The glass surfaces you come across today have evolved greatly from the first glass which was invented around 2500 BC. All contemporary glass is coated with a thin film which affects the amount of light and solar heat transmitted. This thin film-coated glass improves the comfort of the buildings and vehicles it’s used in and can even increase the efficiency of ventilation and air conditioning systems.
Glass coating can also affect the color and reflection of a glass surface, influencing the way it looks. Facades of skyscrapers in modern cities use vacuum-coated glazing to ensure thermal insulation and the righ color for an aesthetic appearance.
Vacuum sputtering by PVD (physical vapor deposition) is the most common process for producing coated glass. This process requires the material to be placed in a vacuum chamber and then proceed to a process called “sputtering”, where metals, metal oxides and nitride layers are deposited onto the glass using process gases like argon, nitrogen and oxygen. This vacuum sputtering process deposits a coating onto the glass, consisting of several layers that vary in composition and thickness. PVD machines that typically operate 24/7 are part of the vacuum systems responsible for this process. As such, PVD equipment manufacturers look for durable, robust vacuum pumps that can support continuous production.
Leybold offers all products required for vacuum sputtering applications, including