SID 2010 (Society for Information Display) brought into sharp focus the need for integrated solutions for displays that will help maintain application quality while retaining the cost effectiveness that is needed to keep budget requirements on track. The cutting edge displays presented at SID 2010 showed how the clarity offered by a quality AR coating kept displays readable despite the presence of bright environmental lights that were all around the exhibit area.

LuxVu transparent conductive glass solutions offer precisely the combination of coatings and features that many high quality displays require in order to pull off the amazing effects that could be seen everywhere at SID 2010. In addition to these aspects another feature discussed heavily was the need for sophisticated etching techniques that do not damage the ITO layer. This helps to ensure that the busbars maintain a solid connection with the electrically conductive ITO layer. ZC&R utilizes this cost effective technique to provide quality performance for small and large volume production applications.

To learn more about ZC&R’s LuxVu custom solutions please call 800-426-2864 or email us.

During the tooth repair or replacement process, these composites are applied to the damaged area and sculpted to resemble the missing portion of tooth. At this point the Dental curing light tool is positioned and activated to emit the precise band of light that causes the composites to polymerize and harden. Afterward, other tools are used to grind, scrape and polish the material so that it properly resembles the original tooth.

Originally, when these dental curing lights were invented, they were designed to emit UV light which interacted with the composites used at that time in order to polymerize them. Over the years since then it was discovered that there are composites which react to blue light in much the same way. Due to health concerns that go along with UV exposure to vulnerable tissue in the mouth, this new method was implemented.

In the original design, the dental curing light utilized coated glass filters that would selectively reflect some of the light emitted from the lamp contained within the device. When these optical filters are properly angled and sufficient venting is utilized in the device, the desired band of light is directed toward the emission end of the tool and the undesired bands are directed away so that they do not interfere with the application. In the original design a UV blocking glass was used to direct the desired UV band toward the emission end of the tool. In the current designs for these devices it is likely that a UV blocking glass is used to direct the harmful UV radiation away from the emission end of the tool.

Another difficulty discovered through the use of these tools is the incredible amount of heat generated by the lamp itself, but also by the composite material undergoing polymerization. In some rapid curing systems it has been noticed by Dental professionals that the polymerization process alone generates enough heat to be uncomfortable to the patient and sometimes it is enough to damage surrounding tissue. One way to limit the amount of heat exposure the tissue is experiencing is to utilize a UV blocking glass with an IR reflecting hot mirror. In combination with a band pass filter, the device would emit far less energy and the vulnerable tissue in the mouth would be less likely to overheat and become damaged.

Through utilization of UV blocking glass filters, dental curing lights have made it much easier for dental professionals to provide realistic tooth repair and replacement solutions to their clients.

To learn more about ZC&R’s UV blocking glass or to discuss how it may benefit your specific application, call 800.426.2864 or email us.

We will have several members of our staff on hand to discuss how we can help benefit your project with quality glass and coatings solutions.

If you would like to schedule a specific time to talk to one of our staff, please email us or call us at 800-426-2864.

When: May 25 - May 27
Where: Washington State Convention Center, Seattle, WA, USA (click for a map).

The hours of the 2010 exhibition are:

Tuesday, May 25 10:30 am - 6:30 pm
Wednesday, May 26 3 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thursday, May 27 4 9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Ultraviolet light is a significant factor when dealing with unfiltered light. While our eyes cannot see it, the camera does. What we refer to as visible light is light radiation that falls between 400 nm and 700 nm. When you look at a rainbow you can see the spectrum of visible light where the shorter wavelengths of light closer to 400 nm are blue and the longer wavelengths of light closer to 700 nm are red. When you look at the red and blue edges of a rainbow, you should notice that the color seems to fade a bit the farther out you go. This is not because the light isn’t there, it’s because your eyes aren’t capable of seeing those wavelengths.

Color film photography presents an interesting problem when it comes to UV light. Color film essentially has three color sensitive layers, one of which is blue. The blue layer responds to blue light, but it also responds to UV light. When taking color film photographs in an area with unfiltered light, outdoors for instance, then you run the risk of overexposing the blue layer and ending up with photographs that have a distinctive blue tinge. Our eyes and brains tend to be trained not to see this blue tinge when we are used to seeing it, but then you see a photograph that doesn’t have it and it’s like seeing the world through new eyes. Using a UV blocking glass while taking color film photographs will drastically reduce the blue tinge effect.

