the coating and the supporting substrate at a peak temperature from 10 to 15 minutes. In some embodiments, the coating and the supporting substrate may be heated at 700° C. for at least 10 minutes. Etching the coating may provide a nano-structured coating that has a base at the supporting substrate and a surface opposite the base, wherein the nano-structured coating comprises nano-pores which decrease in size from the surface towards the base of the nano-structured coating.
In further embodiments, etching may comprise partially etching the precursor coating with a first etchant, removing the first etchant, further etching the precursor coating with a second etchant, and removing the second etchant, wherein the second etchant is weaker than the first etchant.
In some embodiments, the precursor coating may be applied by physical vapor deposition onto the supporting substrate, wherein the supporting substrate is flat.
In certain embodiments, the supporting substrate may comprise soda-lime-silica glass.
In further embodiments, the phase separation may comprise spinodal decomposition.
Disclosed herein is a vehicle windshield for a head-up display (HUD) system, comprising a first glass substrate having surfaces S1 and S2, wherein S1 faces a vehicle exterior, and a second glass substrate having surfaces S3 and S4, wherein S4 faces a vehicle interior, wherein the first and second glass substrates are substantially parallel and spaced apart from each other with at least one polymer interlayer therebetween, and a first nano-structured coating on at least one of S1 or S4, wherein the first nano-structured coating has a particle size of less than or equal to 400 nm and the first nano-structured coating is from 50 nm to 1 μm thick, wherein the vehicle windshield has a visible light transmittance of at least 70%.
In certain embodiments, the first nano-structured coating may be on S1. The windshield may further comprise a second nano-structured coating on S4, wherein the second nano-structured coating has a particle size of less than or equal to 400 nm, and a reflective coating between S4 and the second nano-structured coating.
In further embodiments, the polymer interlayer may have a substantially uniform thickness.
The first nano-structured coating may comprise nano-pores within the first nano-structured coating, wherein the nano-pores increase in size through the first nano-structured coating from the first glass substrate to a first coating surface opposite the first glass substrate. In further embodiments, the second nano-structured coating comprises nano-pores within the second nano-structured coating, wherein the nano-pores increase in size through the second nano-structured coating from the second glass substrate to a second coating surface opposite the first glass substrate.
In certain embodiments, the first nano-structured coating may reduce a reflection of light from the first glass substrate or the second glass substrate to less than 1%.
The windshield may further comprise a water repellent coating on the first nano-structured coating, wherein the first nano-structured coating with the water repellent coating has a water droplet contact angle greater than 150°. The contact angle for the first nano-structured coating is at least 150° after aluminum oxide is applied thereto at a rate of 5 gram/minute for 8 minutes at 40 km/hr.
In certain embodiments, there may be a water repellent coating on the second nano-structured coating, wherein the second nano-structured with the water repellent coating may have a water droplet contact angle greater than 150°. The contact angle for the second nano-structured coating is at least 150° after aluminum oxide is applied thereto at a rate of 5 gram/minute for 8 minutes at 40 km/hr.
In further embodiments, the second nano-structured coating over the reflective coating may be configured to achieve a selected reflectivity on the second glass substrate having the reflective coating such that an intensity aspect ratio between an image reflected off the second glass substrate having the reflective coating and a ghost image reflected off the first glass substrate is greater than 10:1.
In certain embodiments, the first nano-structured coating may comprise silica-rich structures and sodium-borate-rich portions. Further, the windshield may include an undercoating comprising a passivation layer between the first nano-structured coating and the first glass substrate or the second glass substrate.
In further embodiments, the first and second glass substrates may comprise soda-lime-silica glass.
In some embodiments, the first nano-structured coating may be silica-based and may be physically vapor deposited onto the glass product.
