METHOD OF MAKING COATED GLASS MIRRORS AND COATED GLASS MIRROR OBTAINED THEREBY

摘要

A method of producing mirrors comprising depositing onto a ribbon of hot glass (1) during the production process a coating comprising a reflecting layer (3) and at least two reflection enhancing layers (4,5) whereby the mirrors have a visible light reflection of at least 70%. There is also provided a mirror having such a coating. In a preferred embodiment the coating comprises: an inner layer (3) having a refractive index of at least 1.6; an intermediate layer (4) of relatively low refractive index and; an outer layer (5) having a refractive index of at least 1.6; the intermediate layer (4) having a refractive index less than the refractive index of either said inner layer (3) or said outer layer (5) and less than 3, provided that at least one of said inner and outer layers (3,5) is of silicon, the aggregate refractive index of the inner and outer layers (3,5) is at least 5.5, and the thicknesses of the layers are such that the mirror has a visible light reflection of at least 70%. In an alternative embodiment, one of the inner and outer layers (3,5) may instead be composed of a low refractive index reflective metal.