An article that includes: an inorganic oxide substrate having opposing major surfaces; and an optical film structure disposed on a first major surface of the substrate, the optical film structure comprising one or more of a silicon-containing oxide, a silicon-containing nitride and a silicon-containing oxynitride and a physical thickness from about 50 nm to less than 500 nm. The article exhibits a hardness of 8 GPa or greater measured at an indentation depth of about 100 nm or a maximum hardness of 9 GPa or greater measured over an indentation depth range from about 100 nm to about 500 nm, the hardness and the maximum hardness measured by a Berkovich Indenter Hardness Test. Further, the article exhibits a single-side photopic average reflectance that is less than 1%.

The present invention aims to provide a vehicular exterior member that is excellent in strength and cost, and sufficiently ensures a viewing field of sharpness of a thermal image obtained by a far-infrared camera. A vehicular exterior member that includes a light blocking region and is configured to be attached to a vehicle equipped with a far-infrared camera. The vehicular exterior member further includes, in the light blocking region, a far-infrared ray transmitting region having an opening and a far-infrared ray transmitting member disposed in the opening. An average transmittance of far-infrared rays having a wavelength ranging from 8 to 13 μm of the far-infrared ray transmitting member is equal to or larger than 25%. A length of the longest straight line in straight lines connecting any desired two points on a surface on a vehicle exterior side of the far-infrared ray transmitting member is equal to or smaller than 80 mm. A diameter of the largest circle in circles formed in a projected shape obtained by projecting the far-infrared ray transmitting member in an optical axis direction of the far-infrared camera is equal to or larger than 12 mm. An average thickness of the far-infrared ray transmitting member is equal to or larger than 1.5 mm.

One or more aspects of the disclosure pertain to an article including an optical film structure disposed on an inorganic oxide substrate, which may include a strengthened or non-strengthened substrate that may be amorphous or crystalline, such that the article exhibits scratch resistance and retains the same or improved optical properties as the inorganic oxide substrate, without the optical film structure disposed thereon. In one or more embodiments, the article exhibits an average transmittance of 85% or more, over the visible spectrum (e.g., 380 nm - 780 nm). Embodiments of the optical film structure include aluminum-containing oxides, aluminum-containing oxy-nitrides, aluminum-containing nitrides (e.g., A1N) and combinations thereof. The optical film structures disclosed herein also include a transparent dielectric including oxides such as silicon oxide, germanium oxide, aluminum oxide and a combination thereof. Methods of forming such articles are also provided.

An electronic device according to various embodiments of the disclosure may include a housing including a first plate forming an outer face. The first plate may include a glass plate including a first surface outwardly facing the housing and a second surface inwardly facing the housing, a coating layer including an anti-reflection coating and/or an anti-finger coating above the first surface while forming the outer face, a first layer formed between the first surface of the first glass plate and the coating layer, having a first thickness, and including a first inorganic material, a second layer formed between the first layer and the coating layer, having a second thickness, and including a second inorganic material different from the first inorganic material, a third layer formed between the second layer and the coating layer, having a third thickness thicker than each of the first thickness and the second thickness, and including a third inorganic material, and an opaque layer formed on the second surface. Various other embodiments may also be possible.

A process for manufacturing an electrochromic glazing, including an electrochromic stack including a first transparent conductive layer, a layer of an electrochromic material, a layer of an ionically conductive electrolyte, a counter electrode layer, a second transparent conductive layer, the process including providing a first and a second glass panel; depositing a first and a second transparent conductive layer on respectively the first and second glass panel; depositing a layer of a material on the first transparent conductive layer and a counter electrode layer on the second transparent conductive layer; depositing the layer of an ionically conductive electrolyte on one or other of the layers of an electro0chromic material or counter electrode layer; assembling the two glass panels to form a laminated glazing. A heat treatment is performed to heat treat a transparent conductive layer of a glass panel via a rapid heating device before assembling the glass panels.

A method for forming thin film layer having micro-voids therein. The method proceeds by dispersing micro-particles over the surface of a substrate. The micro particles are made of sublimable material. Then the thin film layer is formed over the surface, so as to cover the particles. The thin film is then etched back so as to expose the particles at least partially. The material of the particles is then sublimed, e.g., by heating the substrate, thereby leaving micro-voids inside the thin film layer. The micro voids can be filled or remain exposed to generate textured surface.

A coated glass article and of a system and method for forming a coated glass article are provided. The process includes applying a first coating precursor material to the first surface of the glass article and supporting the glass article via a gas bearing. The process includes heating the glass article and the coating precursor material to above a glass transition temperature of the glass article while the glass article is supported by the gas bearing such that during heating, a property of the first coating precursor material changes forming a coating layer on the first surface of the glass article from the first precursor material. The high temperature and/or non-contact coating formation may form a coating layer with one or more new physical properties, such as a deep diffusion layer within the glass, and may form highly consistent coatings on multiple sides of the glass.

An article can include a non-light-emitting, variable transmission device and a coating disposed between the non-light-emitting, variable transmission device and an ambient outside the article. In an embodiment, the article has a ΔE of at most 6.5. In another embodiment, the coating includes a plurality of layers including a first layer having a refractive index of at least 2.2 and a thickness of at least 10 nm. The coating can be used to help reduce color differences seen when the non-light-transmitting, variable transmission device is taken to different transmission states. In a particular embodiment, the coating can provide a good balance between color difference and luminous transmission.

An article that includes: an inorganic oxide substrate having opposing major surfaces; and an optical film structure disposed on a first major surface of the substrate, the optical film structure comprising one or more of a silicon-containing oxide, a silicon-containing nitride and a silicon-containing oxynitride and a physical thickness from about 50 nm to less than 500 nm. The article exhibits a hardness of 8 GPa or greater measured at an indentation depth of about 100 nm or a maximum hardness of 9 GPa or greater measured over an indentation depth range from about 100 nm to about 500 nm, the hardness and the maximum hardness measured by a Berkovich Indenter Hardness Test. Further, the article exhibits a single-side photopic average reflectance that is less than 1%.

A decorated glass sheet comprising an essentially flat sheet body with a pair of opposite plane and parallel faces; in which a first face of the pair of faces of the sheet body has a satin finish, and in which a second face of the pair of faces is provided with: at least one decorative layer made of one or more colored paints defining a non-uniform decorative pattern replicating the aspect of marble, and a cover layer made from a substantially non-transparent colored paint, arranged above and in direct contact with the decorative layer so that the decorative layer is interposed between the sheet body and the cover layer.