Digital Photography doesn’t really have the same problem that color film photography has, and while that is good news for digital camera users, there are still other problems to be resolved. One such problem is called “scatter”. This effect is most noticeable when photographing distant subjects and shows up as a bluish haze that reduces the crisp clarity often sought when photographing subjects like mountain ranges or cityscapes. Another difficulty with digital photography in relation to UV is “purple fringing” or PF. This most commonly occurs when a dark subject is backlit on a bright background, such as tree leaves against a clear sky. UV blocking glass filters also help to alleviate this problem.

There are other ways to alleviate all of these problems, either through photo manipulation after the fact, or by limiting your choices of subject matter to studio scenes where the light can be filtered at the source. In all of these alternatives, you are limiting the quality and choice of subject matter and not truly solving the problem of ultraviolet light filtering. The best pictures are taken with equipment that solves the problem up front so that quality of the photograph is not adversely affected in development or touch up.

To learn more about ZC&R’s UV blocking glass or to discuss how it may benefit your specific application, call 800.426.2864 or email us.

LCDs utilize organic components that are susceptible to ultraviolet degradation, which can manifest as a shift in color or a washed out look. Displays used in outdoor environments or in close proximity to Fluorescent black lights and other long wave UV emitters are at considerable risk of Ultraviolet degradation. Outdoor LCD devices are at high risk, but with more indoor UV emitter applications being developed it has become apparent that sunlight based ultraviolet radiation is not the only concern. Indoor UV emitter applications are being developed or are currently in use by medical and forensics groups for example.

The atmosphere itself blocks a significant portion of sunlight Ultraviolet radiation up to 280 nm, which is the top end of the UV C range. Oxygen is the primary element responsible for the atmospheres filtering effect on UV C. Indoor UV C emitters are in relative close proximity to the LCDs they would potentially affect and thus are not likely to benefit as much from the filtering effects of the atmosphere. UV C is also damaging to people and so high intensity emitters use protective barriers to contain the UV C radiation. For this reason, LCDs within the application would need a protective UV Blocking Glass.

UV B is less blocked by the atmosphere, but is still significantly blocked by ordinary glass (although this is not generally true for Silica or quartz glass). In situations where an application uses UV B radiation, it is recommended that the application be sealed to prevent excessive human exposure. Any application that needs an LCD to be exposed to UV B radiation regularly should utilize a UV Blocking Glass coating to ensure that the LCD does not degrade.

While ordinary glass blocks a significant portion of UV B this still leaves a significant portion of the UV A range that permeates the front of an LCD. It is this UV A range that has often eluded efforts to prevent ultraviolet degradation. Its effects are often not as obvious, but can be seen in many everyday situations where carpet, drapes or other natural and synthetic polymer objects are left in a window for long periods of time. They fade, crack or disintegrate due to the unblocked UV A radiation that passes through ordinary glass.

ZC&R’s UV Blocking Glass solutions act as a mirror to ultraviolet radiation. In combination with a hot mirror (IR Reflector), this coating helps preserve the performance of an LCD exposed to unfiltered broadband lighting while retaining the visibility and clarity of the display.

For more information on ZC&R’s UV Blocking Glass solutions please call 800.426.2864, email us or visit our heat control page at zcrcoatings.com/heat-control/.

There are certainly other ways to protect us from low intensity ultraviolet light and new products come out all the time that offer this protection in various ways. Vast amounts of research and effort have been put into finding out just how dangerous UV light damage is and how to prevent it. Lotions, glasses and even clothing have been developed to prevent the carcinogenic effects of UV light exposed to our skin and eyes. These protection are effective when the source of the ultraviolet light is the sun, but what do you do when the sun is not the source?

While the sun is widely recognized as the most significant source of UV light it is not the only source we must work to protect ourselves from. Ultraviolet light is known to emanate from many different man made sources like high pressure arc lamps and fluorescent lamps as well as incandescent lamps and solid state light sources (LED’s, OLED’s and PLED’s). In fact it is known that broadband or “white” light sources are almost guaranteed to produce at least some UV light along with the visible light intended.

