TWI479486B - Light transmittive aln protective layers and associated devices and methods - Google Patents

Description

Light transmission aluminum nitride protective layer and related device and method

The present invention claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 61/560,049, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to a light transmissive protective layer, and more particularly to an apparatus having such a light transmissive protective layer and related methods.

A variety of light transmissive surfaces have reduced efficiency over the life of the associated device. For example, DVDs, CDs, touch screens, glasses, and the like can cause scratches after normal use, and therefore, in some cases, performance degradation or even complete destruction due to wear and tear. Many materials have been used in an attempt to provide a protective layer for such devices. In many cases, this material actually reduces the light transmission from the device and thus limits its use. In other cases, the protective material is softer than the underlying protected surface, which merely shifts the scratch problem to another different material.

The present invention provides a device having a light transmissive protective layer and associated methods containing the same. In one aspect, for example, a device having a light transmissive protective layer can include a substrate having at least one wavelength from about 250 nm to Light of about 800 nm may have a transmittance of greater than or equal to about 85%, and a light transmissive protective layer is applied to the substrate. The protective layer comprises at least 50 weight percent AlN and has a transmittance greater than or equal to about 80% for light having at least one wavelength from about 250 nanometers to about 800 nanometers. In another aspect, the protective layer comprises at least 75 weight percent AlN. In still another aspect, the protective layer has a transmittance of greater than or equal to about 80% for light having at least one wavelength from about 400 nanometers to about 500 nanometers.

Further, in some aspects, the protective layer may be hardened by any technique capable of hardening a layer containing AlN as a main component. In one aspect, for example, the protective layer can be hardened by doping a boron dopant. The desired boron content can vary depending on the desired properties of the protective layer. However, in one aspect, the boron dopant doped to the protective layer has a concentration of from about 5 atomic percent to about 15 atomic percent.

Additionally, the protective layer can be formed as a conductive layer. In one aspect, for example, the protective layer has a resistivity of from about 1.0 x 10 ^-4 to about 3.0 x 10 ^-4 ohm-cm. Various techniques for increasing the conductivity of the protective layer can be utilized, and any one of them is within the scope of the present case. In one aspect, for example, the protective layer is doped with a dopant selected from the group consisting of gallium, indium, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the dopant doped to the protective layer has a total doping concentration of from about 25 atomic percent to about 90 atomic percent.

The light transmissive protective layer can be applied to various substrates, and is not limited to the suitable substrates exemplified, including glass materials, polymer materials, sapphire materials, quartz materials, cubic zirconia materials, and combinations thereof. In a specific aspect, The substrate is a polymer material. In another embodiment, the polymeric material is a polycarbonate.

In one embodiment, the device can be an optical storage medium device. Any storage medium device can be coated with the protective layer of the present invention, however, in one aspect, the optical storage medium device is capable of storing data from 4 GB of data to 10 GB of data. In another aspect, the storage medium device can be a capacity to store more than 10 GB of data. In another aspect, the device is a touch screen.

The invention further provides a method of protecting a light transmissive substrate of a device. In another aspect, for example, the apparatus can include providing a light transmissive protective layer on a substrate, the protective layer comprising at least 50 weight percent AlN, and having at least one wavelength from about 250 nanometers to about 800 The light of the nanometer has a transmittance greater than or equal to about 80%, and the substrate has a transmittance of greater than or equal to about 85% for light having at least one wavelength from about 250 nanometers to about 800 nanometers. In one aspect, the method can include providing the protective layer by PVD deposition. In another aspect, the method can include applying a protective layer precursor to the substrate by screen printing and heating the protective layer precursor to form the protective layer.

The above is a broad description of the various features of the present invention, and the description of the present invention will be more fully understood. The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings and the scope of the claims.

Before the present invention is disclosed and described, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the specific structures, method steps, or materials disclosed herein, but may be extended to the equivalents, such as those of ordinary skill in the art. It. Also, it is understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description

The singular forms "a", "the", "the" and "the" Thus, for example, reference to "the layer" includes one or more layers; with respect to "an additive" includes reference to one or more of such materials; with respect to "cathode arc technology", it includes reference to one or more of such techniques. .

definition

In the description of the invention and the scope of the patent application, specific terms are used according to the definitions below.

