Guowen Ding, Ping He, Labforinvention Corporation, Fremont, CA
Modern society runs on seamless mobile connectivity. Yet, the wide commercial adoption of low-emissivity (low-E) windows introduces significant problems in the transmission of mobile signals, which is further exacerbated by the global adoption of 5G networks, particularly mid to high-band 5G frequencies. This presentation introduces a production-line integrated and cost-competitive low-E manufacturing technology enabling mobile signal penetration of low-E windows while maintaining optical and thermal performance. Core technology leverages lithography and is fully compatible with the throughput of existing Low-E production lines. Final low-E products enable 5G transmission across low and high frequency bands while maintaining superior visual aesthetics with invisible pattern lines under any angle and any lighting conditions. Furthermore, the technology meets low-E’s durability criteria, including mechanical alcohol wiping durability and thermal tempering tests. Supported by NSF funding, this project aims to commercialize next-generation mobile signal penetrating Low-E products at scale and cost competitively for global adoption in architectural applications to enhance indoor connectivity in the 5G era.