US 12,032,124 B2
Flash annealing of transparent conductive oxide and semiconductor coatings
Ashtosh P. Ganjoo, Allison Park, PA (US); Patrick Fisher, Pittsburgh, PA (US); and Sudarshan Narayanan, Pittsburgh, PA (US)
Assigned to Vitro Flat Glass LLC, Cheswick, PA (US)
Filed by Vitro Flat Glass LLC, Cheswick, PA (US)
Filed on Aug. 4, 2017, as Appl. No. 15/669,225.
Prior Publication US 2019/0041550 A1, Feb. 7, 2019
Int. Cl. G02B 1/12 (2006.01); C03C 17/22 (2006.01); C03C 17/245 (2006.01); C03C 17/34 (2006.01); C23C 14/08 (2006.01); C23C 16/40 (2006.01); C23C 16/455 (2006.01); H01B 1/00 (2006.01); H10K 71/60 (2023.01); H10K 77/10 (2023.01); H10K 102/10 (2023.01)
CPC G02B 1/12 (2013.01) [C03C 17/22 (2013.01); C03C 17/245 (2013.01); C03C 17/2453 (2013.01); C03C 17/34 (2013.01); C03C 17/3417 (2013.01); C23C 14/081 (2013.01); C23C 14/086 (2013.01); C23C 16/403 (2013.01); C23C 16/407 (2013.01); C23C 16/45557 (2013.01); H01B 1/00 (2013.01); H10K 71/60 (2023.02); C03C 2217/231 (2013.01); C03C 2217/948 (2013.01); C03C 2218/156 (2013.01); C03C 2218/32 (2013.01); C03C 2218/34 (2013.01); H10K 77/10 (2023.02); H10K 2102/103 (2023.02)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of producing a coated glass substrate comprising a layer comprising a transparent conductive oxide, comprising:
a. vacuum depositing over at least a portion of a substrate in an inert atmosphere comprising oxygen within a range of from 0 to 2.5%, an oxygen-deficient sub-stoichiometric transparent metal oxide layer having an absorption coefficient at a wavelength in the visible spectrum of at least 1,000 cm−1, wherein the oxygen-deficient sub-stoichiometric transparent metal oxide layer comprises a transparent conductive oxide comprising indium tin oxide; and
b. annealing at least a portion of the oxygen-deficient sub-stoichiometric transparent metal oxide layer by flashing at least a portion of the transparent conductive oxide layer at a temperature ranging from 15° C. to 40° C., with a pulse energy ranging from 3.5 J/cm2 to 6.0 J/cm2, of non-coherent light within the visible spectrum including light at a wavelength at which the layer has an absorption coefficient of at least 1,000 cm−1,
wherein the pulse of non-coherent light has a voltage of at least 500 V and up to 540 V and a pulse length of 2,000 μs, or wherein the pulse of non-coherent light has a voltage of greater than 540 V and less than 600 V and a pulse length of 1,000 μs, or wherein the pulse of non-coherent light has a voltage of at least 600 V and less than 650 V and a pulse length of 500 μs, or wherein the pulse of non-coherent light has a voltage of at least 650 V and less than 700 V and a pulse length of 400 μs, or wherein the pulse of non-coherent light has a voltage of at least 700 V and up to 730 V and a pulse length of 300 μs, and
wherein the pulse has a penetration depth in the transparent metal oxide layer that is less than the thickness of the layer producing a split layer of the portion of the transparent conductive oxide layer, where each layer of the split layer has a different physical property.