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Functional
linings
In both the construction and the automotive industries,
glazed walls or screens no longer simply allow the passage of natural
light. They now have a certain number of other properties such as
thermal insulation, sunlight control or non-glare. These functions
are often developed by surface coatings deposited on the glass.
The two main processes used at Saint-Gobain to deposit these thin
films are:
- magnetron sputtering. This is the most widespread method for depositing
thin films on large areas of glass. It works by accelerating ions
from a plasma in a partial vacuum in to a target consisting of the
material to be deposited. Atoms of the target material are ejected
and subsequently deposited on the glass surface.
- vapor phase deposition. This works by bringing hot glass into
contact with gaseous precursors which will interact at the surface
of the glass to form a thin film. This process is generally applied
directly on the flat glass production line.
It is not unusual for several layers to be deposited sequentially
on the glass.
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