Thin Film Coating Technology For Large Area Glass

The glass industry has continuously introduced advanced coating technologies over the past 30 years to achieve value-added products, accommodating the growing market need for improved aesthetics & functional comfort. Within large area glass coating, the architectural, automotive & display markets are the major segments. Common coatings for these applications include AR-stacks (anti-reflection), low-emissivity and solar control stacks for the management of heat and TCOs (transparent conductive oxide) for smart windows/displays. Various techniques can be distinguished for the coating of flat glass. This article explains why magnetron sputtering for architectural, automotive and display glass continues to grow.