There is provided a method of coating a substrate comprising applying a first mixture where the first mixture reacts to form covalent bonds to the substrate surface and where the unreacted parts of the first mixture undergo diffusive mixing with a second layer, which is applied on top of the first mixture. This avoids creation of a weak layer, which may otherwise give lower adhesion. The adhesion as well as mechanical properties including the scratch resistance are improved.

A method for fabricating an external element or a timepiece dial from non-conductive material, by performing or repeating a basic cycle of making a base from a non-conductive, or ceramic, or glass. or sapphire substrate; dry coating the base with a first sacrificial protective metal layer; etching a decoration with an ultrashort pulse laser to a depth at least equal to the local thickness of the first layer; dry coating the decoration and the remaining part of the first layer with a second metal and/or coloured decorative treatment layer; chemically removing each first layer; and before or after chemical removal of each first layer, mechanically levelling on the upper level of the base the compound thus formed.

A method for fabricating an external element or a timepiece dial from non-conductive material, by performing or repeating a basic cycle of making a base from a non-conductive, or ceramic, or glass. or sapphire substrate; dry coating the base with a first sacrificial protective metal layer; etching a decoration with an ultrashort pulse laser to a depth at least equal to the local thickness of the first layer; dry coating the decoration and the remaining part of the first layer with a second metal and/or coloured decorative treatment layer; chemically removing each first layer; and before or after chemical removal of each first layer, mechanically levelling on the upper level of the base the compound thus formed.

A thermal insulating glass includes a glass substrate and a thermal insulating layer. The thermal insulating layer includes composite tungsten oxide and a binder. The composite tungsten oxide is represented by formula (1): M.sub.xWO.sub.3-yA.sub.y (1), where M is an alkali metal element or an alkaline earth metal element, W is tungsten, O is oxygen, A is a halogen element, and 0<x≤1 and 0≤y≤0.5. And the binder includes one or more of the following components: silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, and aluminium oxide. The thermal insulating glass can prevent the occurrence of obscuration. The thermal insulating has infrared reflectivity, high strength and good wear resistance, and can effectively resist high temperature and strong oxidation environment.

A vehicle pane with reduced emissivity and light reflection, includes a substrate having an exposed interior-side surface, an emissivity-reducing coating containing at least one layer based on a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) on the interior-side surface, and an anti-reflection coating based on nanoporous silicon oxide on the emissivity-reducing coating.

A process for manufacturing an electrochromic glazing unit includes forming, on one face of a glass sheet, a complete all-solid-state electrochromic stack including in succession a first layer of a transparent conductive oxide; a layer of a cathodically colored mineral electrochromic material to form an electrochromic electrode; a layer of an ionically conductive mineral solid electrolyte; a layer of a cation intercalation material to form a counter electrode; and a second layer of a transparent conductive oxide; then heat treatment of the complete electrochromic stack by irradiation with radiation having a wavelength comprised between 500 and 2000 nm, the radiation originating from a radiating device placed facing the electrochromic stack, a relative movement being created between the radiating device and the substrate so as to raise the electrochromic stack to a temperature at least equal to 300° C. for a brief duration, for example shorter than 100 milliseconds.

Disclosed herein are methods for making a thin film device and/or for reducing warp in a thin film device, the methods comprising applying at least one metal film to a convex surface of a glass substrate, wherein the glass substrate is substantially dome-shaped. Other methods disclosed include methods of determining the concavity of a glass sheet. The method includes determining the orientation of the concavity and measuring a magnitude of the edge lift of the sheet when the sheet is supported by a flat surface and acted upon by gravity. Thin film devices made according to these methods and display devices comprising such thin film devices are also disclosed herein.

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to techniques for converting sputter-deposited TiNx or TiOxNy layers into TiOx layers via activation with electromagnetic radiation. An intermediate layer including TiOxNy, 0<y≦1 is formed on a substrate. The intermediate layer is exposed to the radiation, which is preferentially absorbed by the intermediate layer in an amount sufficient to heat the intermediate layer to a temperature of 500-650 degrees C. while keeping the substrate at a significantly lower temperature. A flash light operated with a series of millisecond or sub-millisecond length pulses may be used in this regard. The converting removes nitrogen from, and introduces oxygen into, the intermediate layer, causing the layer to expand beyond its initial thickness. At least some of the final layer may have an anatase phase, and it may be photocatalytic. These layers may be used in low-maintenance glass, antireflective, and/or other applications.

A method of manufacturing a highly conductive polymer thin film is proposed. The method includes a step of coating a substrate with a first dopant solution including a polymer material and a first dopant to form a conductive polymer thin film subjected to first conductive treatment; and a step of performing second conductive treatment using a second dopant solution including pyronin B on the conductive polymer thin film to form a highly conductive polymer thin film.

A sensor device includes an emitter configured to emit radiation a detector configured to detect radiation reflected from an object and a cover having an interior surface facing the emitter or detector and allowing the radiation to pass through the cover. The sensor device also includes a heater with a wire-like trace directly deposited on the interior surface of the cover formed of a fluid comprising an electrically conductive material that was deposited onto a portion of the cover and cured. The heater has an electrically conductive connector pad formed with the heater by directly depositing and curing the fluid comprising the electrically conductive material directly on the interior surface of the cover simultaneously with forming the heater. The heater is positioned and arranged to sufficiently heat the cover while not blocking an area through which radiation must pass for proper operation of the emitter and the detector.