In-depth optical and structural study of silver-based low-emissivity multilayer coatings for energy-saving applications

Low-emissivity coatings on glass, which provide highly efficient heat isolation, are nowadays extensively used in windows in offices and residential buildings for the purpose of saving energy in air conditioning. In this paper, multilayer low-emissivity coatings with the structure glass/SnO2/Ni–Cr/Ag/Ni–Cr/SnO2 were deposited onto large glass substrates in an industrial sputtering system. The extremely low thickness of the layers which compose such structures, as well as the large substrate area, causes the structure and impurity content of the films and interfaces to play an important role in providing efficient energy-saving performance as well as high optical transmittance. Thus, in-depth characterization was performed by spectroscopic ellipsometry, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy. The use of these characterization techniques provides the great advantage of allowing the investigation of the whole multilayer system, including the interfaces. However, the properties of the individual layers (density, composition and optical behaviour) were also determined independently and compared to the values of corresponding bulk materials. Special attention is devoted to inter-diffusion of species.