DISPLAY DEVICE INCLUDING TOUCH SENSOR AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20140362000A1
• Filed: 09/18/2013
• Published: 12/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: SEO, Seung Mi, OH, Joon Hak, LEE, Jong Seo
• Granted Patent: US 9,552,092 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13394 spacers regularly patterned on the cell subtrate, e.g. walls, pillars G02F1/133377 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 Piezoelectric device making

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a display device including a touch sensor and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly, to a display device including a touch sensor using a piezoelectric material and a manufacturing method thereof. The display device includes a first substrate, wherein a plurality of thin film transistors are disposed on the first substrate; a second substrate disposed facing the first substrate; a plurality of piezoelectric elements disposed on the second substrate; and a first sensing electrode overlapping the piezoelectric elements, the first sensing electrode being configured to transfer a sensing voltage generated as a result of pressure applied to the piezoelectric elements.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a first substrate, wherein a plurality of thin film transistors are disposed on the first substrate;

a second substrate disposed facing the first substrate;

a plurality of piezoelectric elements disposed on the second substrate; and

a first sensing electrode overlapping the piezoelectric elements, the first sensing electrode being configured to transfer a sensing voltage generated as a result of pressure applied to the piezoelectric elements.

2. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a protruding portion overlapping the piezoelectric elements and protruding from a plane of the first substrate or the second substrate.

3. The display device of claim 2, wherein:

the protruding portion comprises at least one of a spacer for maintaining a distance between the first substrate and the second substrate, a sealant disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a pixel defining layer.

4. The display device of claim 3, further comprising:

a second sensing electrode overlapping the first sensing electrode with the piezoelectric elements interposed between the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode.

5. The display device of claim 4, wherein:

the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode are disposed extending in different directions.

6. The display device of claim 5, further comprising:

an insulating layer disposed between the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode for insulating the first sensing electrode from the second sensing electrode.

7. The display device of claim 6, wherein:

the insulating layer comprises a contact hole for exposing an end portion of the first sensing electrode, and

a contact assistant in contact with the end portion of the first sensing electrode at the contact hole, wherein

the contact assistant is disposed in a same layer as the second sensing electrode.

8. The display device of claim 6, wherein:

at least a portion of the insulating layer corresponding to the piezoelectric elements is removed.

9. The display device of claim 4, wherein:

the second sensing electrode comprises a common electrode formed on the second substrate.

10. The display device of claim 2, further comprising:

a sealant disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate for bonding the first substrate and the second substrate;

a plurality of neighboring piezoelectric elements disposed overlapping the sealant; and

a third sensing electrode overlapping the neighboring piezoelectric elements, the third sensing electrode being configured to transfer a sensing voltage generated as a result of pressure applied to the neighboring piezoelectric elements.

11. The display device of claim 10, wherein:

the third sensing electrode is disposed in a same layer as the first sensing electrode.

12. The display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second sensing electrode overlapping the first sensing electrode with the piezoelectric elements interposed between the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode.

13. A method of manufacturing a display device, the method comprising:

forming a plurality of thin film transistors on a first substrate;

forming a plurality of piezoelectric elements on a second substrate, wherein the second substrate is disposed facing the first substrate; and

forming a first sensing electrode overlapping the piezoelectric elements, the first sensing electrode being configured to transfer a sensing voltage generated as a result of pressure applied to the piezoelectric elements.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

forming a protruding portion overlapping the piezoelectric elements and protruding from a plane of the first substrate or the second substrate.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the protruding portion comprises at least one of a spacer for maintaining a distance between the first substrate and the second substrate, a sealant disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a pixel defining layer.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

forming a second sensing electrode overlapping the first sensing electrode with the piezoelectric elements interposed between the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

forming an insulating layer disposed between the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode for insulating the first sensing electrode from the second sensing electrode.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

patterning the insulating layer to form a contact hole for exposing an end portion of the first sensing electrode; and

forming a contact assistant in contact with the end portion of the first sensing electrode at the contact hole, wherein the contact assistant is formed in a same layer as the second sensing electrode.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

removing at least a portion of the insulating layer corresponding to the piezoelectric elements.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein:

forming the second sensing electrode further comprises forming a common electrode on the second substrate.