Certain example embodiments relate to an improved method of strengthening glass substrates (e.g., soda lime silica glass substrates). In certain examples, a glass substrate may be chemically strengthened by creating an electric field within the glass. In certain cases, the chemical tempering may be performed by surrounding the substrate by a plasma including certain ions, such as Li.sup.+, K.sup.+, Mg.sup.2+, and/or the like. In some cases, these ions may be forced into the glass substrate due to the half-cycles of the electric field generated by the electrodes that formed the plasma. This may advantageously chemically strengthen a glass substrate on a substantially reduced time scale. In other example embodiments, an electric field may be set in a float bath such that sodium ions are driven from the molten glass ribbon into the tin bath, which may advantageously result in a stronger glass substrate with reduced sodium content.

Disclosed herein are methods for treating a glass substrate, comprising bringing a surface of the glass substrate into contact with a plasma comprising at least one hydrocarbon for a time sufficient to form a coating on at least a portion of the surface. Also disclosed herein are glass substrates comprising at least one surface, wherein at least a portion of the surface is coated with a layer comprising at least one hydrocarbon, wherein the coated portion of the surface has a contact angle ranging from about 15 degrees to about 95 degrees, and/or a surface energy of less than about 65 mJ/m.sup.2.

A method of controllably bonding a thin sheet having a thin sheet bonding surface with a carrier having a carrier bonding surface, by depositing a carbonaceous surface modification layer onto at least one of the thin sheet bonding surface and the carrier bonding surface, incorporating polar groups with the surface modification layer, and then bonding the thin sheet bonding surface to the carrier bonding surface via the surface modification layer. The surface modification layer may include a bulk carbonaceous layer having a first polar group concentration and a surface layer having a second polar group concentration, wherein the second polar group concentration is higher than the first polar group concentration. The surface modification layer deposition and the treatment thereof may be performed by plasma polymerization techniques.

A method of treating a glass cylinder for a piston-cylinder arrangement for reducing the friction of a piston on an inner cylinder wall of the glass cylinder includes: elevating surface energy of glass of an interior bounded by the inner cylinder wall and hence lowering a contact angle of the glass with water. The contact angle is lowered by: a gas discharge that acts on the glass at the inner cylinder wall and is generated by an electric or electromagnetic field; or the action of ozone on the glass surface. The glass with the lowered contact angle is contacted with water to form a water film on the contacted glass.

An object is to develop a measurement method, and a measurement substrate, for measuring SPF or other value in a single measurement, instead of having to measure it on many substrates as has been the case to date. As a solution, a substrate for UV transmittance evaluation, including a base material that allows UV rays in a range of 290 to 400 nm to transmit through, and a layer provided on one side thereof that contains at least one type of compound other than cellulose triacetate that has a sugar skeleton but is not a salt, is provided.

Certain example embodiments relate to an improved method of strengthening glass substrates (e.g., soda lime silica glass substrates). In certain examples, a glass substrate may be chemically strengthened by creating an electric field within the glass. In certain cases, the chemical tempering may be performed by surrounding the substrate by a plasma including certain ions, such as Li.sup.+, K.sup.+, Mg.sup.2+, and/or the like. In some cases, these ions may be forced into the glass substrate due to the half-cycles of the electric field generated by the electrodes that formed the plasma. This may advantageously chemically strengthen a glass substrate on a substantially reduced time scale. In other example embodiments, an electric field may be set in a float bath such that sodium ions are driven from the molten glass ribbon into the tin bath, which may advantageously result in a stronger glass substrate with reduced sodium content.

A method of controllably bonding a thin sheet having a thin sheet bonding surface with a carrier having a carrier bonding surface, by depositing a carbonaceous surface modification layer onto at least one of the thin sheet bonding surface and the carrier bonding surface, incorporating polar groups with the surface modification layer, and then bonding the thin sheet bonding surface to the carrier bonding surface via the surface modification layer. The surface modification layer may include a bulk carbonaceous layer having a first polar group concentration and a surface layer having a second polar group concentration, wherein the second polar group concentration is higher than the first polar group concentration. The surface modification layer deposition and the treatment thereof may be performed by plasma polymerization techniques.

A plasma treatment apparatus and a plasma treatment method are provided. The apparatus includes a chamber, a planar plasma-generating electrode, a sample suspension and holding system, and an optical observation system. The chamber defines a processing inner chamber, and the top portion of the chamber has a window. The planar plasma-generating electrode is located in the processing inner chamber for generating a planar plasma. The sample suspension and holding system is disposed opposite to the planar plasma-generating electrode in the processing inner chamber to suspend and hold a sample. The optical observation system is located in the processing inner chamber adjacent to the sample suspension and holding system to measure the thickness range of a planar plasma effective influence region through the window of the chamber.

Certain example embodiments relate to an improved method of strengthening glass substrates (e.g., soda lime silica glass substrates). In certain examples, a glass substrate may be chemically strengthened by creating an electric field within the glass. In certain cases, the chemical tempering may be performed by surrounding the substrate by a plasma including certain ions, such as Li.sup.+, K.sup.+, Mg.sup.2+, and/or the like. In some cases, these ions may be forced into the glass substrate due to the half-cycles of the electric field generated by the electrodes that formed the plasma. This may advantageously chemically strengthen a glass substrate on a substantially reduced time scale. In other example embodiments, an electric field may be set in a float bath such that sodium ions are driven from the molten glass ribbon into the tin bath, which may advantageously result in a stronger glass substrate with reduced sodium content.

The invention relates to methods for fabricating antireflective surface structures (ARSS) on optical elements. Optical elements having ARSS on at least one surface are also provided.