Disclosed herein is a head-up display (HUD) system of a vehicle, comprising an image source configured to direct light rays corresponding to an image to be formed on a windshield of the vehicle, the windshield of the vehicle comprising a first glass substrate having surfaces S1 and S2, wherein S1 faces a vehicle exterior and a second glass substrate having surfaces S3 and S4, wherein S4 faces a vehicle interior, wherein the first and second glass substrates are substantially parallel and spaced apart from each other with at least one polymer interlayer therebetween, and a first nano-structured coating on at least one of S1 and S4, wherein the first nano-structured coating has a particle size of less than or equal to 400 nm and the first nano-structured coating is from 50 nm to 1 μm thick, wherein the windshield has a visible light transmittance of at least 70%. In certain embodiments, the first nano-structured coating is on S1.
Further embodiments include a second nano-structured coating on S4, wherein the second nano-structured coating may have a particle size of less than or equal to 400 nm, and an reflective coating between S4 and the second nano-structured coating.
In certain embodiments, the polymer interlayer may have a substantially uniform thickness.
In further embodiments, the first nano-structured coating may comprise nano-pores within the first nano-structured coating, wherein the nano-pores may increase in size through the first nano-structured coating from the first glass substrate to a first coating surface opposite the first glass substrate. In certain embodiments, the second nano-structured coating may comprise nano-pores within the second nano-structured coating, wherein the nano-pores increase in size through the second nano-structured coating from the second glass substrate to a second coating surface opposite the second glass substrate.
The first nano-structured coating may reduce reflection of light from the first glass substrate or the second glass substrate to less than 1%.
In further embodiments, the second nano-structured coating over the reflective coating may be configured to achieve a selected reflectivity on the second glass substrate having the reflective coating such that an intensity aspect ratio between an image reflected off the second glass substrate having the reflective coating and a ghost image reflected off the first glass substrate is greater than 10:1. Further, the windshield may include an undercoating comprising SiO2 between the first nano-structured coating and the first glass substrate or the second glass substrate.
Further disclosed herein is a vehicle windshield for a head-up display (HUD) system, comprising a first glass substrate having surfaces S1 and S2, wherein S1 faces a vehicle exterior, a second glass substrate having surfaces S3 and S4, wherein S4 faces a vehicle interior, wherein the first and second glass substrates are substantially parallel and spaced apart from each other with at least one polymer interlayer therebetween, and a first nano-structured coating on at least one of S1 or S4, wherein the surface with the first nano-structured coating has a reflectivity of 1% or less from wavelengths 380 nm to 750 nm, wherein the reflectivity at an angle from −40° to 40° is within 1% of reflection at 0°, wherein the first nano-structured coating is substantially a single layer.
Disclosed herein is a head-up display system of a vehicle comprising an image source configured to direct light rays corresponding to an image to be formed on the vehicle windshield according to the aforementioned HUD system, wherein the image is projected in the field from −40° to 40° from a driver's or passenger's eyes.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more example aspects of the present disclosure and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain their principles and implementations.
Disclosed herein are exemplary aspects of an improved anti-reflective functional coating for automotive glazing. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, specific details are set forth in order to promote a thorough understanding of one or more aspects of the disclosure. It may be evident in some or all instances, however, that many aspects described below can be practiced without adopting the specific design details described below.
The development of the technology for utilization of a nano-structured coating may enhance one over the other properties such as hydrophobicity and/or mechanical durability, while only some of the properties needed to support the following exemplary embodiments will be used. For example, the description of the anti-reflective coating may be limited to the necessary anti-reflective features of the nano-structured coating. However, it should be recognized that the description of the disclosure may include other properties that do not depart from the spirit of the disclosure.
Embodiments disclosed herein may be used in any automotive glazing, including without limitation, windshields, backlites, sidelites, sunroofs, and other appropriate automotive glass surfaces. Herein, the term “nano-structured” may include structures having nano-sized physical features. This may include nano-sized porous structures formed in a coating material.
As used herein, the term “S1” may refer to the exterior glass substrate surface in an automotive application. The term “S4” may refer to the interior glass substrate surface of a laminated automotive glass product. “S2” may be a glass substrate surface opposite S1 and “S3” may be a glass substrate surface opposite S4. In a laminated glass product, S2 and S3 may be a part of the laminate interior. S2 may be an interior glass substrate surface in automotive constructions using a single glass sheet, including a tempered glass sheet.