As used herein, "vapor deposited" means that the material is formed using a vapor deposition technique. Vapor deposition means that a deposition substance is formed on a substrate by a vapor phase. The vapor deposition method may include any similar methods such as, but not limited to, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and physical vapor deposition (PVD). Various variations of various vapor deposition methods can be implemented by those skilled in the art. Examples of vapor deposition methods include hot wire CVD, radio frequency CVD, laser CVD (LCVD), laser ablation, conformal diamond coating method, metal-organic CVD ( MOCVD) method, sputtering method, thermal evaporation PVD, ionized metal PVD (IMPVD), electron beam PVD (EBPVD), reactive PVD, atomic layer deposition (ALD), and the like.

As used herein, the term "substantially" means that an action, feature, characteristic, state, structure, item, or result has a complete or near-complete extent or extent. The exact acceptable degree of error compared to absolute integrity can be determined by the specifics of the text. However, it is generally said that near completion can be seen as having absolute and complete results with the same overall result. The term "substantially" is equally applicable to a negative meaning, which means that an action, feature, characteristic, state, structure, item, or result is a complete or near-complete deficiency. For example, a composition "substantially free" of particles means that the composition is not completely devoid of particles, or is nearly completely deficient in particles, with the effect of being completely devoid of particles. In other words, a "substantially no" component of a component or element may actually contain the item (referring to the component or element) as long as it does not have an important influence.

As used herein, the term "about" means the provision of an elastic space at the end of a range of values, ie a given value may be "slightly above" or "slightly below" the endpoint of the endpoint. The degree of resilience can be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. In addition, the reference includes the exact and precise endpoint unless the context dictates otherwise.

In this document, a plurality of items, structural elements, constituent elements, and/or materials may be presented in a general list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as each of the listed elements of the list may be separate and distinct elements. Therefore, based on the general presentation without the relative description of other groups, this The individual elements listed are not necessarily to be construed as being in fact equivalent to the other.

In this context, concentrations, total amounts, and other numerical data may be expressed or presented in a range. It is to be understood that the scope of the invention is to be construed as a limitation of the As the values and subranges are explicitly listed. For example, a value range of "about 1 to about 5" is to be construed to include not only the specifically recited value of the range of about 1 to about 5 but also the individual values and sub-ranges within the range indicated. Therefore, it includes individual values such as 2, 3, and 4 and sub-ranges such as from 1 to 3, from 2 to 4, and from 3 to 5, and 1, 2, 3, respectively, within the range of values. 4 and 5. This same principle applies to a range that merely indicates that a value is a minimum or a maximum. In addition, this interpretation should apply regardless of the extent or characteristics of the scope.

this invention

The present invention provides a light transmissive protective layer, and an apparatus comprising the light transmissive protective layer, and related methods. A variety of light transmissive surfaces have reduced efficiency over the life of the associated device. The reduction in efficiency can be the result of a number of factors, not limited to the listed scratches, dirt buildup, oil stains and other light blocking or refracting materials, and the like. The light transmissive protective layer of the present invention provides protection to such surfaces, coated thereon or completely taken on a representative sheet. In an embodiment that is not limited to the present invention, the devices that benefit from the light transmissive protective layer include LEDs, touch screens, optical storage media (including CD's and DVD's), SAW filters, and the like.

The light transmissive protective layer that has been found today can be formed from an AlN material. Red photons have an energy of about 1.8 eV, while blue photons have about 3.5 eV. AlN has an energy gap of about 6 eV which is greater than the energy of the range of light from red to blue light. The AlN material is transparent so that its light is in this range. Light transparency allows AlN to be applied as a fill to other light-transmissive substrates such as optical storage media, touch screens, glasses, watch crystals, and the like. In some aspects, the AlN layer can be used as a light transmissive substrate rather than just as a light transmissive protective layer applied to the substrate. For example, in one aspect, the AlN layer can serve as a thin protective layer applied to the touch screen interface, and in another aspect, the AlN layer can serve as the touch screen interface itself.

AlN materials are resistant to wear and chemical inertness and can therefore be used to protect equipment from abrasion, scratches, and chemical damage. In addition, dopants can alter the physical properties of AlN materials to enhance various properties for certain applications. For example, AlN may be doped with boron (B) to increase the hardness and transparency of the AlN layer in some cases. This can be used for devices that are easily scratched or otherwise worn, or for devices that exhibit performance degradation over time, or for AlN layers to increase hardness. In another aspect, AlN may be doped with gallium (Ga), indium (In), or the like to improve the conductivity of the AlN material. Conductive AlN layers can be advantageous in a variety of applications. An example of such an application is for a touch screen as a protective layer.

