Electronic device including graphene-based layer(s), and/or method or making the same

• US 10,164,135 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2009
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Veerasamy, Vijayen S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener, Jennifer K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dam, Dustin Q
• Application Number:
  US12/461,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20110030772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,427 Days
• Field of Search: 345173
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022466 made of transparent conductive layers, e.g. TCO, ITO layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0392 including thin films deposited on metallic or insulating substrates ; characterised by specific substrate materials or substrate features or by the presence of intermediate layers, e.g. barrier layers, on the substrate textured substrates H01L31/02366
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03923 including AIBIIICVI compound materials, e.g. CIS, CIGS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03925 including AIIBVI compound materials, e.g. CdTe, CdS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/075 the potential barriers being only of the PIN type, e.g. amorphous silicon PIN solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/82 Transparent electrodes, e.g. indium tin oxide [ITO] electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/541 CuInSe2 material PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/548 Amorphous silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to the use of graphene as a transparent conductive coating (TCC). In certain example embodiments, graphene thin films grown on large areas hetero-epitaxially, e.g., on a catalyst thin film, from a hydrocarbon gas (such as, for example, C₂H₂, CH₄, or the like). The graphene thin films of certain example embodiments may be doped or undoped. In certain example embodiments, graphene thin films, once formed, may be lifted off of their carrier substrates and transferred to receiving substrates, e.g., for inclusion in an intermediate or final product. Graphene grown, lifted, and transferred in this way may exhibit low sheet resistances (e.g., less than 150 ohms/square and lower when doped) and high transmission values (e.g., at least in the visible and infrared spectra).

Claims

1. A touch panel subassembly, comprising:

a glass substrate;

a first transparent, conductive graphene-based layer provided, directly or indirectly, on the glass substrate;

a deformable foil, the deformable foil being substantially parallel and in spaced apart relation to the glass substrate; and

a second transparent, conductive graphene-based layer provided, directly or indirectly, on the deformable foil,

wherein each said graphene-based layer is hetero-epitaxially grown, directly or indirectly, on a metal catalyst thin film, and

wherein at least one of said catalyst thin films is electrochemically anodized so as to render the at least one catalyst thin film that is electrochemically anodized a substantially transparent metal oxide.

2. The touch panel subassembly of claim 1, wherein the graphene-based layer grown on each catalyst thin film that is electrochemically anodized is caused to act as a cathode during anodization.

3. The touch panel subassembly of claim 2, wherein each said metal catalyst thin film comprises nickel and/or vanadium.

4. The touch panel subassembly of claim 1, wherein each said metal catalyst thin film comprises nickel.

5. The touch panel subassembly of claim 1, wherein each said metal catalyst thin film comprises nickel and chromium.

6. The touch panel subassembly of claim 5, wherein each said metal catalyst thin film comprises 3-15% chromium.

7. The touch panel subassembly of claim 1, wherein each said metal catalyst thin film comprises vanadium.

8. The touch panel subassembly of claim 1, wherein the first and/or second graphene-based layer(s) has/have a sheet resistance of less than 150ohms/square.

9. A touch panel apparatus, comprising:

the touch panel subassembly of claim 1; and

a display connected to a surface of the substrate of the touch panel subassembly opposite the deformable foil.