Referring to
A polymer interlayer 6, which may include polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or any other suitable polymer-based laminating material, including ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), may be provided to laminate glass substrates 4 and 8 to one another. In a laminating process, which may typically involve autoclaving, the two glass substrates 4 and 8 with the polymer interlayer 6 therebetween may be heated to at least one selected laminating temperature under at least one selected laminating pressure (for example, without limitation, 110-160 deg. C. and 10-15 bar) to laminate the glass substrates 4, 8 to one another and form the vehicle windshield 2 or another laminated window product such as a sunroof or backlite. The first and second parallel, spaced apart glass substrates 4 and 8 may sandwich the polymer-inclusive interlayer 6, which may be substantially uniform in thickness, in the assembled windshield 2.
Many windshields 2 may include functional interlayers or coatings such as an infrared reflecting (IRR) coating or Low-emissivity (Low-E) coating. IRR coating may include, without limitation, metallic silver layer. For example, as shown in
Recently, automotive windshields 2 designed for use with head-up displays (HUD) are becoming more and more prevalent. It is known that a HUD system may be used to provide transparent displays that present data without requiring a driver of a vehicle to look away from a usual field of view (e.g., a virtual image). More specifically, as shown in
As shown in
To eliminate this ghosting effect (double-image effect), as shown in
Thus, conventional wedge-based HUD systems may only be efficient to accommodate a small eye box of a driver, a virtual image may only be visible to the driver, very precise surface control for surfaces S1 and S4 and wedge angle a may be required, only one focal point and one projector may be possible per wedge angle a for a driver, and wedged windshields 2 may have a high production cost. Therefore, there is a need in the art for larger HUD images, multiple images per windshield 2, use of multiple projectors, preferably with different focal points, virtual and real images, and visibility for both a driver and passengers. Among other features, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, a nano-structured coating with an improved anti-reflective (AR) functionality and a glazing construction of the improved AR functionality for HUD on a vehicle windshield 2 may meet these needs in the art.
An anti-reflective coating 10 may reduce reflection by changing the optics of a glass substrate 4, 8 to present an effective reflective index of 1.0 at the substrate-air interface. A particular reflective index may be achieved by various methods, including incorporation of a multilayer interference filter or inclusion of a graded index of refraction. For the former approach, to create anti-reflective structures, multilayer interference coatings may be designed to create destructive interference between the reflected waves from different surfaces. Effective coatings may provide reflected waves that are 180° out of phase and the intensity of the reflected waves may be equal to that of the prior reflection wave. For the latter approach, graded index anti-reflective coatings may be configured to present a gradual change of an index of refraction to the incident field. If the index change is comparable to the wavelength of light over a distance, Fresnel reflection may be squelched. For example, a graded index of refraction may be formed by a porous film having a decreasing density of pores through a coating thickness or by a surface having cone shaped or pointed pillars or columns through a coating material, thereby grading the index of refraction. The density of pores may decrease through the coating thickness by providing relatively smaller pores at a base of the coating and larger pores at a surface of the coating opposite the base. Where pillars or columns may be formed in the coating, the spacing between pillars or columns may be less than the wavelength of visible light (400 nm) and the pillar or column height may also be less than the wavelength of visible light. Among other features, the present disclosure provides an improved AR functional coating 10 based, at least in part, on a nano-structured coating.
