(EN)
An anti-reflective composite is provided having very
high visible light transmission and negligible visible
reflectance over 400 nm-800 nm wavelengths. The composite of
the invention includes (a) a light transmissive substrate; (b)
a hard coat deposited onto the substrate; (c) a thin carbon
layer having an average thickness between about 2.ANG. and about
100.ANG.; and (d) a plurality of transparent oxide layer pairs
deposited onto the thin carbon layer, each transparent oxide
layer pair comprising (i) a first transparent oxide having a
refractive index between about 1.65 and about 2.65 and an
average thickness between about 100.ANG. and about 3200° and (ii)
a second transparent oxide layer having a refractive index
between about 1.2 and about 1.85, and an average thickness
between about 100.ANG. and about 3200.ANG.. The composite can also
include an intermediate oxide layer disposed between the thin
carbon layer and the first transparent oxide layer. Such
intermediate oxide layer has a refractive index between about
1.5 and about 2.2 and is between 400.ANG. and about 1000.ANG. in
thickness. In another preferred embodiment, the composite
further comprises an outermost transparent low surface energy
layer having a surface energy of less than about 40 dynes/cm.
In another preferred embodiment, the transparent layers are
deposited by vacuum or non-vacuum processes or by a combination
of both processes.
