Touch panel

• US 10,564,782 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2017
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Shishido, Hideaki, Hirakata, Yoshiharu, Kubota, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Joseph, Dennis P
• Application Number:
  US15/807,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20180067586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1333 Constructional arrangements; Manufacturing methodsG02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• 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 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• 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

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, a material blocking visible light is provided to overlap with a region between two display elements in a plan view; thus, a light-blocking layer can be obtained. 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 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;

first to fifth conductive layers over the first substrate; and

a liquid crystal layer,

wherein the third conductive layer is over the fifth conductive layer,

wherein the fourth conductive layer is apart from the third conductive layer on a same plane,

wherein the liquid crystal layer is over the third conductive layer,

wherein the second conductive layer is over the liquid crystal layer,

wherein the first conductive layer is over the second conductive layer,

wherein the first conductive layer is configured to block visible light and has a mesh shape comprising a plurality of openings,

wherein the third conductive layer comprises a portion overlapping with one of the plurality of openings,

wherein the fourth conductive layer comprises a portion overlapping with another one of the plurality of openings,

wherein the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer, or the fifth conductive layer is configured to reflect visible light,

wherein part of the first conductive layer is between the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer in a plan view,

wherein the third conductive layer has a comb-like shape,

wherein the one of the plurality of openings, the third conductive layer, and the fifth conductive layer overlap with one another in a region, and

wherein the one of the plurality of openings and the fifth conductive layer overlap with each other and do not overlap with the third conductive layer in a region.

2. The touch panel according to claim 1,

wherein the second conductive layer is configured to transmit visible light and comprises a portion overlapping with the first conductive layer, a portion overlapping with the third conductive layer, and a portion overlapping with the fourth conductive layer.

3. The touch panel according to claim 1,

wherein the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer each function as a pixel electrode,

wherein the fifth conductive layer functions as a common electrode, and

wherein the second conductive layer is electrically connected to a terminal supplied with a constant potential.

4. The touch panel according to claim 1, further comprising a second substrate over the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

5. The touch panel according to claim 1,

wherein a first coloring layer and a second coloring layer are over the third conductive layer,

wherein the first coloring layer comprises a region overlapping with the one of the plurality of openings, and

wherein the second coloring layer comprises a region overlapping with the another one of the plurality of openings.

6. The touch panel according to claim 5, wherein the first conductive layer comprises a portion overlapping with at least one of the first coloring layer and the second coloring layer.

7. The touch panel according to claim 1,

wherein a spacer is over the third conductive layer and below the second conductive layer, and

wherein the spacer comprises a portion overlapping with the first conductive layer.

8. The touch panel according to claim 1,

wherein a transistor is between the liquid crystal layer and the first substrate,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the transistor is electrically connected to the third conductive layer, and

wherein the transistor comprises a semiconductor layer containing an oxide semiconductor.

9. The touch panel according to claim 8,

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

wherein the first gate electrode is below the semiconductor layer,

wherein the second gate electrode is over the semiconductor layer, and

wherein the second gate electrode, the semiconductor layer, and the third conductive layer overlap with one another in a region.

10. The touch panel according to claim 9, wherein the second gate electrode and the semiconductor layer contain a same metal element.

11. A touch panel comprising:

a first substrate;

first to fifth conductive layers over the first substrate; and

a liquid crystal layer,

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

wherein the fourth conductive layer is apart from the third conductive layer on a same plane,

wherein the liquid crystal layer is over the third conductive layer,

wherein the second conductive layer is over the liquid crystal layer,

wherein the first conductive layer is over the second conductive layer,

wherein the first conductive layer is configured to block visible light and has a mesh shape comprising a plurality of openings,

wherein the second conductive layer is configured to transmit visible light and comprises a portion overlapping with the first conductive layer, a portion overlapping with the third conductive layer, and a portion overlapping with the fourth conductive layer,

wherein the third conductive layer comprises a portion overlapping with one of the plurality of openings,

wherein the fourth conductive layer comprises a portion overlapping with another one of the plurality of openings,

wherein the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer, or the fifth conductive layer is configured to reflect visible light,

wherein part of the first conductive layer is between the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer in a plan view,

wherein the third conductive layer has a comb-like shape,

wherein the one of the plurality of openings, the third conductive layer, and the fifth conductive layer overlap with one another in a region, and

wherein the one of the plurality of openings and the fifth conductive layer overlap with each other and do not overlap with the third conductive layer in a region.

12. The touch panel according to claim 11,

wherein the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer each function as a pixel electrode, and

wherein the fifth conductive layer functions as a common electrode.

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

14. The touch panel according to claim 11, further comprising a second substrate over the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

15. The touch panel according to claim 11,

wherein a first coloring layer and a second coloring layer are over the third conductive layer,

wherein the first coloring layer comprises a region overlapping with the one of the plurality of openings, and

wherein the second coloring layer comprises a region overlapping with the another one of the plurality of openings.

16. The touch panel according to claim 15, wherein the first conductive layer comprises a portion overlapping with at least one of the first coloring layer and the second coloring layer.

17. The touch panel according to claim 11,

wherein a spacer is over the third conductive layer and below the second conductive layer, and

wherein the spacer comprises a portion overlapping with the first conductive layer.

18. The touch panel according to claim 11,

wherein a transistor is between the liquid crystal layer and the first substrate,

wherein one of a source and a drain of the transistor is electrically connected to the third conductive layer, and

wherein the transistor comprises a semiconductor layer containing an oxide semiconductor.

19. The touch panel according to claim 18,

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

wherein the first gate electrode is below the semiconductor layer,

wherein the second gate electrode is over the semiconductor layer, and

wherein the second gate electrode, the semiconductor layer, and the third conductive layer overlap with one another in a region.

20. The touch panel according to claim 19, wherein the second gate electrode and the semiconductor layer contain a same metal element.