(EP914486-A1)      A coating substrate, for thin film coatings in electronic component production, has an aluminium or aluminium alloy layer for receiving the thin film coatings. The novelty is that the aluminium layer is a rolled product having, on its coating surface, local irregularities in the form of small pits or fine-grained or acicular surface elements. All of the irregularities have a maximum dimension of 0.1-10 m (exclusive) perpendicular to the substrate surface, and have a structure such that their side walls are completely exposed to material deposition perpendicular to the substrate surface, thus avoiding defect sites in the electronic components. Also claimed are processes for producing the above coating substrate in which: (i) the substrate surface is subjected to a chemical brightening process or a plasma etching process; (ii) the substrate surface is provided with a barrier layer which completely covers the local irregularities so that no sharp edges are present; or (iii) the substrate surface has single or multiple thin film solar cells of amorphous or microcrystalline silicon, the solar cells being coated on the light-facing side with a sol-gel layer.    USE -   As solar cells for facade elements or as solar cells which are protected against environmental influences, especially humidity and corrosive substances, and against mechanical stresses (claimed).    ADVANTAGE -   The inexpensive coating avoids inter-diffusion of substrate elements and thin film coating elements and enables thin film coatings to grow completely over the irregularities.    (US6124039-A)      A coating substrate, for thin film coatings in electronic component production, has an aluminium or aluminium alloy layer for receiving the thin film coatings. The novelty is that the aluminium layer is a rolled product having, on its coating surface, local irregularities in the form of small pits or fine-grained or acicular surface elements. All of the irregularities have a maximum dimension of 0.1-10 m (exclusive) perpendicular to the substrate surface, and have a structure such that their side walls are completely exposed to material deposition perpendicular to the substrate surface, thus avoiding defect sites in the electronic components. Also claimed are processes for producing the above coating substrate in which: (i) the substrate surface is subjected to a chemical brightening process or a plasma etching process; (ii) the substrate surface is provided with a barrier layer which completely covers the local irregularities so that no sharp edges are present; or (iii) the substrate surface has single or multiple thin film solar cells of amorphous or microcrystalline silicon, the solar cells being coated on the light-facing side with a sol-gel layer.    USE -   As solar cells for facade elements or as solar cells which are protected against environmental influences, especially humidity and corrosive substances, and against mechanical stresses (claimed).    ADVANTAGE -   The inexpensive coating avoids inter-diffusion of substrate elements and thin film coating elements and enables thin film coatings to grow completely over the irregularities.    (EP914486-B1)      A coating substrate, for thin film coatings in electronic component production, has an aluminium or aluminium alloy layer for receiving the thin film coatings. The novelty is that the aluminium layer is a rolled product having, on its coating surface, local irregularities in the form of small pits or fine-grained or acicular surface elements. All of the irregularities have a maximum dimension of 0.1-10 m (exclusive) perpendicular to the substrate surface, and have a structure such that their side walls are completely exposed to material deposition perpendicular to the substrate surface, thus avoiding defect sites in the electronic components. Also claimed are processes for producing the above coating substrate in which: (i) the substrate surface is subjected to a chemical brightening process or a plasma etching process; (ii) the substrate surface is provided with a barrier layer which completely covers the local irregularities so that no sharp edges are present; or (iii) the substrate surface has single or multiple thin film solar cells of amorphous or microcrystalline silicon, the solar cells being coated on the light-facing side with a sol-gel layer.    USE -   As solar cells for facade elements or as solar cells which are protected against environmental influences, especially humidity and corrosive substances, and against mechanical stresses (claimed).    ADVANTAGE -   The inexpensive coating avoids inter-diffusion of substrate elements and thin film coating elements and enables thin film coatings to grow completely over the irregularities.