Method for fabricating touch panel

• US 8,105,126 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2009
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Inventors: Jiang, Kai-Li, Liu, Liang, Fan, Shou-Shan, Chen, Ga-Lane, Cheng, Jia-Shyong, Wu, Jeah-Sheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Nimeshkumar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bowman, Mary Ellen
• Application Number:
  US12/584,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20100093247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 445 24- 25
• US Class Current: 445/24
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1368 in which the switching element is a three-electrode device G02F1/136277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/821 comprising carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/269 including synthetic resin or polymer layer or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2913 Rod, strand, filament or fiber

Abstract

A method for fabricating a touch panel is provided. A first substrate and a second substrate are provided. A first carbon nanotube composite layer is applied on a surface of the first substrate to obtain a first electrode plate. A second carbon nanotube composite layer is applied on a surface of the first substrate to obtain a second electrode plate. The first and second electrode plates are assembled to obtain the touch panel.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a touch panel, the method comprising:

providing a first substrate and a second substrate;

applying a first carbon nanotube composite layer on a surface of the first substrate to obtain a first electrode plate;

applying a second carbon nanotube composite layer on a surface of the second substrate to obtain a second electrode plate; and

assembling the first and second electrode plates;

wherein the first and second electrode plates are prepared by a continuous operation device, the continuous operation device comprises a first shaft roller, a second shaft roller, a third shaft roller, a container, a platform, a tubular furnace, a traction device, an airflow apparatus, a removal device, and a laser;

the first shaft roller, the second shaft roller, and the third shaft roller are located separately and axes of the first shaft roller, the second shaft roller, and the third shaft roller are arranged along a same direction, the third shaft roller and the traction device are located on two ends of the tubular furnace, the airflow apparatus is located between the third shaft roller and the tubular furnace, the container has an opening and is located below the second shaft roller, and part of the second shaft roller is located in the container, the removal device is adjacent to the second shaft roller and a certain distance is formed between one end of the removal device and the second shaft roller, the first shaft roller comprises a flexible substrate, the flexible substrate is wound on the first shaft roller, the container is filled with a polymer solution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein steps of fabricating the first and second electrode plates utilizing the continuous operation device comprises the step of:

passing the flexible substrate around the second shaft roller, the third shaft roller and the tubular furnace in sequence to connect the flexible substrate with the traction device and forming the layer of polymer solution on a surface of the flexible substrate;

securing a carbon nanotube array on the platform, drawing a drawn carbon nanotube film from the carbon nanotube array and adhering one surface of the drawn carbon nanotube film to the layer of polymer solution on the surface of the flexible substrate;

drawing the flexible substrate with the layer of polymer solution and the drawn carbon nanotube film thereon by the traction device at a certain speed along a direction parallel to the axis of the tubular furnace to pass through the tubular furnace, thereby forming the carbon nanotube composite layer; and

cutting the flexible substrate with the carbon nanotube composite layer thereon to obtain the first and second electrode plates.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of disposing an insulating layer on a periphery of the first electrode plate after obtaining the first electrode plate.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of affixing a plurality of dot spacers on the first or second electrode plate, the dot spacers are located between the first and second electrode plates.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of disposing at least one first electrode on the first electrode plate, and the at least one first electrode is located between the first and second electrode plates.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising a step of disposing at least one second electrode on the second electrode plate, and the at least one second electrode is located between the first and second electrode plates.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a method for applying the first carbon nanotube composite layer on the surface of the first substrate comprises the steps of:

coating a layer of polymer solution on the surface of the first substrate;

providing at least one carbon nanotube film treated by a laser to improve light transmittance of the at least one carbon nanotube film;

placing at least one layer of the treated carbon nanotube film on the layer of polymer solution; and

infiltrating the layer of polymer solution into the at least one layer of the treated carbon nanotube film and solidifying the layer of polymer solution.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a power density of the laser is greater than 0.1×

10⁴ Watt per square meter.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of placing at least one layer of the treated carbon nanotube film on the layer of polymer solution comprises the sub-steps of:

disposing two or more stacked layers of the treated carbon nanotube film on the layer of polymer solution.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the two or more layers of the carbon nanotube films comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes arranged substantially along a same direction;

and an angle between the longitudinal axes of the carbon nanotubes of the two or more layers of the carbon nanotube films ranges from about 0 degrees to about 90 degrees.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube film >

comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes arranged along different directions.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one carbon nanotube film is a drawn carbon nanotube film, the drawn carbon nanotube film comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes substantially arranged along a same direction.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein steps for fabricating the drawn carbon nanotube film comprises:

providing a carbon nanotube array;

selecting carbon nanotubes from the carbon nanotube array;

drawing the carbon nanotubes along a direction perpendicular to the growth direction of the carbon nanotube array.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein steps for infiltrating the layer of polymer solution into the at least one layer of the treated carbon nanotube film comprises a step of pressing the at least one carbon nanotube film towards the layer of polymer solution with air speeds of about 10 meters per second to about 8 meters per second.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein steps for solidifying the layer of polymer solution comprises a step of heating the polymer solution to a predetermined temperature.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of heating the polymer solution comprises a step of placing the layer of polymer solution in a furnace to heat or irritate the layer of polymer solution by laser.