Lowering the Sheet Resistance of a Conductive Layer

• US 20140262466A1
• Filed: 03/10/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wurzel, Joshua G., Teil, Romain A., Martisauskas, Steven J., Farkhondeh, Ehsan
• Granted Patent: US 9,532,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/261
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1343 Electrodes reflective electrodes G02F1/133553
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13452 Conductors connecting driver circuitry and terminals of panels
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/11 Printed elements for providing electric connections to or between printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/108 by semi-additive methods; masks therefor characterised by metallic etch mask H05K3/062; electroplating methods or apparatus H05K3/241
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/22 Secondary treatment of printed circuits H05K3/1283 takes precedence; embedding circuits in grooves by pressure H05K3/107

Abstract

An electronic device can include a substrate and a conductive layer. The conductive layer can be disposed over at least a portion of the substrate and a patterned conductive material can be disposed over at least a portion of the conductive layer. Alternatively, the patterned conductive layer can be disposed over at least a portion of a surface of the substrate and the conductive layer can be disposed over a portion of the surface of the substrate and in between the patterned conductive material. The conductive layer can be disposed over at least a portion of the patterned conductive material. The patterned conductive material can have a resistivity that is lower than a resistivity of the conductive layer.

Claims

1. A display stack comprising:

a substrate;

a first conductive contact positioned below the substrate;

a first conductive layer positioned below the substrate, the first conductive layer electrically connected to the first conductive contact;

a second conductive contact positioned above the substrate; and

a conductive material disposed over at least a portion of the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact.

2. The display stack of claim 1, wherein the conductive material electrically connects the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact.

3. The display stack of claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer is disposed over a portion of the first conductive contact.

4. The display stack of claim 1, further comprising a second conductive layer positioned above the substrate and adjacent the second conductive contact, the second conductive layer electrically connected to the second conductive contact.

5. The display stack of claim 4, further comprising an electrical connector electrically connecting the second conductive layer to the second conductive contact.

6. The display stack of claim 5, wherein the conductive material electrically connects the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer via the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact, respectively.

7. The display stack of claim 1, wherein the conductive material is disposed over a portion of the substrate.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a substrate;

a conductive layer disposed over at least a portion of the substrate;

a patterned conductive material disposed over one of;

at least a portion of the conductive layer, or

at least a portion of the substrate, wherein the conductive layer is disposed over the patterned conductive material disposed over the substrate;

a first conductive contact positioned below the substrate;

a second conductive contact positioned above the substrate; and

a conductive material disposed over at least a portion of the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising an electrical connector electrically connecting the first conductive layer to the first conductive contact.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising an electrical connector electrically connecting the patterned conductive material disposed over at least a portion of the substrate to the first conductive contact.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the patterned conductive material includes a resistivity that is lower than a resistivity of the conductive layer.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the patterned conductive layer is disposed over at least a portion of a perimeter of the conductive layer.

13. The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising a layer disposed over at least a portion of the conductive layer and at least a portion of the patterned conductive material disposed over the conductive layer.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, further comprising a third conductive contact positioned below the substrate,

wherein the third conductive contact electrically connected to the layer disposed over at least the portion of the conductive layer and at least the portion of the patterned conductive material disposed over the conductive layer.

15. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the patterned conductive material is fragmented.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the conductive layer is disposed around the fragmented patterned conductive material disposed over at least the portion of the substrate.

17. A method forming an electrical connection in an electronic device, the method comprising:

determining if at least one mask is applied to at least one of;

at least a portion of a substrate, or

at least one layer of an electrical connection;

determining if an insulating material is initially applied to at least one of;

at least the portion of the substrate, or

at least one layer of the electrical connection;

in response to determining the insulating material is applied, forming an insulating material over at least one of;

at least the portion of the substrate, or

at least one layer of the electrical connection; and

in response to determining the insulating material is not applied, forming at least one distinct layer of the electrical connection; and

determining if the insulating material is subsequently applied to at least one of;

at least the portion of the substrate, or

the at least one distinct layer of the electrical connection.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the forming of the at least one distinct layer of the electrical connection further comprises at least one of:

disposing a conductive layer over at least a portion of the substrate;

disposing a patterned conductive material over one of;

at least a portion of the conductive layer, or

at least a portion of the substrate, wherein the conductive layer is disposed over the patterned conductive material disposed over the substrate;

disposing a first conductive contact below the substrate;

disposing a second conductive contact above the substrate; and

disposing a conductive material over at least a portion of the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the disposing of the patterned conductive material further comprises lowering a sheet resistance of the conductive layer,

wherein the patterned conductive material includes a resistivity that is lower than a resistivity of the conductive layer.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

removing the at least one mask subsequent to at least one of;

the forming of the insulating material over at least one of;

at least the portion of the substrate, or

at least one layer of the electrical connection, or

the forming of the at least one distinct layer of the electrical connection.