Transparent Conductor Thin Film Formation

• US 20100323166A1
• Filed: 06/19/2009
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: HONG, Seung Jae, ZHONG, John Z., CHANG, Shih Chang, HUANG, Lili
• Granted Patent: US 8,956,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/08 oxides
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24868 Translucent outer layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24917 including metal layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree

Abstract

Substantially transparent conductor layers in touch sensing systems may be formed by forming a barrier layer between an organic layer and a substantially transparent conductive layer. For example, a barrier layer can be formed over the organic layer, and the transparent conductor layer can be formed over the barrier layer. The barrier layer can reduce or prevent outgassing of the organic layer, to help increase the quality of the transparent conductor layer. In another example, a combination layer of two different types of a transparent conductor may be formed over the organic layer by forming a barrier layer of the transparent conductor, and forming a second layer of the transparent conductor on the barrier layer. Outgassing that can occur when forming the barrier layer can cause the transparent conductor of the barrier layer to be of lower-quality, but can result in a higher-quality transparent conductor of the second layer.

Claims

1. A method of forming a transparent conductor layer on a touch sensor panel stackup including an organic layer, the method comprising:

forming a first layer over the organic layer, wherein the first layer substantially reduces outgassing by the organic layer; and

forming the transparent conductor layer over the first layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first layer includes a material selected from the group consisting of a low-outgassing organic material, a dielectric material, a transparent conductor, and a non-transparent conductor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor panel stackup is a component of a touch screen, and wherein forming a first layer includes:

masking the touch sensor panel stackup such that the first layer is not formed in a viewing area of the touch screen.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first layer is formed of the same material as the transparent conductor layer, wherein the first layer is formed of a transparent conductor of lower-quality, and the transparent conductor layer is formed of the transparent conductor of higher-quality.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing gases from a surrounding environment of the stackup prior to the forming the transparent conductor layer, the gases being outgassed by the organic layer during the forming the first layer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first layer is formed on the organic layer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the transparent conductor layer is formed on the first layer.

8. A method of forming a transparent conductor layer on a touch sensor panel stackup including an organic layer, the method comprising:

forming a first layer of the transparent conductor over the organic layer;

forming a second layer of the transparent conductor on the first layer; and

patterning the first layer and the second layer simultaneously.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first layer and the second layer are both formed in a viewing area of the touch screen.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the second layer has a sheet resistance no greater than approximately 200 ohm/sq and has a thickness no greater than approximately 200 Angstroms.

11. A touch sensor panel stackup comprising:

a conductive layer;

an organic layer over a first part of the conductive layer; and

a combination layer over the organic layer, the combination layer including a first portion of a transparent conductor of a lower-quality and a second portion of a transparent conductor of a higher-quality, wherein the first portion is disposed closer to the organic layer than the second portion.

12. The touch sensor panel stackup of claim 11, wherein the first portion of the combination layer contacts a second part of the conductive layer.

13. The touch sensor panel stackup of claim 11, wherein the organic layer contacts the first part of the conductive layer.

14. The touch sensor panel stackup of claim 11, wherein the first portion of the combination layer contacts the organic layer.

15. The touch sensor panel stackup of claim 11, wherein the touch sensor panel stackup is a component of a touch screen having a viewing area and a viewing area border, and wherein

the organic layer is positioned substantially behind the viewing area border, and

the second portion of the combination layer extends into the viewing area.

16. The touch sensor panel stackup of claim 15, wherein the first portion of the combination layer does not extend into the viewing area.

17. The touch sensor panel stackup of claim 11, wherein a sheet resistance of the first portion of the combination layer is higher than a sheet resistance of the second portion of the combination layer.

18. The touch sensor panel stackup of claim 11, wherein a thickness of the first portion of the combination layer is higher than a thickness of the second portion of the combination layer.

19. The touch sensor panel stackup of claim 15, the touch sensor panel stackup incorporated within a computing system.

20. A mobile telephone including a touch sensor panel stackup comprising:

a conductive layer;

an organic layer over a first part of the conductive layer; and

a combination layer over the organic layer, the combination layer including a first portion of a transparent conductor of a lower-quality and a second portion of a transparent conductor of a higher-quality, wherein the first portion is disposed closer to the organic layer than the second portion.

21. A digital media player including a touch sensor panel stackup comprising:

a conductive layer;

an organic layer over a first part of the conductive layer; and

a combination layer over the organic layer, the combination layer including a first portion of a transparent conductor of a lower-quality and a second portion of a transparent conductor of a higher-quality, wherein the first portion is disposed closer to the organic layer than the second portion.