In one aspect of the invention, an apparatus having a light transmissive protective layer is provided. The device can include a substrate having a transmission greater than or equal to about 85% for light having a wavelength of from about 250 nanometers to about 800 nanometers. And a light transmissive protective layer is applied to the substrate. The protective layer comprises at least 50 weight percent AlN and has a transmittance greater than or equal to about 80% for light having at least one wavelength from about 250 nanometers to about 800 nanometers. In another aspect, the protective layer comprises at least 75 weight percent AlN. Moreover, in still another aspect, the protective layer has a transmittance of greater than or equal to about 80% for light having at least one wavelength from about 400 nanometers to about 500 nanometers. Further, in some cases, the protective layer has a thickness of from about 10 nanometers to about 1 micrometer. In another aspect, the protective layer has a thickness of from about 50 nanometers to about 1 micrometer.

In one aspect of the invention, the light transmissive protective layer can be applied to an optical storage medium device. For example, a light transmissive substrate 12 shown in FIG. 1 has a recording layer 14 bonded thereto. A light transmissive protective layer 16 is applied to the substrate 12. In this case, the light 18 is irradiated onto the recording layer 14 by a reading device, such as a laser, after passing through the protective layer 16 and the substrate 12. Thus, the protective layer 16 provides further protection to the substrate to increase the useful life of the optical storage medium and to reduce scratches and wear. The protective layer may include AlN, and in some cases, AlN may be doped with boron to increase the hardness and durability of the layer. The materials used for the substrate of the optical storage medium can be varied, but are usually a high molecular substance such as polycarbonate. The increased hardness will increase the scratch resistance of the optical storage medium device via the substrate coated with AlN. In addition, the light transmissive nature of AlN allows laser light to enter the recording layer unconditionally through the substrate. This would be particularly beneficial for optical storage media readers that utilize blue lasers, such as Blu-ray discs, which have a particular transmission for blue light wavelengths compared to many other coating materials.

The structure of the optical storage medium device may vary depending on the type of device and the reading system used. As shown in FIG. 2, for example, the light transmissive substrate 12 has a recording layer 14 and a light transmissive protective layer 16 combined. As shown in FIG. 1, the light 18 is irradiated onto the recording layer 14 after passing through the protective layer 16 and the substrate 12 by a reading device. A support layer 20 is coupled to the recording layer 14 relative to the light transmissive substrate 12, which is similar in structure to DVD and Blu-ray discs.

The AlN protective layer of the present invention can be utilized in any type of optical storage medium known. In non-limiting examples of the invention, the media includes CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, overwritten optical storage media, and the like. In one aspect, the optical storage medium device is capable of storing more than 10 GB of data on a single disc. Regardless of the type of device, the optical storage medium can be protected by coating the surface of the AlN layer through the laser or optical reading source. Moreover, in some aspects, the AlN layer can be applied directly to the recording layer and thereby replace many of the light transmissive substrates currently designed for optical storage media. This is particularly beneficial for optical storage media, such as Blu-ray discs, which are very thin relative to the overall thickness of the disc.

In another aspect, the light transmissive protective layer can be used to provide further protection to the touch screen device. Various designs of touch screen devices are contemplated, and any such design is considered to be within the scope of the present invention. In non-limiting embodiments of the invention, touch screen technologies include resistors, capacitors, surface acoustic wave (SAW), infrared, optical imaging, acoustic pulse recognition, dispersive signal technology, and the like. Therefore, regardless of the technology, the touch screen can be coated with a light transmissive protective layer to provide further protection to the device. Since the AlN material can be transmitted by visible light, it is displayed via a touch screen. The image is easily transmitted through the AlN material for viewing by the user. As shown in FIG. 3, for example, a light transmissive protective layer 32 containing an AlN material is disposed on a touch screen 34. If the touch screen technology utilizes a change in conductivity to sense the touch of the screen, the AlN layer can be doped with a dopant such as gallium or indium to increase the conductivity of the layer so that the finger touch can pass through the AlN layer. Is marked. For example, a touch screen is designed based on the change in capacitance of the indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode grid operating in the vertical direction. The vertical ITO electrodes are insulated from each other, so that it is possible to detect a change in capacitance when the finger is touched. A conductive AlN layer that can be applied to such touch screens to provide protection to the device. The AlN layer can be further doped with boron to increase the hardness of the layer, thereby increasing the durability of the device.

