Method of Forming Double-sided Patterns in a Touch Panel Circuit

• US 20100102027A1
• Filed: 07/24/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TPK Touch Solutions (Xiamen) Inc. (TPK Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TPK Touch Solutions (Xiamen) Inc. (TPK Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: LIU, CHEN-YU, WANG, CHING-YI, LI, LU-HSIN, LIU, CHENG-PING
• Granted Patent: US 8,414,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 216/13
• 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

Abstract

A method of forming double-sided patterns in a touch panel circuit is disclosed. A first conductive layer and a second conductive layer are respectively formed on both sides of a substrate. A blocking layer is formed on a top surface of the first conductive layer for blocking ultraviolet (UV) light. A first photoresist layer is formed on a top surface of the blocking layer, and a second photoresist layer is formed on a bottom surface of the second conductive layer. Accordingly, two sides of the substrate may be exposed, developed and etched at the same time, thereby substantially simplifying the process of manufacturing the touch panel circuit.

Claims

1. A method of forming double-sided patterns in a touch panel circuit, comprising:

providing a substrate with a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer respectively formed on both sides of the substrate;

forming a blocking layer on a top surface of the first conductive layer for blocking ultraviolet (UV) light;

forming a first photoresist layer on a top surface of the blocking layer, and a second photoresist layer on a bottom surface of the second conductive layer;

exposing the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer to ultraviolet lights respectively, wherein the ultraviolet lights from either side of the substrate are blocked from each other by the blocking layer;

developing the both sides of the substrate such that regions of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are exposed to be etched; and

etching the exposed regions of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer at the same time, thereby resulting in a first conductive film in the first conductive layer, and resulting in a second conductive film in the second conductive layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the blocking layer comprises UV-blocking organic material.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the organic material comprises resin or photoresist.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the blocking layer comprises UV-blocking inorganic material.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the inorganic material comprises TiO₂ and SiO₂, or comprises Ta₂O₅ and SiO₂.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer comprise positive photoresist or negative photoresist.

7. The method of claim 1, before the first photoresist layer is exposed, further comprising a step of making at least one mark in the first photoresist layer by laser for aligning double sides of the first and the second photoresist layers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer are exposed successively or at the same time.

9. The method of claim 1, after the etching step, further comprising a step of removing the remaining first photoresist layer over the first conductive layer and the remaining second photoresist layer on the second conductive layer.

10. A method of forming double-sided patterns in a touch panel circuit, comprising:

providing a substrate with a blocking layer formed on a top surface of the substrate;

forming a first conductive layer on a top surface of the blocking layer, and a second conductive layer on a bottom surface of the substrate;

forming a first photoresist layer on a top surface of the first conductive layer, and a second photoresist layer on a bottom surface of the second conductive layer;

exposing the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer to ultraviolet lights respectively, wherein the ultraviolet lights from either side of the substrate are blocked from each other by the blocking layer;

developing the both sides of the substrate such that regions of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are exposed to be etched; and

etching the exposed regions of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer at the same time, thereby resulting in a first conductive film in the first conductive layer, and resulting in a second conductive film in the second conductive layer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the blocking layer comprises UV-blocking organic material.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the blocking layer comprises UV-blocking inorganic material.

13. The method of claim 10, before the first photoresist layer is exposed, further comprising a step of making at least one mark in the first photoresist layer by laser for aligning double sides of the first and the second photoresist layers.

14. A method of forming double-sided patterns in a touch panel circuit, comprising:

providing a substrate with a blocking layer formed on a bottom surface of the substrate;

forming a first conductive layer on a top surface of the substrate, and a second conductive layer on a bottom surface of the blocking layer;

forming a first photoresist layer on a top surface of the first conductive layer, and a second photoresist layer on a bottom surface of the second conductive layer;

exposing the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer to ultraviolet lights respectively, wherein the ultraviolet lights from either side of the substrate are blocked from each other by the blocking layer;

developing the both sides of the substrate such that regions of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are exposed to be etched; and

etching the exposed regions of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer at the same time, thereby resulting in a first conductive film in the first conductive layer, and resulting in a second conductive film in the second conductive layer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the blocking layer comprises UV-blocking organic material.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the blocking layer comprises UV-blocking inorganic material.

17. The method of claim 14, before the first photoresist layer is exposed, further comprising a step of making at least one mark in the first photoresist layer by laser for aligning double sides of the first and the second photoresist layers.