Among all the light sources that we use just to see the world around us, there are also light sources that are used for other purposes. For a while now, Medical research and care facilities have been using light to treat patients as well as conduct experiments. One such treatment is light therapy used on the skin of someone who has acne vulgaris or a child that has neonatal jaundice. Other skin conditions that can be treated specifically with UVA (315 – 400 nm) or UVB (280 – 315 nm) light are psoriasis and eczema. Light therapy is also used by directing light into the eyes in order to help treat circadian rhythm disorders such as delayed sleep phase syndrome and can also be used to treat seasonal affective disorder. Another medical application for light is during surgery, where light from a high intensity arc lamp is funneled to the surgical site through optical fibers. It is critical to use UV and IR filtering in this application so that the unprotected internal tissue is not damaged by the light needed to see what the surgeon is doing.

Other medical uses for ultraviolet light are for protein analysis through UV-visible spectroscopy, DNA sequencing, drug discovery and medical imaging of cells. Through these applications, UV light becomes a valuable resource and a tool for accomplishing important tasks that not only help researchers find the source of health problems, such as errors in DNA but UV light is also being used to help correct health problems through development of new drugs and other medical technologies. In all of these tasks it is important that the UV light be contained or isolated through the use of UV blocking glass.

Just like fire and many other forces harnessed for use as tools, ultraviolet light must be used with knowledge, caution and protection. While there are many ways to protect ourselves from the damaging effects of UV light, it is most important to recognize that protection is needed. Once that is determined, then the appropriate form of protection can be acquired and implemented. ZC&R’s UV blocking glass is an excellent example of a form of protection that filters the light at the source, or through isolating UV light so that it is directed to the appropriate point of use without adversely affecting unintended tissue.

To learn more about ZC&R’s UV blocking glass or to discuss how it may benefit your specific application, call 800.426.2864 or email us.

Many UV Blocking Glass solutions are said to provide a certain percentage of protection from UV light, often ranging between 96% and 99.9%. It is important to note that there are different kinds of UV light and the amount of protection provided for each kind of UV light is as important as its overall protection against UV. UV B and UV C radiation for instance are significantly blocked by regular glass, but UV A radiation isn’t significantly blocked. If an overall rating were given to regular glass it might deceive someone into thinking that their artworks were perfectly fine behind regular glass, when in fact UV A radiation can be virtually unhindered as it passes right through regular glass. Taking this into account means knowing that the UV Blocking Glass you’ve opted to use doesn’t just protect versus UV in general, but is specifically blocking significant portions of the entire range of ultraviolet radiation.

In addition to utilizing UV Blocking Glass it is also important to adhere to the following guidelines when displaying valuable artwork:
• Use just enough light to display the artwork as intended. Even though implementing a UV Blocking Glass solution, it is important to reduce light levels in the display area because the small amount of UV that does pass through adds up over time. Reducing light levels reduces the amount of UV the artwork is exposed to.
• Do not expose artwork to direct sunlight. The sun is a significant source of UV B and UV A (most of the UV C and shorter wavelengths are blocked by the atmosphere). It is also a high intensity light source that conveys much higher levels of UV radiation than regular artificial light sources.
• Use Incandescent, not fluorescent light sources. Fluorescent lights produce much more UV light than incandescent lights do.
• Other environmental concerns can hazardously affect your artwork as well. Any museum quality artwork should be contained in a controlled environment. Humidity and oxygen are traditional culprits for artwork degradation. In these situations it may be ideal to use a hermetically sealed viewing case.
• Do not allow the use of flash cameras. The intense and unfiltered light from a flash camera adds up over time. Allowing artwork to be exposed to hundreds of thousands of flashes will likely have a perceptible effect on the piece.

ZC&R UV Blocking Glass is a high quality solution at a good price. If unique and irreplaceable artwork is to be preserved in a viewing area with minimal exposure to irreparable ultraviolet degradation, then our UV Blocking Glass solution is the right way to go.

For more information on how UV Blocking Glass is used to preserve artwork and museum pieces, please call 800.426.2864, email us or visit our heat control page at zcrcoatings.com/heat-control/.

