INTEGRATED POLARIZER AND CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL

• US 20150212614A1
• Filed: 01/28/2014
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Cheng, Kuwabara, Masato, Kang, Sunggu, Zhong, John Z.
• Granted Patent: US 10,073,569 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3033 in the form of a thin sheet or foil, e.g. Polaroid
• 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 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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

Abstract

A polarizer integrated with conductive material and a process for forming a polarizer integrated with conductive material are disclosed. A polarizer can be integrated with conductive material to form a portion of a touch sensor panel. In one example, a layer of conductive film forming either the row or column traces can be patterned on a surface of a substrate in the polarizer. In another example, the layer of conductive film can be patterned on a viewing angle compensation film of the polarizer. One or more of the polarizer'"'"'s polarizing layer, protective substrates or viewing angle compensation film can act as a dielectric between the conductive material forming the rows and column traces in the stack-up. As a result, the clear polymer spacer acting as a dielectric in touch panels can be removed, reducing the thickness of the touch screen stack-up.

Claims

1. A polarizer stack-up comprising:

a first substrate and a second substrate;

a polarizing layer disposed between the first substrate and second substrate; and

a first layer of conductive material patterned on a first surface of either the first substrate or the second substrate;

wherein the first layer of conductive material forms an electrode of a capacitive touch sensor panel and at least one of the first or second substrates forms a part of a dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel.

2. The polarizer stack-up of claim 1, the stack-up further comprising a second layer of conductive material patterned on a second surface of either the first substrate or the second substrate, the first and second layers of conductive material forming a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel.

3. The polarizer stack-up of claim 1, wherein the dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel comprises at least one of the first or second substrates and the polarizing layer.

4. The polarizer stack-up of claim 1, wherein a second layer of conductive material is patterned on a surface within a display, the first and second layers of conductive material forming a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel.

5. The polarizer stack-up of claim 4, wherein the first and second layers of conductive material are located in the display.

6. A polarizer stack-up comprising:

a first substrate;

a viewing angle compensation film disposed below the first substrate;

a polarizing layer disposed above the first substrate; and

a first layer of conductive material patterned on a first surface of the viewing angle compensation film.

7. The polarizer stack-up of claim 6, wherein the first layer of conductive material forms an electrode of a capacitive touch sensor panel.

8. The polarizer stack-up of claim 7, the stack-up further comprising a second substrate and a second layer of conductive material patterned on a second surface of either the first substrate, the second substrate or the viewing angle compensation film, the first and second layers of conductive material forming a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel.

9. The polarizer stack-up of claim 7, wherein a second layer of conductive material is patterned on a surface within a display, the first and second layers of conductive material forming a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel.

10. The polarizer stack-up of claim 9, wherein the first and second layers of conductive material are located in the display.

11. A method of forming a polarizer, the method comprising:

locating a polarizing layer between a first substrate and a second substrate; and

patterning a first layer of conductive material on a first surface of either the first substrate or the second substrate;

wherein the first layer of conductive material forms an electrode of a capacitive touch sensor panel and at least one of the first or second substrates forms a part of a dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel comprises at least one of the first or second substrates and the polarizing layer.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising patterning a second layer of conductive material on a second surface of either the first substrate or the second substrate, the first and second layers of conductive material forming a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel.

14. A method of forming a polarizer, the method comprising:

locating a polarizing layer above a first substrate;

locating a viewing angle compensation film below a first substrate; and

patterning a first layer of conductive material on a first surface of either the first substrate or the viewing angle compensation film.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising patterning a second layer of conductive material patterned on a second surface of either the first substrate or the viewing angle compensation film, the first and second layers of conductive material forming a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising locating a second substrate above the polarizing layer and patterning a second layer of conductive material on a second surface of either the first substrate, the second substrate or the viewing angle compensation film, the first and second layers of conductive material forming a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel.

17. A polarizer integrated with a layer of conductive material forming an electrode of a touch sensor panel, the polarizer stack-up comprising:

a first substrate and a second substrate;

a polarizing layer disposed between the first substrate and second substrate; and

a first layer of conductive material patterned on a first surface of either the first substrate or the second substrate

wherein at least one of the first or second substrates forms a part of a dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel.

18. The polarizer stack-up of claim 17, the stack-up further comprising a second layer of conductive material patterned on a second surface of either the first substrate or the second substrate, the first and second layers of conductive material forming a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel.

19. The polarizer stack-up of claim 17, wherein a second layer of conductive material is patterned on a surface within a display, the first and second layers of conductive material forming a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel.

20. The polarizer stack-up of claim 19, wherein the first and second layers of conductive material are located in the display.

21. The polarizer stack-up of claim 17, wherein the dielectric layer of the capacitive touch sensor panel comprises at least one of the first or second substrates and the polarizing layer.

22. A polarizer integrated with a layer of conductive material forming an electrode of a touch sensor panel, the polarizer stack-up comprising:

a first substrate;

a viewing angle compensation film disposed below the substrate;

a polarizing layer disposed above the first substrate; and

a first layer of conductive material patterned on a first surface of the viewing angle compensation film.

23. The polarizer stack-up of claim 22, the stack-up further comprising a second substrate and a second layer of conductive material patterned on a second surface of either the first substrate, the second substrate or the viewing angle compensation film, the first and second layers of conductive material forming a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel.

24. The polarizer stack-up of claim 22, wherein a second layer of conductive material is patterned on a surface within a display, the first and second layers of conductive material forming a pair of electrodes of the capacitive touch sensor panel.

25. The polarizer stack-up of claim 24, wherein the first and second layers of conductive material are located in the display.