High solar gain low-e panel and method for forming the same

1. A method for forming a low-e panel comprising:

providing a transparent substrate;

forming a reflective layer above the transparent substrate;

forming a barrier layer directly on the reflective layer, wherein the barrier layer comprises nickel-titanium-niobium oxide; and

forming an over-coating layer above the barrier layer, the over-coating layer comprising first, second, and third sub-layers, wherein the second sub-layer is between the first and third sub-layers, and the first and third sub-layers consist of zinc oxide, and the second sub-layer consists of aluminum-tin oxide,

wherein the first sub-layer of the over-coating layer is formed directly on the barrier layer, the second sub-layer of the over-coating layer is formed directly on the first sub-layer of the over-coating layer, and the third sub-layer of the over-coating layer is formed directly on the second sub-layer of the over-coating layer, and

wherein the low-e panel has a solar transmittance of over 70%.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transparent substrate comprises glass.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the reflective layer comprises silver.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising forming at least two layers between the transparent substrate and the reflective layer, wherein at least one of the at least two layers comprises aluminum-tin oxide and at least one of the at least two layers comprises zinc oxide.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising forming a dielectric layer directly on the third sub-layer of the over-coating layer, wherein the dielectric layer comprises silicon nitride.

6. A method for forming a high solar gain low-e panel comprising:

providing a transparent substrate;

forming a base layer above the transparent substrate, wherein the base layer consists of aluminum-tin oxide;

forming a seed layer directly on the base layer, wherein the seed layer consists of zinc oxide;

forming a reflective layer directly on the seed layer, wherein the reflective layer comprises silver;

forming a barrier layer directly on the reflective layer, wherein the barrier layer consists of nickel-titanium-niobium oxide; and

forming an over-coating layer above the barrier layer, the over-coating layer comprising first, second, and third sub-layers, wherein the second sub-layer is between the first and third sub-layers, the first and third sub-layers consist of zinc oxide, and the second sub-layer consists of aluminum-tin oxide, wherein the first sub-layer of the over-coating layer is formed directly on the barrier layer, the second sub-layer of the over-coating layer is formed directly on the first sub-layer of the over-coating layer, and the third sub-layer of the over-coating layer is formed directly on the second sub-layer of the over-coating layer; and

forming a dielectric layer directly on the third sub-layer of the over-coating layer, wherein the dielectric layer consists of silicon nitride,

wherein the low-e panel has a solar transmittance of over 70%.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the transparent substrate comprises glass, further comprising forming a second dielectric layer directly on the transparent substrate, wherein the second dielectric layer consists of silicon nitride and the base layer is formed directly on the second dielectric layer, and wherein the low-e panel has a solar transmittance of 71.2%.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein each of the first sub-layer of the over-coating layer and the third sub-layer of the over-coating layer has a thickness of 4 nanometers (nm), and the second sub-layer of the over-coating layer has a thickness of 24 nm.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein each of the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer has a thickness of about 25 nm, the base layer has a thickness of about 10 nm, the seed layer has a thickness of about 10 nm, the reflective layer has a thickness of about 10 nm, and the barrier layer has a thickness of between 3 nm and 10 nm.

10. A low-e panel comprising:

a transparent substrate, wherein the transparent substrate comprises glass;

a first dielectric layer formed directly on the transparent substrate, wherein the first dielectric layer consists of silicon nitride;

a base layer formed directly on the first dielectric layer, wherein the base layer consists of aluminum-tin oxide;

a seed layer formed directly on the base layer, wherein the seed layer consists of zinc oxide;

a reflective layer formed above directly on the seed layer, wherein the reflective layer consists of silver;

a barrier layer formed directly on the reflective layer, wherein the barrier layer consists of nickel-titanium-niobium oxide;

an over-coating layer formed above the barrier layer, the over-coating layer comprising first, second, and third sub-layers, wherein the second sub-layer is between the first and third sub-layers, the first and third sub-layers consist of zinc oxide, and the second sub-layer consists of aluminum-tin oxide,

wherein the first sub-layer of the over-coating layer is formed directly on the barrier layer, the second sub-layer of the over-coating layer is formed directly on the first sub-layer of the over-coating layer, and the third sub-layer of the over-coating layer is formed directly on the second sub-layer of the over-coating layer; and

a second dielectric layer formed directly on the third sub-layer of the over-coating layer, wherein the second dielectric layer consists of silicon nitride,

wherein the low-e panel has a solar transmittance of over 70%.

11. The low-e panel of claim 10 , wherein each of the first sub-layer of the over-coating layer and the third sub-layer of the over-coating layer has a thickness of 4 nanometers (nm), and the second sub-layer of the over-coating layer has a thickness of 24 nm, and wherein the low-e panel has a solar transmittance of 71.2%.

12. The low-e panel of claim 11 , wherein the barrier layer has a thickness of between 3 nm and 10 nm.

13. The low-e panel of claim 12 , wherein the reflective layer has a thickness of about 10 nm.

14. The low-e panel of claim 13 , wherein the base layer had a thickness of about 15 nm, and the seed layer has a thickness of about 10 nm.

15. The low-e panel of claim 14 , wherein each of the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer has a thickness of about 25 nm.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein each of the base layer and the second sub-layer of the over-coating layer is formed by co-sputtering material from two targets.