Method of making coated article having antibacterial and/or antifungal coating and resulting product

Abstract

Techniques are provided for making a coated article including an antibacterial and/or antifungal coating. In certain example embodiments, the method includes providing a first sputtering target including Zr; providing a second sputtering target including Zn; and co-sputtering from at least the first and second sputtering targets in the presence of nitrogen to form a layer including ZnxZryNz on a glass substrate. These layers may be heat-treated or thermally tempered to form a single layer including ZnxZryOz. In other examples, two discrete layers of Zn and Zr may be formed. The coating may be heated or tempered to form a single layer including ZnxZryOz. Coated articles made using these methods may have antibacterial and/or antifungal properties.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making a coated article, the method comprising:
 having a first sputtering target comprising Zr and a second target comprising Zn;   co-sputtering from at least the first and second sputtering targets to form a layer comprising Zn x Zr y O z  on a glass substrate, the layer having anti-bacterial and/or anti-microbial properties;   wherein the first and second sputtering targets are offset from each other by an angle of 10-50 degrees, and   wherein the first sputtering target is substantially perpendicular to the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the angle is 30-45 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the layer comprises from about 0.25% to 15% (atomic) Zn, from about 20% to 50% (atomic) Zr, and from about 40% to 80% (atomic) O. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the layer comprising Zn x Zr y O z  is initially deposited in a nitrogen-inclusive atmosphere and forms on the glass substrate as a layer comprising zinc, zirconium, and nitrogen. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising heat treating the glass substrate with the layer comprising zinc, zirconium, and nitrogen thereon, the layer comprising zinc, zirconium, and nitrogen transforming into the layer comprising Zn x Zr y O z  upon heat treatment. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the heat treating is thermal tempering. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising heat treating the layer comprising zinc, zirconium, and nitrogen to form the layer comprising Zn x Zr y O z  with about 1% to 8% (atomic) Zn, about 30% to 40% (atomic) Zr, and about 55% to 65% (atomic) O. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein different powers are applied for each of the first and second targets in order to control composition of the layer comprising Zn x Zr y O z , wherein the power for second target is 1.6-3.6 kW and the power for the first target is 1.5-3.5 kW. 
     
     
         9 . A method of making a coated article, the method comprising:
 having a first sputtering target comprising Zr and a second target comprising Zn;   co-sputtering from at least the first and second sputtering targets to form on a glass substrate a layer comprising zinc, zirconium, and nitrogen, the co-sputtering being performed in a nitrogen-inclusive environment, the layer comprising zinc, zirconium, and nitrogen being transformable via heat treatment into a layer comprising Zn x Zr y O z  and having anti-bacterial and/or anti-microbial properties;   wherein the first and second sputtering targets are offset from each other by an angle of 10-50 degrees, and   wherein the first sputtering target is substantially perpendicular to the substrate.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the angle is 30-45 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising heat treating the glass substrate with the layer comprising zinc, zirconium, and nitrogen thereon. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the heat treating is thermal tempering. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising heat treating the layer comprising zinc, zirconium, and nitrogen to form the layer comprising Zn x Zr y O z  with about 1% to 8% (atomic) Zn, about 30% to 40% (atomic) Zr, and about 55% to 65% (atomic) O. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein different sputtering powers are applied for each of the first and second targets in order to control composition of the layer comprising zinc, zirconium, and nitrogen, wherein the power for second target is 1.6-3.6 kW and the power for the first target is 1.5-3.5 kW. 
     
     
         15 . A method of making a coated article, the method comprising:
 having a first sputtering target comprising Zr and a second target comprising Zn;   co-sputtering from at least the first and second sputtering targets to form on a glass substrate a layer comprising zinc, zirconium, and nitrogen, the co-sputtering being performed in a nitrogen-inclusive environment, the layer comprising zinc, zirconium, and nitrogen being transformable via heat treatment into a layer comprising Zn x Zr y O z  and having anti-bacterial and/or anti-microbial properties;   wherein the first and second sputtering targets are offset from each other by an angle of 10-50 degrees,   wherein the first sputtering target is substantially perpendicular to the substrate, and   wherein different sputtering powers are applied for each of the first and second targets in order to control composition of the layer comprising zinc, zirconium, and nitrogen, wherein the power for second target is 1.6-3.6 kW and the power for the first target is 1.5-3.5 kW.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second targets are offset from one another by an angle less than 60 degrees. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first target is substantially parallel to the glass substrate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising heat treating the glass substrate with the layer comprising zinc, zirconium, and nitrogen thereon. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising heat treating the glass substrate with the layer comprising zinc, zirconium, and nitrogen thereon. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising heat treating the layer comprising zinc, zirconium, and nitrogen to form the layer comprising Zn x Zr y O z  with about 1% to 8% (atomic) Zn, about 30% to 40% (atomic) Zr, and about 55% to 65% (atomic) O.