Apparatus and methods of electrically conductive optical semiconductor coating

Abstract

A method of coating an optical substrate with a transparent, electrically conductive coating includes depositing a semiconductor coating over a surface of an optical substrate. The semiconductor coating has broadband optical transmittance. Channels are formed in the semiconductor coating. The method includes coating over the semiconductor coating and filling the channels with a doped semiconductor. The doped semiconductor is removed from the semi-conductor coating, leaving the doped semiconductor in the channels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A window comprising:
 a transparent substrate with a transparent semiconductor coating having channels filled with a doped semiconductor.   
     
     
         2 . A window as recited in  claim 1 , wherein forming channels form a pattern on the semiconductor coating. 
     
     
         3 . A window as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the pattern includes a grid. 
     
     
         4 . A window as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a protective coating over the semiconductor coating and doped semiconductor in the channels. 
     
     
         5 . A window as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising a broadband anti-reflection coating over the protective coating. 
     
     
         6 . A window as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a broadband anti-reflection coating over the semiconductor coating and doped semiconductor in the channels. 
     
     
         7 . A window as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor coating includes at least one of In 2 O 3  or ZnO. 
     
     
         8 . A window as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the doped semiconductor includes at least one of Sn, Mo, W, Ti, Al, or Ga. 
     
     
         9 . A window as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor coating has broadband optical transmittance in at least visible and infrared spectra. 
     
     
         10 . A window as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the channels form a pattern so a surface of the semiconductor coating is covered in its entirety with the pattern. 
     
     
         11 . A window as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the pattern is configured to provide electro-magnetic interference (EMI) shielding to the optical substrate. 
     
     
         12 . A window as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the doped semiconductor and semiconductor coating have closely matched indices of refraction to mitigate light scattering.