Fraunhofer at glasstec 2012

Ice- and fog-free windshields, switchable glazing that regulates the temperature inside buildings and vehicles, innovative methods of cutting laminated glass, laser-induced etching for the micro machining of glass: these are just a few of the up-and-coming developments that we will be presenting at glasstec 2012. At the joint Fraunhofer booth in Hall 15, Booth E25, the Fraunhofer Institutes for Laser Technology ILT, for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST, for Silicate Research ISC, and for Mechanics of Materials IWM will offer visitors the opportunity to discover a wide diversity of practical solutions and new research findings of interest to the glass industry – from processes for the development, coating, and micro structuring of glass products to form-cutting machines and photovoltaic applications. Other innovative glass products and solutions developed by Fraunhofer researchers will be presented in the special show “glass technology live” in Hall 11.

We look forward to meeting you at glasstec 2012.

Focal Themes:

Glass and glass machining
· Architectural glass
· Automotive glazing
· Curved sheet glass
· Insulating glazing
· Switchable glazing (smart window technology)
· Colored markings and in-volume structuring
· Form cutting and drilling
· Glass cleaning
· Microfluidic devices
· Optical waveguides
· Precision ablation for contouring

Functional glass surfaces and coatings
· Anti-fingerprint coatings
· Antireflective coatings
· Scratchproof coatings
· Transparent conductive oxide (TCO) coatings
· Low-emissivity and sun-control coatings
· Thin-film resistive heating elements and thermocouples
· Solderable coatings
· PVD hybrid coatings (organic-inorganic)
· Coatings for glass-molding dies and forming tools
· “Wellness glass”

Glass development
· High-quality glass from recycled glass
· Screening system for the development of new types of glass
· Special glass and glass ceramics

Photovoltaics
· Absorber layers for a-Si:H/μc-Si:H (hot-wire) and CIGS (sputtered) solar cells
· Front and back contacts for a-Si:H-/μc-Si:H, CIGS and HIT solar cells, and for organic photovoltaic cells
· Multi-material composites, long-term strength and reliability

OLED fabrication
· Laser ablation of TCO and organic layers
· Laser sealing
· Smooth deposition on sensitive organics
· Cutting and drilling of display glass

Technologies and processes
· Sheet glass bending
· Low-damage cutting of glass materials including laminated and display glass
· Laser polishing, bonding, cutting and drilling
· In-volume selective laser-induced etching (ISLE), reactive ion etching
· Welding of silica glass
· Large-area structuring
· Atomic layer deposition (ALD)
· Hot-wire CVD processes
· Magnetron and megatron sputtering
· Precision molding of optical components
· Production of cast-and-drawn semi-finished products

Simulation
· Sheet glass bending
· Magnetron sputtering, PECVD processes
· Precision hot forming processes
· Thin-film growth processes
· Stresses in glass and glass-composite components

Analysis and characterization
· Morphology (AFM, SEM, confocal laser microscopy, profilometry)
· Electrical conductivity (Hall, Seebeck, I-U curves, TFTs)
· Reflectometry, photometry, ellipsometry, quantum yield, scattered light
· Film composition (EDX, EPMA, SIMS, XPS)
· Layer stress (XRD)
· Thermo-optical analysis of glass melts, viscosity, density, wettability, contact angle, surface energy
· Adhesion and scratch-resistance (Taber abraser test, scanning scratch test, tape test, sand trickling test)
· Strength, reliability, service life prediction
· Failure analysis, determination of fracture causes

Exhibiting Institutes:

Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILTexterner Link www.ilt.fraunhofer.de
(ilt.fraunhofer.de)

Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films ISTexterner Link
www.ist.fraunhofer.de (ist.fraunhofer.de)

Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWMexterner Link www.iwm.fraunhofer.de
(iwm.fraunhofer.de)

Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISCexterner Link www.isc.fraunhofer.de
(isc.fraunhofer.de)