Moreover, the improved AR functional coating 10 of the present disclosure may facilitate a next generation HUD that may be configured to enhance multiple virtual images, avoid wedge construction weakness, gain advantage over p-polarized design, provide ghost-free pictures on complete glass surface, provide possible combination of virtual and real images, and display information at various intuitive focal points. In addition to vehicle windshield 2, the improved AR functional coating 10 may be applied to sunroof, back window (backlite), side door window (sidelite), or other appropriate glass portions of a vehicle.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, by utilizing a nano-structured coating 10 with optimized and improved AR function on S1, as shown in
In some embodiments, the fabrication of the disclosed nano-structured coating 10 may begin with the deposition of a coating that may spinodally (i.e., non-nucleation, continuous phase separation) decompose when properly thermally processed. Specifically, the glass coating may be a composition of 66% SiO2, 26% B2O3, and 8% Na2O. Following film deposition by physical vapor deposition (PVD), which may include, without limitation, magnetron sputter coating, or chemical vapor deposition onto a transparent substrate platform 4, 8, a subsequent heat treatment may render the glass coating phase separated into an interpenetrating pattern including, e.g., sodium-borate-rich and a silica-rich phases, the former being relatively more soluble by a variety of chemicals. Sputter coating may be done in the presence of Ar and O2 in a ratio of 3:1 and the transparent substrate 4, 8 may include soda lime glass. In certain embodiments, a glass composition may be, without limitation, a soda-lime-silica glass, which may be defined by ISO 16293-1:2008. The heat treatment may cause phase separation in the coating and heat treat the underlying substrate at the same time. The substrate 4, 8 may include a glass sheet which may be tempered or bent for a particular application. The tempering or bending process may require the glass substrate 4, 8 be heated. The heating may reach temperatures of at least 500 deg. C., and more preferably at least about 600 deg. C. Glass bending preferably occurs at temperatures from 560 deg. C. to 700 deg. C., more preferably from 600 deg. C. to about 660 deg. C. The glass substrate 4, 8 may be preferably held at such temperatures for 10 to 15 minutes. The coated substrate 4, 8 may be cooled after heat treatment.
After cooling the nano-structured coating 10, 62 and the substrate 4, 8, a controlled level of differential etching may be employed to selectively dissolve the sodium-borate-rich phase, leaving behind a three-dimensional reticulated network of high-silica content glass phase. Since the spinodal phase separation is a kinetically driven, diffusion-controlled process, for a given glass composition, the structure and dimensions of the resultant phases and matrix microstructure may be controlled by the heat treatment temperature and duration, combined with certain etch conditions (i.e., etchant type, concentration, and etch duration). Nano-sized pores formed by etching may preferably be less than 400 nm, more preferably less than 100 nm.
Chemical etching with a suitable etchant may dissolve the sodium-borate-rich phases, leaving interconnected silica-rich-phases. Any suitable etching chemical may be used, and include, without limitation, hydrogen fluoride buffered solutions, hydrochloric acid solutions, oxide solutions or sulfate solutions. The etched coating 10 may have a gradient pore size therethrough, having relatively larger pores at a surface level and smaller pores towards an underlying substrate 4, 8. The differential etching process may be chosen to provide a differential pore size within the coating 10. For example, in certain embodiments, a strong starting etching chemical, buffered oxide etchant, may be applied to the phase separated glass coating. The acid may be washed away to clear sodium-borate-rich phase from the coating prior to etching the entire thickness of the coating. The desired depth may depend on the total coating thickness and the desired steps of a gradient index of refraction. A further buffered solution of the strong etchant may then be applied to the partially etched coating for further etching. The further buffered solution may not be as reactive as the initial etchant and may not react as quickly with the sodium-borate-rich phase. The etching process may be repeated with a desired number of buffered solutions to create a gradient index of refraction. The weaker etchants may be removed before etching is complete and sodium-borate-rich phases may remain in the coating 10, particularly closer to an underlying substrate 4, 8 where smaller pores may be formed. A passivation layer, which may include SiO2 TiO2 or ZrO2, without limitation, may be applied between the underlying substrate 4, 8 and the nano-structured coating 10 to protect the substrate 4, 8 from residual sodium-borate-rich phases. The passivation layer may be 5-300 nm thick.
