IP Library Granted Patent US 9,376,589
Granted Patent B2
US 9,376,589 · App. 14/799,479 · Granted Jun 28, 2016

High gain durable anti-reflective coating with oblate voids

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,376,589
App. No.
14/799,479
Granted
Jun 28, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein are single layer transparent coatings with an anti-reflective property, a hydrophobic property, and that are highly abrasion resistant. The single layer transparent coatings contain a plurality of oblate voids. At least 1% of the oblate voids are open to a surface of the single layer transparent coatings.

Claims (20)

1. A single layer transparent coating with an anti-reflective property, a hydrophobic property that is highly abrasion resistant and

wherein the single layer transparent coating contains a plurality of oblate voids, the plurality of oblate voids having a flattening greater than 0.0 and less than or equal to 0.8; and

wherein at least 1% of the oblate voids are open to a surface of the single layer transparent coating.

2. The coating of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the single layer transparent coating is between 10 nm and 5 μm.

3. The coating of claim 1 , wherein a refractive index of the single layer transparent coating is less than 1.45.

4. The coating of claim 1 , wherein an average reflection of visible light from a surface of glass coated with the single layer transparent coating is less than 3%.

5. The coating of claim 1 , wherein a T AM (solar weighted optical transmission) of a coated glass substrate is at least 1% greater than a T AM of a same type of uncoated glass substrate.

6. The coating of claim 1 , wherein a water contact angle in a test for the hydrophobic property is greater than 70°.

7. The coating of claim 1 , wherein a reduction in optical transmission of the single layer transparent coating as measured by T AM (solar weighted optical transmission) after performance of 1000 strokes of abrasion testing according to the procedure in standard EN1096.2 is less than 1.0%.

8. The coating of claim 1 , wherein a distribution of a void diameter of the oblate voids comprises a Gaussian distribution with a mean of between 10 nm and 150 nm with a standard deviation between 2 nm and 40 nm.

9. The coating of claim 1 , wherein a distribution of void diameter of the oblate voids is bi-modal with a first group having a Gaussian distribution with a mean between 25 nm and 150 nm and a standard deviation between 5 nm and 40 nm and a second group having a Gaussian distribution with a mean between 150 nm and 500 nm and a standard deviation between 25 nm and 50 nm.

10. The coating of claim 1 , wherein at least 1% of the oblate voids extend through a full thickness of the single layer transparent coating.

11. The coating of claim 1 , wherein all of the oblate voids are contained within a full thickness of the single layer transparent coating.

12. The coating of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the single layer transparent coating has a percentage of visible voids between 1% and 50%.

13. The coating of claim 1 , wherein a porosity of the single layer transparent coating is between 50% and 2%.

14. The coating of claim 1 , wherein a major axis of the oblate voids in the single layer transparent coating is between 5 nm and 500 nm and the minor axis of the oblate voids is between 3 nm and 150 nm.

15. The coating of claim 1 , wherein the flattening of one oblate void of the plurality of oblate voids comprises a ratio of a major axis of the oblate void minus a minor axis of the oblate void, divided by the major axis of the oblate void.

16. The coating of claim 1 , wherein the single layer transparent coating is cured at a temperature of less than 400° C.

17. The coating of claim 1 further comprising, a glass substrate having a surface on which said coating is applied.

18. The coating of claim 1 further comprising a solar module having a surface on which said coating is applied.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2026
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: FIRST SOLAR, INC.
Reel/Frame 074858/0364 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 10, 2023
From: FIRST SOLAR, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 064237/0462 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 5, 2018
From: ENKI TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: FIRST SOLAR, INC.
Reel/Frame 044830/0585 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 21, 2015
From: MAGHSOODI, SINA; BROPHY, BRENOR L.; COLSON, THOMAS E.; GONSALVES, PETER R.; ABRAMS, ZE'EV R.
To: ENKI TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 036141/0349 →