ENHANCED CONDUCTORS

• US 20120013545A1
• Filed: 07/16/2010
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Philipp, Harald
• Granted Patent: US 10,306,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/09 Use of materials for the conductive, e.g. metallic pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/11 Printed elements for providing electric connections to or between printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0326 Inorganic, non-metallic conductor, e.g. indium-tin oxide [ITO]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0329 Intrinsically conductive polymer [ICP]; Semiconductive polymer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0373 Conductors having a fine structure, e.g. providing a plurality of contact points with a structured tool providing micro- or nanometer scale roughness on a metal surface H05K2203/0307

Abstract

Disclosed examples of electrode structures and methods of manufacture thereof may provide one or more advantages relating to enhanced conductivity, for example, while providing optically clear conductors.

Claims

1. A conductor comprising:

an insulating substrate;

a plurality of conductive micro scale traces provided across an area of the substrate; and

a layer of conductive material in contact with the plurality of conductive micro scale traces,

wherein the micro scale traces are more conductive than the material.

2. The conductor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductive micro scale traces do not contact one another.

3. The conductor of claim 1, wherein the conductive material comprises an optically clear conductive material.

4. The conductor of claim 1, wherein the conductive material comprises a conductive polymer.

5. The conductor of claim 4, wherein the conductive polymer comprises Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT).

6. The conductor of claim 4, wherein the conductive polymer comprises indium tin oxide (ITO).

7. The conductor of claim 1, wherein the conductive micro scale traces comprise any one of:

silver, gold, and copper.

8. The conductor of claim 1, wherein the conductive micro scale traces are substantially invisible to the human eye.

9. The conductor of claim 1, wherein the conductive micro scale traces have a width of no more than 15 μ

m.

10. The conductor of claim 9, wherein the conductive micro scale traces have a line width of at least 5 μ

m.

11. The conductor of claim 1, wherein the conductive micro scale traces have a length of no more than 100 μ

m.

12. The conductor of claim 11, wherein the conductive micro scale traces have a length of at least 20 μ

m.

13. The conductor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductive micro scale traces have substantially the same length and/or line width.

14. The conductor of claim 1, wherein the conductive micro scale traces are provided on the substrate in the area and covered with the conductive material.

15. The conductor of claim 1, wherein the conductive material is provided on the substrate in the area, and the conductive micro scale traces are provided on the conductive material.

16. A touch sensitive screen comprising:

an insulating substrate;

conductive micro scale traces provided across an area of the substrate; and

a layer of conductive material patterned to form electrodes for touch sensing, the conductive material of each electrode contacting a plurality of the conductive micro scale traces,

wherein the micro scale traces are more conductive than the material.

17. The touch sensitive screen of claim 16, further comprising:

a second insulating substrate provided adjacent the layer of conductive material;

second conductive micro scale traces provided across an area of the second substrate; and

a second layer of conductive material, wherein the second layer of conductive material is patterned to form second electrodes and the conductive material of each second electrode contacts a plurality of the second conductive micro scale traces.

18. The touch sensitive screen of claim 16, wherein the conductive micro scale traces have a length less than a gap between adjacent electrodes.

19. The touch sensitive screen of claim 16, wherein the conductive micro scale traces are aligned in the direction of the electrodes.

20. A process for producing conductive electrodes, comprising the steps of:

printing conductive micro scale traces onto a substrate; and

printing a conductive material over the substrate and the conductive micro scale traces in a pattern to form the conductive electrodes, the conductive material of each electrode contacting a plurality of the conductive micro scale traces,

wherein the micro scale traces are more conductive than the material.

21. The process of claim 20, wherein the conductive micro scale traces are provided across the entire area of the substrate.

22. The process of claim 20, wherein the conductive micro scale traces are provided in a predetermined pattern on the substrate.

23. The process of claim 20, wherein the conductive material is provided in a predetermined pattern of first electrodes and second electrodes across the substrate.

24. A process for producing conductive electrodes, comprising the steps of:

printing a conductive material over a substrate in a pattern for the electrodes; and

printing conductive micro scale traces over the substrate, including a plurality of the micro scale traces on the conductive material for each of the electrodes,

wherein the micro scale traces are more conductive than the material.