The nano-structured anti-reflective coating 10, having undergone differential etching, may have a porous structure, wherein interconnected pores may increase in size towards an underlying substrate 4, 8 and reduce reflectivity by up to 90% over the underlying substrate 4, 8. Soda-lime-silica glass may have a reflectivity of about 4% and the nano-structured anti-reflective coating 10 may provide 0.4% reflectivity on each coated surface. In a glass construct having the coated surface on both S1 and S4, the total reflectivity may become 0.6%. The reflectance may be determined by ISO 9050:2003. Particularly, a UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer with a tungsten lamp may be used for determining reflectivity. The reflection may be reduced for both direct and incident light. For instance, the antireflective coating may provide reflection at an angle ranging from −40° to 40° within 1% of reflection at 0°. The decreased reflectivity at an angle may allow for improved HUD application. The angle of reduced reflection may be suitable for projecting a HUD image. Thus, a HUD image may be projected from one or multiple projectors to a windshield 2 over a surface −40° to 40° from a driver's or passenger's eyes.
The coating 10 may be a suitable thickness to provide a gradient index of refraction with voids that may decrease in size from a surface to a base, wherein the base layer may be at an underlying substrate 4, 8, wherein the base may be opposite the coating surface. In one aspect, the coating thickness may be equal to or less than 1 μm, more preferably equal to or less than 400 nm. In another aspect, the coating thickness may be preferably at least 50 nm, more preferably at least 100 nm. The silica-based glass coating sputter coated onto a glass substrate 4, 8 may create a strong bond to the substrate 4, 8. Further, the nano-structured coating structures may be less than 400 nm and remain transparent, even at thicknesses above 400 nm. Thus, thick coatings may be possible without interfering with visible light transmission through an underlying substrate 4, 8, which may provide improved durability over existing coatings. The thick coating 10 may have a sponge-like structure of interconnected nano-structures which further may increase durability and resistance to impact of hard and sharp objects, such as stone or sand. The sponge-like nano-structure may absorb energy from the impact, protecting the underlying substrate 4, 8. The interconnected structure may not cleave off or easily break away from itself. Thus, the coating 10 may remain intact over the substrate 4, 8 even when exposing to various physical or chemical elements. Further, the porous structure of the nano-structured coating 10 may remain intact through subsequent heating, including autoclaving typical for glass constructions.
According to aspects of the present disclosure, a durable superhydrophobic coaling may be applied to the nano-structured coating 10 to provide a water droplet contact angle greater than 150 degrees. Known water repellent functional liquids, such as fluoroalkyl silane compounds, perfluoropolyether silane compounds, alkyl silane compounds, silazane compounds, and silicone compounds, and coating processes such as dip coating, spin coating, spray coating, and nozzle flow coating followed by drying or firing processes may be used for a water repellent coating. The water droplet contact angle may be measured using an optical tensiometer and a 5 μl water droplet on a coated glass substrate 4, 8. The coated surface may remain superhydrophobic (contact angle≥150 degrees) after abrasion treatment with aluminum oxide applied at a rate of 5 gram/minute for 2 minutes at 40 km/hr. Preferably, the contact angle may remain above 150 degrees after 8 minutes of such treatment. Thus, the coating 10 may be durable and suitable for application to S1 or S4.
Generally, in a HUD system, the reflection 38 from S1 may be about 50% weaker than the reflection 24 from S4 due to light transmission of close to 70% in a windshield 2, setting an intensity aspect ratio of roughly 2:1. The reflection from S1 may pass through the windshield 2 and weaken in intensity due to the reduced transmission therethrough before 34 and after 36 reflection from S1.
In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, the improved nano-structured coating having AR functionality 10 may be on S1, as the S4 reflection 24 may be brighter than the S1 reflection 38 by approximately 50%. In order to function efficiently for eliminating ghost images, the intensity aspect ratio between the S4 image reflection 24 and the S1 ghost reflection 38 may be maximized. Referring to
Where reflectivity in the visible light range is 0.8% on S1, a ghost image A2 may have an intensity of about 0.4% compared to 4% reflectivity on S4, yielding an intensity aspect ratio of 10:1. The image reflection A1 from S4 may be at least 10 times brighter than the ghost image A2. The intensity aspect ratio is shown in relation to S1 reflectivity in
Referring to
IRR technologies utilized in architectural, automotive and other products may be achieved primarily through two methods of depositing coatings on glass surfaces: physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Thin film IRR coating stacks may include at least one metallic silver functional layer. Such IRR coating stacks may include a durable top coat layer which may provide protection against mechanical and chemical exposures during the manufacturing process to the final product.