In another aspect, the AlN layer can be used in conjunction with a SAW type touch screen. At least a portion of the hexagonal wurtzite-type crystal structure of the AlN material exhibits a piezoelectric effect. The material's high shear modulus and low density support very high surface acoustic wave (SAW) frequencies. SAW touch screens typically include sound waves generated across the surface of the screen contact area. This can be achieved via a SAW transmitter and receiver that breaks around the touch screen. Any object, such as a finger on the screen, can be detected by sound wave scattering on the surface. Therefore, the ripple pattern is analyzed and the touch position relative to the edge of the screen is determined.

As noted above, various dopants can enhance or control the hardness and/or conductivity of the AlN layer. Any dopant that can be used to improve the AlN layer can be considered to be within the scope of the invention, including, for example, boron, gallium, indium, conductive metals, and the like, and combinations thereof. In a specific aspect, the AlN layer is doped with a boron doping Things. The boron doping content in the AlN layer is sufficient to provide the desired properties of the layer. In one aspect, the boron dopant doped to the AlN layer has a concentration of from about 5 atomic percent to about 15 atomic percent. In another aspect, the boron dopant doped to the AlN layer has a concentration of from about 10 atomic percent to about 15 atomic percent. In a non-limiting example of the invention, boron-doped AlN sputters an AlN:B target onto a substrate to form an AlN protective layer having increased hardness.

In addition, it may be beneficial to inhibit moisture and/or oil from accumulating on the surface of the AlN layer. In some aspects, the AlN layer can be doped with a dopant to reduce the adhesion of oil stains, such as fluorine or hydrogen dopants. In another aspect, a diamond-like carbon (DLC) material can be applied to the AlN material to inhibit actual contact of the AlN layer. Therefore, this material can inhibit the accumulation of moisture and oil on the surface of the AlN. The DLC material can be coated as a one- or nano-sized dot pattern, or any other pattern, such as a grid of grids. In this case, the methane coated DLC material can effectively repel moisture from the surface of the layer. DLC can also be applied as a layer on the AlN layer. DLC is usually not easily attached to glass. AlN coated on SiO ₂ glass can form SiAlON, which is a ceramic with good chemical compatibility. This ceramic layer in turn causes the DLC to adhere to the glass.

In another aspect, the AlN layer is doped with a gallium dopant. The gallium doping content in the AlN layer is sufficient to provide the desired properties of the layer. In one aspect, the gallium dopant doped to the AlN layer has a concentration of from about 5 atomic percent to about 90 atomic percent. In another aspect, the gallium dopant doped to the AlN layer has a concentration of from about 25 atomic percent to about 90 atomic percent. In another aspect, the gallium dopant doped to the AlN layer has a concentration of from about 5 atomic percent to about 50 atomic percent. Doping can occur during or after the formation of the AlN layer. Such doping techniques will be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. In addition, the degree of conductivity of the AlN layer can vary depending on the desired properties and use of the layer, and any degree of conductivity can be considered to be within the scope of the present invention. However, in one aspect, the AlN layer has a resistivity of from about 1.0 x 10 ^-4 to about 3.0 x 10 ^-4 ohm-cm. In another aspect, the AlN layer has a resistivity of from about 1.0 x 10 ^-4 to about 2.5 x 10 ^-4 ohm-cm. In still another aspect, the AlN layer has a resistivity of from about 1.0 x 10 ^-4 to about 2.0 x 10 ^-4 ohm-cm. Moreover, in some aspects, similar results can be achieved by doping other dopants (eg, indium). In a non-limiting example of the invention, gallium-doped AlN, its AlN:Ga target can be formed by an AlGa alloy and sputtered under a nitrogen atmosphere.

Sputtering AlN with an AlN target causes a problem of excessive Al atoms in the target. A highly excessive concentration of Al in the AlN layer may suppress light transmittance and increase the hydrophilicity of the AlN layer. When this layer is formed by sputtering under a nitrogen-containing atmosphere, excess Al can be reduced or eliminated. Nitrogen will be incorporated into this layer along with Al to form AlN. It is also possible to incorporate a higher percentage of nitrogen atoms into the target to reduce excess Al which produces the AlN layer.

