A method for forming a substrate with a multi-layered, flexible, and anti-scratch metal oxides protective coating being deposited onto the substrate is provided in the present invention, wherein the top most layer of the coating comprises Al.sub.2O.sub.3 or a mixture thereof such that the top most layer acts as an anti-scratching layer. The multi-layered, flexible and anti-scratch metal oxides protective coating also retains the flexibility of the underlying substrate.

An article having a nanostructured surface and a method of making the same are described. The article can include a substrate and a nanostructured layer bonded to the substrate. The nanostructured layer can include a plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features comprising a contiguous, protrusive material and the nanostructured features can be sufficiently small that the nanostructured layer is optically transparent. A continuous layer can be adhered to a plurality of surfaces of the nanostructured features to render the plurality of surfaces of the nanostructured features both hydrophobic and oleophobic with respect to fingerprint oil comprising eccrine secretions and sebaceous secretions, thereby providing an anti-fingerprinting characteristic to the article.

Methods for protecting transparent electronically conductive layers on glass substrates are described herein. Methods include depositing a sacrificial coating during deposition of the transparent electronically conductive layer, before packing the glass substrate for storage or shipping, after unpacking glass substrates from a stack of glass substrates, and/or after a washing operation prior to fabricating an electrochromic stack on the transparent electronically conductive layer. Methods also include removing the sacrificial coating during a washing operation, during tempering, or prior to depositing an electrochromic stack by, e.g., heating the sacrificial coating or exposing the sacrificial coating to an inert plasma.

Disclosed are a method for producing an optical thin film having a low refractive index, a thin film forming material, an optical thin film, and an optical member. The method for producing an optical thin film includes forming a vapor deposition film by depositing a thin film forming material on an object in a non-oxidizing atmosphere by a physical vapor deposition method; and bringing the vapor deposition film into contact with a first acidic solution comprising an acidic substance in a range of pH 2.5 or more and pH 3.5 or less to obtain a first thin film having voids, wherein the thin film forming material is a mixture comprising indium oxide and silicon oxide, in which the indium oxide is in a range of 0.230 mol or more and 0.270 mol or less with respect to 1 mol of the silicon oxide.

The disclosure relates to an improved glass product having a multifunctional coating or a durable top coat over a functional coating. The glass product may include a functional coating on that is most effective on a surface exposed to various mechanical and chemical elements. The disclosed coating provides a durable protective coating over the functional layer to provide protection over the functional layer on an exposed surface. Alternatively, the functional coating may be applied to the protective coating with a porous, nano-structured surface, which protects the functional coating applied thereto.

A method for producing an electrically connected coated substrate for vehicle glazing includes the steps of providing on a surface of a substrate a coating having a conducting layer, forming an opening in the coating, and applying an electrical connector having a conductive carrier on one side of the electrical connector to the coating directly over the opening, wherein the conductive carrier fills the opening to electrically connect the conducting layer.

A substrate processing method processes a substrate which has a metal layer on a principal surface. The substrate processing method includes a metal oxide layer forming step in which an oxidizing fluid is supplied toward the principal surface of the substrate, thereby forming a metal oxide layer constituted of one atomic layer or several atomic layers on a surface layer of the metal layer and a metal oxide layer removing step in which an etching fluid containing at least one of water in a gaseous state and water in a mist state as well as a reactive gas that reacts with the metal oxide layer together with the water is supplied toward the principal surface of the substrate, thereby etching the metal oxide layer and selectively removing it from the substrate. Then, cycle processing in which the metal oxide layer forming step and the metal oxide layer removing step are given as one cycle is executed at least in one cycle, thereby controlling the etching amount of the metal layer for each cycle at an accuracy of a nanometer or less.

An article having a nanostructured surface and a method of making the same are described. The article can include a substrate and a nanostructured layer bonded to the substrate. The nanostructured layer can include a plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features comprising a contiguous, protrusive material and the nanostructured features can be sufficiently small that the nanostructured layer is optically transparent. A surface of the nanostructured features can be coated with a continuous hydrophobic coating. The method can include providing a substrate; depositing a film on the substrate; decomposing the film to form a decomposed film; and etching the decomposed film to form the nanostructured layer.

An article having a nanostructured surface and a method of making the same are described. The article can include a substrate and a nanostructured layer bonded to the substrate. The nanostructured layer can include a plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features comprising a contiguous, protrusive material and the nanostructured features can be sufficiently small that the nanostructured layer is optically transparent. A continuous layer can be adhered to a plurality of surfaces of the nanostructured features to render the plurality of surfaces of the nanostructured features both hydrophobic and oleophobic with respect to fingerprint oil comprising eccrine secretions and sebaceous secretions, thereby providing an anti-fingerprinting characteristic to the article.

A method for making a plasmonic mushroom array includes: forming a plurality of metal nano-islands each having nanometer-range dimensions on a surface of a glass substrate; and subjecting to the glass substrate having the plurality of metal nano-islands formed thereon to reactive ion etching such that the plurality of metal nano-islands are converted to a plurality of mushroom-shaped structures each having a metal cap supported by a pillar made of a material of the glass substrate and each having dimensions smaller than the dimensions of the nano-islands, the plurality of mushroom-shaped structures being arranged in a substantially regular pattern with intervals smaller than average intervals between the nano-islands, thereby forming the plurality of nano-scale mushroom-shaped structures on the glass substrate that can exhibit localized surface plasmon resonance.