Typical materials for protective top coats may include ZrSiAlNx, TiOx, SiOx, InOx, SiAlOx, ZnSnOx, SiAlOxNy and others. Such top coat layers may be used during the manufacturing process and may not be designed to provide permanent mechanical and chemical resistance against environmental influences. Thus, IRR coating stacks may be placed on S2 or S3 in a complex, expensive glass construction which may protect the IRR coating. To increase the brightness of a reflected image for HUD, the IRR coating 12 may be more efficient on an S1 or S4 surface where a reflection may be created, particularly on S4, where the reflection may not be diminished by passing through the glass glazing. However, a durable top coat 62 may be necessary to protect the IRR coating 12 on an outside surface of a glass glazing.
The nano-structured coating disclosed herein may provide a protective coating design in which very durable and thick nano-structured coating 62 may be suitable as a top coat for an IRR stack 12. The nano-particle size of the nano-structured coating 62 may be preferably less than 400 nm, such that the glass construction including such a coating may have a total visible light transmission of at least 70%.
One of the advantages of the present disclosure may include that a thick nano-structured top coat layer 62 may be possible due to its AR features, as the top coat 62 may not absorb as much light as a typical top coat in the same layer thickness. Another advantage of the present disclosure may include that the AR property of the nano-structured coating 62 may increase light transmission which may be used by the IRR coating 12 for reflection in the desired wavelengths. Yet another advantage of the present disclosure may include that a nano-structured top coat layer 62 may be sufficiently durable to place the IRR coating 12 on S4, as shown in
While highly AR coatings on both S1 and S4 may eliminate any image reflection and prevent an effective HUD system, the IRR coating 12 on S4 may be optimized to reflect not only IR frequencies but also an increased amount of visible light. The increased light transmittance due to the anti-reflective coatings 10, 62 may provide more transmittance to provide a stronger IRR coating 12 and still provide 70% total visible transmittance in the glass glazing.
Commercial IRR coatings in automotive feature a visible reflectance of about 9-11%, including approximately 4% reflectance of the glass surfaces S1 and S4. As the AR coating 10, 62 may reduce the reflectance on S1 and S4 significantly, an IRR coating may be needed to provide the visible light reflectance and an image A1 for the driver in a HUD system. Where the IRR coating 12 may increase reflectance in the visible wavelengths by up to 8%, a total visible reflectance of about 13-15% may be yielded. This reflectance may be an improvement above an uncoated S4 surface and may provide an improved image A1, even having an anti-reflective coating. This coating may be applied across the whole windshield surface, or only partially, in areas used for HUD image reflection.
Through the increased reflectivity on S4, the intensity aspect ratio of reflected image A1 to ghost image A2 may further be increased and optimized as shown in
For example, where reflectivity in the visible light range may be 0.2% on S1 and 13% on S4, ghost image A2 may have an intensity of about 0.1% versus 12% reflectivity of the primary image A1, yielding an intensity aspect ratio of 120:1. The image reflection A1 may be at least 120 times brighter than the ghost image A2. The reflectivity of the primary image A1 may be reduced a small amount by the nano-structured top coat 62 and may thus be reduced from 13% to 12% in the above example. The nano-structured top coat 62 may not require optimized anti-reflectivity and may be a different structure from the nano-structured anti-reflectivity coating 10. The top coat 62 may not have a gradient of pore size or a gradient of refractive index which may increase the reflectivity over a gradient top coat 10.
Turning to
The nano-structured coating 10, 62 disclosed herein may be adjusted for desired applications by altering the concentration and mix of glass types used, the duration and temperature during phase separation, and the etching depth. The coating material may be typically a composition comprising x % SiO2, y % B2O3, and z % R2O. Wherein R may be an alkali metal element such as Li (lithium), Na (sodium) or K (potassium). In certain embodiments, the alkali metal may preferably be Na. Wherein the sum of x, y, and z may be at least 95, preferably at least 99, and more preferably at least 99.5. Preferably, x may range from 60 to 70, y may range from 20 to 30 and z may range from 5 to 12. More preferably, x may range from 64 to 68, y may range from 24 to 28, and z may range from 6 to 10.
