Touch panel

• US 10,168,809 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2016
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hirakata, Yoshiharu, Kubota, Daisuke, Okazaki, Kenichi, Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Sang V
• Application Number:
  US15/066,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20160274398A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04107 Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0448 Details of the electrode shape, e.g. for enhancing the detection of touches, for generating specific electric field shapes, for enhancing display quality

Abstract

To provide a thin touch panel, a touch panel with high visibility, a lightweight touch panel, or a touch panel with low power consumption. A pair of conductive layers included in a capacitive touch sensor have a mesh shape including a plurality of openings. Furthermore, the pair of conductive layers included in the touch sensor are provided between a pair of substrates included in the touch panel, and a light-transmitting conductive layer capable of supplying a constant potential is provided between a circuit which drives a display element and the pair of conductive layers.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate which faces the first substrate;

a first conductive layer;

a second conductive layer;

a third conductive layer;

a fourth conductive layer;

a fifth conductive layer;

a first insulating layer;

a first pixel; and

a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel,

wherein the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the third conductive layer are apart from each other on a same plane between the first substrate and the second substrate,

wherein the second conductive layer is between the first conductive layer and the third conductive layer in a plan view,

wherein the first conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer are electrically connected to each other,

wherein the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer are electrically connected to each other,

wherein the second conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer overlap with each other with the first insulating layer therebetween,

wherein the second conductive layer is between the fourth conductive layer and the second substrate,

wherein the first conductive layer has a mesh shape comprising a first opening and a second opening adjacent to the first opening,

wherein the first opening of the mesh shape, a first pixel electrode in the first pixel, and the fifth conductive layer overlap with one another,

wherein the second opening of the mesh shape, a second pixel electrode in the second pixel, and the fifth conductive layer overlap with one another,

wherein the fifth conductive layer is between the first conductive layer and the first substrate, and

wherein the fifth conductive layer is configured to transmit visible light.

2. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the fifth conductive layer comprises metal oxide.

3. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the fourth conductive layer and the fifth conductive layer are formed by processing a same film.

4. The touch panel according to claim 1, further comprising liquid crystal over the first pixel electrode.

5. The touch panel according to claim 1,

wherein the first pixel comprises a first coloring layer,

wherein the second pixel comprises a second coloring layer,

wherein the first coloring layer, the first opening of the mesh shape, the first pixel electrode and the fifth conductive layer overlap with one another, and

wherein the second coloring layer, the second opening of the mesh shape, the second pixel electrode and the fifth conductive layer overlap with one another.

6. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the fifth conductive layer is electrically connected to a terminal supplied with a constant potential.

7. The touch panel according to claim 1,

wherein a second insulating layer is provided between the second substrate and the first insulating layer,

wherein the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the third conductive layer are on and in direct contact with the second insulating layer.

8. The touch panel according to claim 1, further comprising a transistor electrically connected to the first pixel electrode,

wherein the transistor comprises a semiconductor layer, and

wherein the semiconductor layer and the fifth conductive layer comprise oxides containing a same metal element.

9. The touch panel according to claim 8,

wherein the transistor comprises a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode,

wherein the semiconductor layer is between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode, and

wherein one of the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode comprises an oxide containing the metal element.

10. The touch panel according to claim 7, further comprising a light-blocking layer,

wherein the light-blocking layer is provided between the second substrate and the second insulating layer.

11. A touch panel comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate which faces the first substrate;

a first conductive layer;

a second conductive layer;

a third conductive layer;

a fourth conductive layer;

a fifth conductive layer;

a first insulating layer;

a second insulating layer comprising silicon nitride over the first insulating layer;

a first pixel; and

a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel,

wherein the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the third conductive layer are apart from each other on a same plane between the first substrate and the second substrate,

wherein the second conductive layer is between the first conductive layer and the third conductive layer in a plan view,

wherein the first conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer are electrically connected to each other,

wherein the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer are electrically connected to each other,

wherein the second conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer overlap with each other with the first insulating layer therebetween,

wherein the fourth conductive layer is between the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer,

wherein the second conductive layer is between the fourth conductive layer and the second substrate,

wherein the first conductive layer has a mesh shape comprising a first opening and a second opening adjacent to the first opening,

wherein the first opening of the mesh shape, a first pixel electrode in the first pixel, and the fifth conductive layer overlap with one another,

wherein the second opening of the mesh shape, a second pixel electrode in the second pixel, and the fifth conductive layer overlap with one another,

wherein the fifth conductive layer is between the first conductive layer and the first substrate, and

wherein the fifth conductive layer is configured to transmit visible light.

12. The touch panel according to claim 11, wherein the fifth conductive layer comprises metal oxide.

13. The touch panel according to claim 11, wherein the fourth conductive layer and the fifth conductive layer are formed by processing a same film.

14. The touch panel according to claim 11, further comprising liquid crystal over the first pixel electrode.

15. The touch panel according to claim 11,

wherein the first pixel comprises a first coloring layer,

wherein the second pixel comprises a second coloring layer,

wherein the first coloring layer, the first opening of the mesh shape, the first pixel electrode and the fifth conductive layer overlap with one another, and

wherein the second coloring layer, the second opening of the mesh shape, the second pixel electrode and the fifth conductive layer overlap with one another.

16. The touch panel according to claim 11, wherein the fifth conductive layer is electrically connected to a terminal supplied with a constant potential.

17. The touch panel according to claim 11, wherein a third insulating layer is provided between the second substrate and the first insulating layer,

wherein the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the third conductive layer are on and in direct contact with the third insulating layer.

18. The touch panel according to claim 11, further comprising a transistor electrically connected to the first pixel electrode,

wherein the transistor comprises a semiconductor layer, and

wherein the semiconductor layer and the fifth conductive layer comprise oxide semiconductors containing a same metal.

19. The touch panel according to claim 18,

wherein the transistor comprises a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode,

wherein the semiconductor layer is between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode, and

wherein one of the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode comprises an oxide semiconductor containing the same metal as the semiconductor layer.

20. The touch panel according to claim 17, further comprising a light-blocking layer, wherein the light-blocking layer is provided between the second substrate and the third insulating layer.