ZC&R and Abrisa will be exhibiting at Booth 1740, where we will have staff on hand to discuss what is going on in the industry right now and how our precision thin film optical coatings from the UV spectrum to the longwave IR are helping your projects meet with success. We provide OEM custom engineering, design and support services for defense, medical, display and lighting markets.

Stop by our booth to talk with us or email us or call us at 800-426-2864 to set up an appointment.

SPIE Photonics West – Booth 1740

Extreme weather conditions are familiar territory for the military as they are called upon to operate in hostile environments throughout the world, and have spent a significant amount of research time to determine what specific measures should be taken to assure that equipment will continue to function properly. In arctic conditions the military takes special care to ensure that cameras, liquid crystal displays and handheld devices are kept above temperatures that risk damage to their optics such as LCD failure due to freezing. Transparent heater windows help to mitigate these conditions by keeping the components at elevated temperatures.

Outdoor security cameras are a prime example of optical equipment that are susceptible to cold weather conditions and must be kept above a minimum operating temperature to avoid electronics malfunction. Security camera manufacturers offer systems that help to address these concerns by heating the camera housing. In addition to preventing the electronics from malfunctioning it is also important to prevent the housing window from frosting over or collecting condensation and blocking the field of view of the camera. In some cases Transparent heater windows use an electrical current variation system to monitor and adjust the window temperature so that it is always slightly warmer than ambient conditions with a lower limit that is just above freezing temperatures.

One obstacle to overcome when developing a transparent heater window is transparency itself. The goal of any window is to provide protection while allowing as much light as possible to pass unhindered by the window. In order to achieve this goal, LuxVu Transparent Heater Windows utilize a unique process combined with specific chemicals to create a transparent conductive coating. This coating incorporates index matching layers in such a way that the reflectance of the conductive surface can be less than plain window glass thus allowing more light to pass through the window.

ZC&R’s LuxVu Transparent Heater Windows use IMITO (Index Matched Indium-Tin Oxide) as the semiconductor coating material. This material has a low IR emissivity property that also allows this coating to be valuable in environments where the camera housing is being cooled to prevent heat related malfunctions. This would help to reduce the amount of heat entering the housing through the window while helping to prevent condensation on the outside of the window. Furthermore, the coating used is also an EMI shield, which can help address electro-magnetic interference security concerns by acting as a barrier and helping to prevent the EMI from entering through the window and potentially damaging the electronics inside.

LuxVu Transparent Heater Windows can also be used in a variety of other applications and more are being developed and implemented every year. Currently the military uses transparent heater windows in aircraft to prevent frost and condensation on the windshields that could cause difficulty in piloting. This same application is also being expanded for use in ground vehicles.

For more information about Transparent Heater Windows or how LuxVu ITO coatings can benefit your application please call 800.426.2864 or email us.

Transparent Heater Windows were originally developed during World War II for use on the windshields of aircraft. Certain aircraft were deployed to high altitude or cold weather environments and were susceptible to frost forming on the windshield which obscured the vision of the crew.

Several different types of Transparent Heater Windows exist. The most common form can be seen used in the rear window of an automobile as a de-fogger. The obvious flaw in using that particular iteration of the technology is the fact that it has visible lines which can obscure vision. For that reason Transparent Conductive Oxide coatings are used. TCO’s come in several forms, but the three most common are Fluorine-doped Tin Oxide (SnO2:F), Indium-Tin Oxide (ITO), and thin stacks of oxides and metallic silver. ITO coatings are robust and suited for a variety of industrial uses.

Using a TCO in a transparent heater window also has another note worthy property. The metal oxides used not only conduct electricity, but also reflect heat. Without a TCO the glass surface absorbs heat as a high-emissivity material. Adding the coating allows the glass to reflect heat as a low-emissivity material.

Transparent Heater Windows are used in a wide variety of applications today. They are used in supermarket freezers and cold item displays to reduce the amount of environmental heat that reaches the contents while allowing customers to view what is inside. These windows are also used in outdoor security camera housings to prevent frost from forming and obscuring the view of the camera. Please call us to discuss how this technology is, or could be, used in your application.

For more information about transparent conductive oxide coatings or LuxVu Transparent Heater Windows please call 800.426.2864 or email us.