Optimizing the above process parameters to yield the exactly desired properties may be difficult in a monolithic coating design, such as in previous nano-structured coatings. For example, optimal AR properties may require a theoretically seamless transition from the surrounding element's refractive index (typically air) to the substrate's refractive index (typically soda lime glass). In a monolayer construction having uniform etching, only the phase separation and the depth of etching may define this transition which may lead to steps in refractive index too large to optimize the AR properties to the desired level. In another example, the coating's phase separation may occur during the heating cycle of a typical glass bending and/or stress setting (i.e., annealing or heat strengthening) process. Process requirements, including duration and temperature, for bending or stress setting may not overlap with requirements for phase separation, leading to a potentially incompatible set of process requirements.
In accordance with aspects of the disclosure, as shown in
Where the coating 10, 62 may be chemically etched, the acid type and concentration, as well as the duration of the etching process, may affect the etched coating. A stronger acid or concentration may provide a larger pore or column size where a weaker acid may provide a smaller opening within coating material. Combinations of various acids may be used to chemically etch the coating material. A strong acid may be used on a coating and removed prior to etching the complete coating. A weaker acid may then be applied which may pass through pores created in the coating and may etch smaller pores in coating material closer to the glass substrate 4, 8. Materials used to etch the coating material may include, without limitation, hydrogen fluoride buffered solutions, hydrochloric acid solutions or sulfate solutions.
Another method to provide gradual changes in nano-structure size may include the utilization of multiple layers made up of different percentages of SiO2, B2O3 and Na2O. Different levels of phase separation may be achieved throughout varying coating compositions that may be exposed to a set temperature (e.g., >500° C.) for a determined time for phase separation. Preferably, the percentage of SiO2 may decrease from the first to the last deposited layer while B2O3 and Na2O percentages may increase, where the first layer deposited may be the closest to the substrate 4, 8. The layers may be produced in-line in a suitable coating process, i.e., in a sputter coater. For example, a glass substrate 4, 8 with a precursor coating (i.e., before phase-separation) may be heat-treated at approximately 560-700° C. for about 10 minutes (e.g., the time and duration required for bending. tempering or heat-strengthening) to create a varying porosity through the layer stack after etching. More Si-rich phases may be the closest to the glass substrate 4, 8 and larger pores, where the sodium borate phase that may have been etched away may be located toward the top layer. Such heat-treatment may accomplish glass bending and phase-separation in the coating 10, 62 at the same time. It should be appreciated that the glass bending/tempering process may be configured based on: the specific thickness of the glass substrate 4, 8, where the bending process takes place (out-of-furnace or in-furnace), where the glass cooling process takes place, whether the final product is laminated glass or tempered glass, and transportation conditions. The etching depth may further control pore or column sizes and anti-reflective properties. At certain heat treatment temperatures and durations, various glass compositions (e.g., different concentrations and/or mixes of glass types used) may be used during a glass bending process to achieve different features. For example, such bending process may be configured to hold the glass substrate 4, 8 at a selected peak temperature for, e.g., 10-15 minutes depending on specific manufacturing process.
The present disclosure further discloses another manufacturing method wherein multiple layers may not be produced in-line by a coater. The coating stack may be partially coated (1 or more layers with different glass concentrations), then heated to initiate phase separation and etched. After this first cycle, the process may be repeated with 1 or more additional layers coated onto the previously phase-separated and etched coating stack, the stack may be heat-treated again to initiate phase separation in the second coating stack and etched again. This process may be repeated multiple times in order to create a final coating with properties that may surpass a monolayer stack for anti-reflective (and/or other) properties.
