A glass substrate is ion beam milled in order to smoothen the same and/or
reduce or remove nano-cracks in the substrate surface before a coating
system (e.g., diamond-like carbon (DLC) inclusive coating system) is
deposited thereon. It has been found that such ion beam milling of the
substrate prior to deposition of the coating system improves adherence of
the coating system to the underlying milled substrate. Moreover, it has
surprisingly been found that such ion beam milling of the substrate
results in a more scratch resistant coated article when a DLC inclusive
coating system is thereafter ion beam deposited on the milled substrate.
Amounts sodium (Na) may also be reduced at the surface of the substrate by
such milling.