Most substrates are contemplated to be deposited on top of an AlN layer, and these substrates include light transmissive substrates and non-light transmissive substrates. In some aspects, the AlN layer is applied to a light transmissive substrate, and any substrate material having light transmissive capabilities and receiving an AlN protective layer deposited thereon can be considered to be within the scope of the present invention. Non-limiting examples of the invention include glass materials, polymeric materials, semiconductor materials, and the like, and combinations thereof. In one aspect, the light transmissive substrate can be a polymeric material. In a specific aspect, the polymer material can Think of polycarbonate. In some aspects, the AlN layer is deposited on the substrate as a replacement for the light transmissive substrate, and any substrate material having an AlN protective layer deposited thereon can be considered to be within the scope of the present invention. Non-limiting examples of the invention include metallic materials, ceramic materials, semiconductor materials, polymeric materials, and the like, and combinations thereof.

The protective and light transmissive AlN layer of the present invention can be deposited on a substrate by any technique capable of depositing an AlN material in a manner that produces a layer having light transmissive properties. In one aspect, for example, the AlN material is deposited by a vapor deposition process. Such vapor deposition methods may include chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and physical vapor deposition (PVD) techniques. In a specific example, the AlN protective layer can be deposited by a PVD method. In a non-limiting example of the invention, suitable methods include vapor deposition, cathodic arc deposition, ion bombardment, radio frequency coupler, electron beam PVD, vapor deposition, pulsed laser deposition, sputtering, magnetron sputtering, and A similar way. In one embodiment, PVD deposition can be by sputtering. Sputtering is capable of depositing an AlN layer onto various substrate materials at a lower cost than CVD deposition techniques.

Further, in another aspect, the AlN layer can be formed by depositing an AlN material on a substrate and hardening the layer into an AlN protective layer. For example, in one aspect, an AlN material can be deposited on a substrate and formed into a protective layer precursor by screen printing, ink jet printing, spray coating, and the like. This protective layer precursor can then be heated to form a protective layer of one of the AlN materials.

The AlN layer may be deposited on the entire surface of the substrate or only a portion thereof depending on the structure of the desired protective layer. Further, the AlN layer may have various thicknesses. In some aspects, as long as a very thin layer is sufficient to achieve the desired result, It can be used in relatively thick layers. Therefore, the scope of the invention is not limited to the thickness of the AlN layer. That is, in one aspect, the AlN layer can have a thickness of from about 100 microns to about 1 mm. In another aspect, the AlN layer can have a thickness of from about 10 microns to about 100 microns. In still another aspect, the AlN layer can have a thickness of from about 100 nanometers to about 10 microns. In still another aspect, the AlN layer can have a thickness of from about 10 nanometers to about 1 micrometer. In still another aspect, the AlN layer can have a thickness of from about 10 nanometers to about 30 nanometers. In some aspects, the AlN layer can have a thickness of from about 1 nanometer to about 100 nanometers. It should be noted that in some cases, the thickness of the AlN layer of the PVD may be promoted when the thickness is less than about 100 nm.

The invention further provides a method of protecting a light transmissive substrate of a device. In another aspect, for example, the apparatus can include providing a light transmissive protective layer on a light transmissive substrate, the protective layer comprising at least 50 weight percent AlN, and having at least one wavelength from about 250 nm to A light of about 800 nm has a transmittance greater than or equal to about 80%. Further, the substrate has a transmittance of greater than or equal to about 85% for light having a wavelength of from about 250 nanometers to about 800 nanometers.

The following examples are illustrative of various methods of electronic devices in accordance with the present invention. However, it is to be understood that the following examples are merely exemplary or illustrative of the principles of application of the invention. Many modifications and alternative compositions, methods and systems can be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Such modifications and configurations are covered by the scope of the appended patent application. Therefore, although the foregoing has described the particularity of the invention, The following examples will be combined with specific embodiments of the invention to provide further details.

Example 1

A glass panel coated with an AlN layer and a boron atom doped with a 10% substituted aluminum atom. The four edges of the AlN layer are coated (e.g., sputtered or vapor deposited) with the Al junction of the electrodes. The two edges are connected to the emitter and the other two edges are connected to the receiver. The junction is formed by the opposite edge of the emitter on one side and the receiver on the other side. When a voltage is applied to the emitter, surface acoustic waves (SAW) are generated to move to the opposite side of the AlN layer where the receiver is located. If the contact point does not exist, the sound waves will move in parallel. However, if a contact point is present, the SAW will scatter. Therefore, the receiver will be able to detect the interference of the SAWs at different locations along the periphery of the AlN layer. These disturbances can be resolved by the IC processor to determine the location and size of the contact points at the time of contact, the pressure distribution of each contact, and the movement of the individual points.

