Comparative Analysis of a Solar Control Coating on Glass by AES, EPMA, SNMS and SIMS

A solar control coating was analysed by different methods of surface analysis with respect to the layer sequence and the composition and thickness of each sublayer. The methods used for depth profiling were Auger electron spectroscopy, electron probe microanalysis, secondary neutral mass spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectroscopy based on MCs+. The structure of the coating was unknown at first. All methods found a system of two metallic Ag layers, embedded between dielectric SnOX layers. Additionally, thin Ni-Cr layers of 1–2 nm were detected on top of the Ag layers. Thus the detected layer sequence is SnOX/Ni-Cr/Ag/SnOX/Ni-Cr/Ag/SnOX/glass. The Ni:Cr ratio in the nm-thin layers could be quantified by every method, the Cr fraction corresponding to less than one monolayer. We compare the capabilities and limitations of each method in routinely investigating this solar control coating. Importance was attached to an effective investigation. Nevertheless, by combining all methods, measuring artefacts could be uncovered and a comprehensive characterisation of the system was obtained.