Advanced Etched AG

Minimal and well within acceptable limits. Our chemical etching process maintains a total transmittance of ≥91% -- compared to the 92% of unprocessed float glass. The <1% transmittance reduction is imperceptible to the human eye and well within DICOM display standards for medical imaging.

For comparison, a standard anti-reflective (AR) coating achieves ~93% transmittance, while a spray-on AG coating typically drops to 85-88%. Our etched AG is significantly superior in light throughput to coating-based alternatives.

Yes -- and this is one of the most powerful combinations available for premium display applications. Etched AG provides diffuse scattering (reducing specular glare), while AR coating provides destructive interference (reducing overall reflectance). Applied together, they achieve reflectance values as low as 0.3-0.5%.

This AG+AR stack is increasingly specified for high-end medical imaging panels, aerospace cockpit displays, and premium automotive HUDs. We apply the AR coating via magnetron sputtering after the etching process is complete. Contact our engineers for combined TDS documentation.

Sandblasting uses abrasive particles to mechanically roughen the glass surface, creating irregular, large-scale surface features (Ra typically 0.5-2.0 μm). This causes significant "pixel sparkle" on high-resolution displays and introduces micro-cracks that weaken the glass structurally.

Chemical etching uses a precisely controlled acid bath to create a uniform nano-scale microstructure (Ra 0.05-0.25 μm). The result is a dramatically smoother surface with zero sparkle, higher transmittance, superior tactile feel, and no structural degradation. For any display above 1080p, sandblasting is not a viable option -- chemical etching is the only engineering-grade solution.

Yes, with important process sequencing considerations. For glass substrates, etching must be performed before hot-bending or tempering, as the chemical process requires a flat, uniform immersion. Post-bend etching is possible for shallow curves (<5° radius) but requires custom jigging and is quoted case-by-case.

For flat panels with complex edge profiles (CNC-cut shapes, holes, notches), we perform the etching process after all mechanical cutting and drilling to avoid micro-crack propagation. This is a key process advantage of our factory -- our in-house CNC and etching lines share the same facility, enabling tight process integration.

Our standard MOQ for custom etched AG glass panels is 50 pieces per specification for prototyping orders. Mass production MOQ begins at 500 pieces and scales to millions per year depending on panel size.

Lead times: Prototyping (custom size + GU spec) typically requires 10-15 business days from drawing approval. Mass production runs are typically 15-25 business days depending on order volume and substrate availability. Rush prototyping (7-10 days) is available for qualified projects -- contact Iris directly at [email protected].

Yes -- chemical etching is fully compatible with capacitive touch sensor bonding. The etching process is applied only to the front (display-facing) surface, while the rear surface remains optically flat for OCA (Optically Clear Adhesive) or SCA bonding to touch sensor films.

Our 70-90 GU "velvet smooth" finish (Ra 0.10-0.18 μm) is specifically optimized for finger-touch interfaces -- providing excellent glide feel while maintaining full multi-touch sensitivity. For projected capacitive (PCAP) touchscreens, we recommend a maximum haze of 8% to preserve touch signal integrity through the cover glass stack.