Transparent Force Sensitive Structures in an Electronic Device

• US 20180157363A1
• Filed: 01/10/2018
• Published: 06/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Vosgueritchian, Michael, Pedder, James E., Smith, John Stephen, Wen, Xiaonan
• Application Number:
  US15/867,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20180157363A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1218 with a particular composition or structure of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/762 Nanowire or quantum wire, i.e. axially elongated structure having two dimensions of 100 nm or less

Abstract

One or more transparent transistor force sensitive structures can be included in an electronic device. The transistor force sensitive structures(s) is used to detect a force that is applied to the electronic device, to a component in the electronic device, and/or to an input region of the electronic device. As one example, the one or more transparent transistor force sensitive structures may be included in a display stack of a display in an electronic device.

Claims

1-6. -6. (canceled)

7. An electronic device, comprising:

a cover layer configured to receive a touch input;

a display layer positioned below the cover layer;

a transparent force layer positioned below the cover layer and configured to detect strain based on the touch input, the transparent force layer comprising;

a first plurality of transparent piezotronic transistor force sensitive structures positioned over a first surface of a transparent substrate; and

a processing device configured to receive strain signals from the first plurality of transparent piezotronic transistor force sensitive structures and configured to estimate an amount of force associated with the touch input.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, further comprising a second plurality of transparent piezotronic transistor force sensitive structures positioned over a second surface of the transparent substrate.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the display layer is positioned over the transparent force layer.

10. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the display layer is positioned below the transparent force layer.

11. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein at least one transparent piezotronic transistor force sensitive structure comprises:

a first electrode layer positioned between a protective layer and a first dielectric layer;

a semiconducting layer positioned between the first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer; and

a second electrode layer positioned between the second dielectric layer and the transparent substrate.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the semiconducting layer comprises one of:

a layer comprising zinc oxide; and

a layer of silver nanowires.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first and second electrode layers each comprise a layer of indium tin oxide.

14-40. -40. (canceled)

41. An electronic device, comprising:

a force-sensitive structure comprising;

a source electrode;

a semiconducting layer positioned below the source electrode; and

a drain electrode positioned below the semiconducting layer; and

a processing circuitry coupled to the source electrode and the drain electrode of the force-sensitive structure and configured to estimate an amount of force applied to the force-sensitive structure based on a current flowing between the source electrode and the drain electrode of the force-sensitive structure.

42. The electronic device of claim 41, wherein the semiconducting layer is formed from a piezoelectric material.

43. The electronic device of claim 41, wherein the current flows from the source electrode to the drain electrode.

44. The electronic device of claim 41, further comprising a Schottky contact defined by an interface between the source electrode and the semiconducting layer.

45. The electronic device of claim 44, wherein:

the Schottky contact is a first Schottky contact;

the interface is a first interface; and

the electronic device further comprises a second Schottky contact defined by a second interface between the drain electrode and the semiconducting layer.

46. The electronic device of claim 41, further comprising a substrate;

wherein

the force-sensitive structure is formed onto the substrate.

47. The electronic device of claim 46, further comprising:

an array of independent force-sensitive structures defined on the substrate, the array comprising the force-sensitive structure;

wherein each of the independent force sensitive structures of the array are coupled to the processing circuitry.

48. The electronic device of claim 46, wherein;

the drain electrode is formed onto and coupled to the substrate;

the semiconducting layer is formed onto and coupled to the drain electrode; and

the source electrode is formed onto and coupled to the semiconducting layer.

49. The electronic device of claim 41, wherein the drain electrode, the semiconducting layer, and the source electrode are each formed from a transparent material.

50. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a transparent substrate above the display;

a transparent array of force-sensitive structures defined on the transparent substrate, each force-sensitive structure of the transparent array comprising a source electrode and a drain electrode disposed on opposite sides of a piezoelectric semiconductor; and

a sense circuitry coupled to the transparent array and configured to;

measure change in current flowing between the source electrode and the drain electrode of at least one force-sensitive structure of the transparent array; and

correlate the measured change in current to a strain induced in the transparent substrate as a result of a force applied to the transparent substrate.

50-1. The electronic device of claim 50, wherein each force-sensitive structure of the transparent array has a rectilinear shape.

51. The electronic device of claim 50, wherein the transparent substrate is formed from glass.

52. The electronic device of claim 50, wherein the transparent substrate is coupled to the display.