Guardian Industries Corporation

Guardian Glass, LLC

Phoenicia America-Israel (Flat Glass) Ltd.

Phoenicia America-Israel

Kevin R Fulton

Scott V Thomsen

Richard Hulme

Glenn A Cerny

Ali Mohammadkhah

Kirk McMenamin

Mario Resch

Abraham W Michaelis

Shuang Ji

Zhaoyu Wang

David Bird

Jay Riggins

Samuel Olson

An ellipsometry system detects and/or identifies significant corrosion on glass, such as on soda-lime-silica based float glass. In certain example embodiments, there is provided a method and/or system using ellipsometry to detect and/or identify significant corrosion on soda-lime-silica based glass, so that such significantly corroded glass can be identified and not coated with a low-E coating and/or not used in applications where optical appearance is important. The ellipsometry system may be part of, or used in connection with, a sputtering apparatus/system for sputter-depositing low-E coatings on glass, so that whether to pass a piece of glass to the sputtering apparatus/system is based on whether significant corrosion is detected on the glass.

Method and system utilizing ellipsometry to detect corrosion on glass

Float glass compositions adapted for chemical strengthening, and methods of making the same. Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to such a glass composition having improved ion-exchanged, surface durability, and/or mechanical properties for use in applications where higher strength and improved durability of the glass are desired.

Float glass composition adapted for chemical strengthening

A high transmission and low iron glass is provided for use in a photovoltaic device such as a solar cell. The glass substrate may be patterned on at least one surface thereof. In certain example embodiments, a combination of lithium oxide, antimony oxide, and salt cake is used in the glass to improve the refining conditions by lowering the melting temperature of the batch, thereby resulting in a quicker seed free time in the manufacturing process.

Photovoltaic device having low iron high transmission glass with lithium oxide for reducing seed free time and corresponding method

This invention relates to a high transmission low iron glass that includes boron oxide. The boron oxide, added to this low iron glass, has the effect of improving glass refining, homogeneity and quality (lower seed count) through its flux action and improves glass optical parameters of green and clear glass through the change in refractive index and surface tension. Boron oxide lends to broader and weaker absorption band of such transition element(s) as iron which additionally improves the transmittance of low iron clear glass in certain example embodiments of this invention. In certain example embodiments, the addition of boron oxide in certain quantities in advantageous in that it improves the chemical durability of the glass by decreasing the USPX (or USPXIII) value of the glass via suppression of the silica, sodium ions in the glass structure.

Low iron high transmission glass with boron oxide for improved optics, durability and refining, and corresponding method

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Howell, MI, United States of America

Kevin R Fulton