METHOD OF FABRICATING CAPACITIVE TOUCH PANEL

• US 20100261119A1
• Filed: 03/09/2010
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InnoLux Corporation
• Original Assignee: Innocom Technology Limited, Innolux Display Corporation (InnoLux Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Lien-Hsin, Li, Chao-Sung, Meng, Kai
• Granted Patent: US 8,557,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/319
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133 Constructional arrangements; Operation of liquid crystal cells; Circuit arrangements arrangements or circuits for control of liquid crystal elements in a matrix, not structurally associated with these elements G09G3/36
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/20 Exposure; Apparatus therefor photographic printing apparatus for making copies G03B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/40 Treatment after imagewise removal, e.g. baking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• 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 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method of fabricating a capacitive touch pane where a plurality of groups of first conductive patterns are formed along a first direction, a plurality of groups of second conductive patterns are formed along a second direction, and a plurality of connection components are formed on a substrate. Each first conductive pattern is electrically connected to another adjacent first conductive pattern in the same group by each connection component and each group of the second conductive patterns is interlaced with and insulated from each group of the first conductive patterns. Next, a plurality of curved insulation mounds are formed to cover the first connection components. Then, a plurality of bridge components are formed to electrically connect each second conductive pattern with another adjacent second conductive pattern in the same group.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a touch panel, comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a plurality of groups of first conductive patterns arranged in a first direction, a plurality of groups of second conductive patterns arranged in a second direction, and a plurality of connection components on the substrate, wherein each first conductive pattern is electrically connected to another adjacent first conductive pattern in the same group by each connection component, and each group of the second conductive patterns is interlaced with and insulated from each group of the first conductive patterns;

forming a plurality of insulation mounds on the substrate, wherein each insulation mound covers at least a portion of each connection component; and

forming a plurality of bridge components on the insulation mounds, wherein each second conductive pattern is electrically connected to another adjacent second conductive pattern in the same group by each bridge component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first conductive patterns and the connection components in the same group are formed simultaneously.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the insulation mounds comprises:

forming a photoresist layer;

performing a lithography process on the photoresist layer to form a plurality of photoresist patterns, wherein each photoresist pattern covers each connection component; and

performing a baking process to make each photoresist pattern become each insulation mound.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the temperature of the baking process is between 200 to 300 degrees Celsius.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the baking process is performed for about one hour.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the insulation mounds comprises:

forming an insulation layer on the substrate;

etching the insulation layer to form a plurality of insulation patterns, wherein each insulation pattern covers each connection component; and

providing a thermal reflow process to make each insulation pattern become each insulation mound.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the insulation mounds comprises an inkjet printing process.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first conductive patterns, the second conductive patterns, and the connection components comprise transparent conductive material.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the bridge components comprises:

forming a metal layer on the substrate; and

patterning the metal layer to form each of the bridge components.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the bridge components comprises:

forming a patterned mask layer on the substrate, wherein the patterned mask layer comprises a plurality of holes that shrink from bottom to top and each hole exposes each insulation mound and a portion of each second conductive pattern;

forming a conductive film on the substrate, wherein the conductive film covers the patterned mask layer, each insulation mound, and a portion of each second conductive pattern in each hole; and

removing the patterned mask layer and the conductive film covering the patterned mask layer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of forming the patterned mask layer comprises:

forming a photoresist layer on the substrate;

performing an exposing process on the photoresist layer;

performing a baking process; and

performing a development process on the photoresist layer to form the patterned mask layer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the photoresist layer is baked by the heat conduction from the substrate in the baking process.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the photoresist layer comprises lift off photoresist material.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the temperature of the baking process is between 80 to 120 degrees Celsius.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the baking process is performed for substantially 90 seconds.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein each hole that shrinks from bottom to top includes a tilt sidewall, and an angle between the tilt sidewall and the substrate is less than 90 degrees.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the conductive film includes metal or transparent conductive material.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of forming the conductive film includes a non-isotropic deposition process.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a plurality of wires on the edge of the substrate, wherein one side of each wire connects to one group of the first conductive patterns or one group of the second conductive patterns and the other side of each wire stretches to the edge of the substrate.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of forming the wires further comprises forming at least an alignment mark on the edge of the substrate.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein an angle is between the first direction and the second direction.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the angle is 90 degrees substantially.

23. A method of fabricating a touch panel, comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a plurality of groups of first conductive patterns arranged in a first direction and a plurality of connection components on the substrate, wherein each first conductive pattern is electrically connected to another adjacent first conductive pattern in the same group by each connection component;

forming a plurality of insulation mounds on the substrate, wherein each insulation mound covers at least a portion of each connection component; and

forming a plurality of groups of second conductive patterns arranged in a second direction and a plurality of bridge components on the substrate, wherein each group of the second conductive patterns is interlaced with and insulated from each group of the first conductive patterns, and each bridge component is formed on each of the insulation mounds such that each second conductive pattern is electrically connected to another adjacent second conductive pattern in the same group by each bridge component.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of forming the insulation mounds comprises:

forming a photoresist layer;

performing a lithography process on the photoresist layer to form a plurality of photoresist patterns, wherein each photoresist pattern covers each connection component; and

performing a baking process to make each photoresist pattern become each insulation mound.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of forming the insulation mounds comprises:

forming an insulation layer on the substrate;

etching the insulation layer to form a plurality of insulation patterns in the insulation layer, wherein each insulation pattern covers each connection component; and

performing a thermal reflow process to make each insulation pattern become each insulation mound.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of forming the second conductive patterns and the bridge components comprises:

forming a patterned mask layer, wherein the patterned mask layer comprises a plurality of holes that shrink from bottom to top and each hole exposes a region desiring to form each second conductive pattern and each bridge component;

forming a conductive film on the substrate, wherein the conductive film covers the patterned mask layer and the region desiring to form each second conductive pattern and each bridge component; and

removing the patterned mask layer and the conductive film covering the patterned mask layer.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of forming the patterned mask layer comprises:

forming a photoresist layer on the substrate;

performing an exposing process on the photoresist layer;

performing a baking process; and

performing a development process on the photoresist layer to form the patterned mask layer.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of forming the first conductive patterns and the connection components comprises:

forming a plurality of auxiliary second conductive patterns in the second direction, wherein each second conductive pattern is disposed on each auxiliary second conductive pattern.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of forming the bridge components and the second conductive patterns comprises:

forming a conductive film on the substrate;

forming a photoresist layer on the conductive film;

providing a photo-etching process to make the conductive film become the second conductive patterns, the bridge components, a plurality of auxiliary first conductive patterns, and a plurality of auxiliary connection components, wherein the auxiliary first conductive patterns are correspondingly formed on the first conductive patterns, and the auxiliary connection components are correspondingly formed on the connection components uncovered by the insulation mounds.

30. A method of fabricating a touch panel, comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a plurality of bridge components on the substrate;

forming a plurality of insulation mounds on the substrate, wherein each insulation mound covers each bridge component and exposes a portion of each bridge component; and

forming a plurality of groups of first conductive patterns arrange in a first direction, a plurality of groups of second conductive patterns arranged in a second direction, and a plurality of connection components on the substrate, wherein each first conductive pattern is electrically connected to another adjacent first conductive pattern in the same group by each connection component, each group of the second conductive patterns is interlaced with and insulated from each group of the first conductive pattern, and each second conductive pattern is electrically connected to another adjacent second conductive pattern in the same group by each bridge component below each insulation mound.