18. A method of forming double-sided patterns in a touch panel circuit, comprising:

providing a substrate with a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer respectively formed on both sides of the substrate;

forming a blocking layer on a bottom surface of the second conductive layer for blocking ultraviolet (UV) light;

forming a first photoresist layer on a top surface of the first conductive layer, and a second photoresist layer on a bottom surface of the blocking layer;

exposing the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer to ultraviolet lights respectively, wherein the ultraviolet lights from either side of the substrate are blocked from each other by the blocking layer;

developing the both sides of the substrate such that regions of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are exposed to be etched; and

etching the exposed regions of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer at the same time, thereby resulting in a first conductive film in the first conductive layer, and resulting in a second conductive film in the second conductive layer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the blocking layer comprises UV-blocking organic material.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the blocking layer comprises UV-blocking inorganic material.

21. The method of claim 18, before the first photoresist layer is exposed, further comprising a step of making at least one mark in the first photoresist layer by laser for aligning double sides of the first and the second photoresist layers.

22. A method of forming double-sided patterns in a touch panel circuit, comprising:

providing a substrate with a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer respectively formed on both sides of the substrate;

forming a metal layer on a top surface of the first conductive layer for blocking ultraviolet (UV) light;

forming a first photoresist layer on a top surface of the metal layer, and a second photoresist layer on a bottom surface of the second conductive layer;

exposing the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer to ultraviolet lights respectively, wherein the ultraviolet lights from either side of the substrate are blocked from each other by the metal layer;

developing the both sides of the substrate such that regions of the metal layer and the second conductive layer are exposed to be etched; and

etching the exposed regions of the metal layer and the second conductive layer, thereby resulting in a metal circuit layer in the metal layer, and resulting in a second conductive film in the second conductive layer.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer comprise positive photoresist or negative photoresist.

24. The method of claim 22, before the first photoresist layer is exposed, further comprising a step of making at least one mark in the metal layer by laser for aligning double sides of the first and the second photoresist layers.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer are exposed successively or at the same time.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

forming a third photoresist layer on top surfaces of the metal circuit layer and the first conductive layer;

exposing and developing the third photoresist layer such that regions of the first conductive layer are exposed to be etched; and

removing the exposed regions of the first conductive layer, thereby resulting in a first conductive film in the first conductive layer.

27. The method of claim 26, after resulting in the first conductive film, further comprising a step of removing the remaining third photoresist layer on the metal circuit layer and the first conductive film.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the exposed regions of the metal layer and the second conductive layer are etched successively or at the same time.

29. The method of claim 22, after resulting in the second conductive film, further comprising a step of forming a fourth photoresist layer on bottom surfaces of the second conductive film and the substrate.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the first conductive film and the second conductive film are formed on the two sides of the substrate respectively, and the metal circuit layer is formed on edge surface of the first conductive film.

31. A method of forming double-sided patterns in a touch panel circuit, comprising:

providing a substrate with a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer respectively formed on both sides of the substrate;

forming a metal layer on a bottom surface of the second conductive layer for blocking ultraviolet (UV) light;

forming a first photoresist layer on a top surface of the first conductive layer, and a second photoresist layer on a bottom surface of the metal layer;

exposing the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer to ultraviolet lights respectively, wherein the ultraviolet lights from either side of the substrate are blocked from each other by the metal layer;

developing the both sides of the substrate such that regions of the first conductive layer and the metal layer are exposed to be etched; and

etching the exposed regions of the first conductive layer and the metal layer, thereby resulting in a first conductive film in the first conductive layer, and resulting in a metal circuit layer in the metal layer.

32. The method of claim 31, before the first photoresist layer is exposed, further comprising a step of making at least one mark in the metal layer by laser for aligning double sides of the first and the second photoresist layers.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the first photoresist layer and the second photoresist layer are exposed successively or at the same time.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

forming a third photoresist layer on bottom surfaces of the metal circuit layer and the second conductive layer;

exposing and developing the third photoresist layer such that regions of the second conductive layer are exposed to be etched; and

removing the exposed regions of the second conductive layer, thereby resulting in a second conductive film in the second conductive layer.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the exposed regions of the first conductive layer and the metal layer are etched successively or at the same time.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the first conductive film and the second conductive film are formed on the two sides of the substrate respectively, and the metal circuit layer is formed on edge surface of the second conductive film.