Optionally, after the etching process, hydrophobic materials may be applied to a nano-structured coating 10, 62 surface. For example, without limitation, fluorine components, perfluoro polyether components, silicone, alkyl components, fluoroalkyl components, or silane coupling agents including self-assembled monolayer (SAM) may be applicable to the nano-structured coating 10, 62 to provide a hydrophobic surface.
In an exemplary embodiment, a glass composite of 66% SiO2, 26% B2O3, and 8% Na2O may be magnetron sputter coated onto a flat glass substrate 4 that is soda-lime-silica glass, in a layer 350 nm thick. A SiO2passivation layer may be on the flat glass substrate 4 prior to sputter coating the glass composite. The coated, flat glass substrate 4 may be then heated to 620 deg. C. The heating process may include gradually increasing and gradually decreasing temperature. The glass substrate 4 and coating may be heated at least 400 deg. C. for 14.8 minutes, at least 500 deg. C. for 10.85 minutes, and at least 600 deg. C. for 6.7 minutes. The glass substrate 4 may reach a maximum temperature of 659.5 deg. C. The process may take place in a furnace, which may include gravity sage bending, press bending, or combinations thereof, and includes bending the glass substrate 4 and coating. During the heating process, the coating phase may separate into silica-rich phases and sodium-borate-rich phases. Once the bent glass substrate 4 cools, the coating may be etched to remove the sodium-borate-rich phase from the coating.
Etching may be completed by applying a 10:1 buffered oxide etchant, including hydrogen fluoride and ammonium fluoride with deionized water, and removing the etchant after wet application for 20 seconds. A 20:1 buffered oxide etch may then be applied to the coating and removed after 20 seconds. Finally, a 30:1 buffered oxide etch may be applied to the coating and removed after 20 seconds. The etched coating 10 has a nano-structured surface, including pores sized under 400 nm. The soda-lime-silica glass surface with the nano-structured coating may have a reflectivity of 0.4%. The reflectivity may remain under 1.4% measured at angles ranging from −40 degrees to 40 degrees.
Once the coating 10 is etched, a water repellent coating, 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltrichlorosilane hexane solution, may be applied to the nano-structured coating 10. A water droplet contact angle, measured using an optical tensiometer and a 5 μl water droplet on a coated glass substrate 4, may be measured at 156 degrees. After aluminum oxide may be applied at 40 km/hr at 5 gram/minute for 8 minutes, the contact angle may be 155 degrees.
To prepare the inner glass surface 8 having an IRR coating 12, the IRR coating 12 may be sputter coated onto the glass substrate 8 prior to sputter coating a SiO2 glass over the IRR coating 12. The glass composite may then be applied and treated as described herein for the outer glass substrate 4. In the case of a coating on S4 over the IRR coating 12, the coating 62 may be etched by a single buffered solution (30:1 buffered oxide etch) for 1 minute for a 350 nm coating.
The glass substrates 4, 8, having etched coatings 10, may then be laminated together with a PVB interlayer. The resulting laminate may be installed as a windshield and used with at least one projector to provide an image on the windshield. The improved angle of anti-reflectivity may improve HUD images in front of the driver and at an angle from the driver, increasing the area of the windshield that may be utilized by one or more projectors.
The above description of the disclosure is provided to enable a person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the common principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Further, the above description in connection with the drawings describes examples and does not represent the only examples that may be implemented or that are within the scope of the claims.
Furthermore, although elements of the described aspects and/or embodiments may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated. Additionally, all or a portion of any aspect and/or embodiment may be utilized with all or a portion of any other aspect and/or embodiment, unless stated otherwise. Thus, the disclosure is not to be limited to the examples and designs described herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/570,490 filed on Oct. 10, 2017, entitled “Head-Up Display with Improved Anti-Reflection Functional Coating on Windshield.” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/621,823 filed on Jan. 25, 2018, entitled “Head-up Display with Improved Anti-Reflection Functional Coating on Windshield,” the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2018/054959 | 10/9/2018 | WO | 00 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62570490 | Oct 2017 | US | |
| 62621823 | Jan 2018 | US |