Example 2

A polycarbonate substrate covering the optical reading layer is provided. The AlN layer is applied to the polycarbonate substrate via deposition, having a substantially uniform thickness of less than about 100 nanometers. The AlN and polycarbonate layers provide over 90% blue light transmission.

Of course, it is to be understood that the above configuration is merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. Many modifications and alternative configurations can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Modifications and configurations of this type are covered by the scope of interest. Therefore, while the foregoing has been described with respect to the particular embodiments of the invention and the embodiments of the invention , including, different sizes, materials, shapes, types, functions, and methods of operation, assembly, and use, are not limited thereto.

12‧‧‧Substrate

14‧‧‧recording layer

16,32‧‧‧Light transmission protective layer

18‧‧‧Light

20‧‧‧Support layer

34‧‧‧ touch screen

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a cross-sectional side view of an optical storage medium device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional side view of an optical storage medium device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a cross-sectional side view of a touch screen according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The above drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating the invention. In addition, the drawings are not drawn to scale, and are only illustrative of the dimensions and geometry, and may vary from the description.

12‧‧‧Substrate

14‧‧‧recording layer

16‧‧‧Light transmission protection layer

18‧‧‧Light

Claims (18)

A device having a light transmissive protective layer, comprising: a substrate having a transmittance of greater than or equal to about 90% for light having a wavelength of from about 250 nm to about 800 nm; and a coating a light transmissive protective layer on the substrate, the protective layer comprising at least 50 weight percent AlN and having a transmittance greater than or equal to about 80% for light having at least one wavelength from about 250 nanometers to about 800 nanometers; The protective layer is doped with a dopant selected from the group consisting of gallium, indium, or a combination thereof. A device having a light transmissive protective layer as described in claim 1, wherein the protective layer comprises at least 75 weight percent AlN. The device of claim 1, wherein the protective layer has a transmittance of greater than or equal to about 80% for light having a wavelength of from about 400 nm to about 500 nm. A device having a light transmissive protective layer as described in claim 1, wherein the protective layer is doped with a boron dopant. A device having a light transmissive protective layer as described in claim 4, wherein the boron dopant doped to the protective layer has a concentration of from about 5 atomic percent to about 15 atomic percent. The device having a light transmissive protective layer according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a component selected from the group consisting of a glass material, a polymer material, a sapphire material, a quartz material, a cubic zirconia material, and A group of its combination. A light transmissive protective layer as described in claim 1 The device wherein the substrate is a polymeric material. A device having a light transmissive protective layer according to claim 7, wherein the polymer material is polycarbonate. A device having a light transmissive protective layer as described in claim 7 wherein the device is an optical storage medium device. A device having a light transmissive protective layer as described in claim 9 wherein the optical storage medium device is capable of storing more than 10 GB of data. A device having a light transmissive protective layer as described in claim 1, wherein the protective layer has a resistivity of from about 1.0 x 10 ^-4 to about 3.0 x 10 ^-4 ohm-cm. A device having a light transmissive protective layer as described in claim 1, wherein the dopant doped to the protective layer has a total doping concentration of from about 25 atomic percent to about 90 atomic percent. The device of claim 11, wherein the device is a touch screen. A method of protecting a light transmissive substrate of a device, comprising: disposing a light transmissive protective layer on a light transmissive substrate, the protective layer comprising at least 50 weight percent AlN, and having at least one wavelength from about 250 nm to A light having an amplitude of about 800 nm has a transmittance greater than or equal to about 80%, and the substrate has a transmittance of greater than or equal to about 85% for light having at least one wavelength from about 250 nanometers to about 800 nanometers; And including increasing the conductivity of the protective layer by doping a dopant selected from the group consisting of gallium, indium, or a combination thereof. The method of light transmitting a substrate of a protective device according to claim 14, wherein the protective layer is provided by a PVD deposition method. The method of light transmissing a substrate of the protective device of claim 14, wherein the providing the protective layer further comprises: applying a protective layer precursor to the substrate by screen printing; and heating the substrate The layer precursor is protected to form the protective layer. The method of light transmitting a substrate of the protective device of claim 14, further comprising increasing the hardness of the protective layer by doping boron. The method of light transmitting a substrate of the protective device of claim 14, further comprising doping the indium to increase the conductivity of the protective layer.