Transparent conductive film and conductive substrate using the same

• US 8,269,108 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National University Corporation Saitama University, Shin-Etsu Polymer Company Limited (Shin-Etsu Chemical Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: National University Corporation Saitama University, Shin-Etsu Polymer Company Limited (Shin-Etsu Chemical Company Limited)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Hideki, Komatsu, Hiroto, Kunishi, Yousuke, Ikeno, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): LAM, CATHY FONG FONG
• Application Number:
  US13/076,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20110291058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 428/209, 174/117.FF, 174/251, 174/113.R, 174/114.R, 174/114.S, 174/117.AS, 174/261, 345 80- 85
• US Class Current: 174/113.R
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A transparent conductive film (12, 22) including a transparent base material (2) having insulation properties; and a mesh member made of a conductive metal and provided in the transparent base material (2), wherein the transparent base material (2) is provided with a conductive portion in which the mesh member is arranged, and an insulating portion (I) in which a gap (5) formed by removing the mesh member is arranged.

Claims

1. A transparent conductive film comprising:

a transparent base material having insulation properties; and

a mesh member made of a conductive metal and wherein the mesh member is provided inside the transparent base material,

wherein the transparent base material comprises a conductive portion comprising the mesh member, and wherein the transparent base material defines a plurality of gaps, and said gaps are formed by removal of the mesh member therefrom, wherein the transparent base material comprises an insulating portion at a location where the gaps are arranged.

2. The transparent conductive film according to claim 1,

wherein the mesh member is made of metal microfibers that are dispersed and electrically connected with each other in the transparent base material.

3. The transparent conductive film according to claim 2, wherein the metal microfibers are mainly composed of silver.

4. The transparent conductive film according to claim 1, wherein the gap in the insulating portion is formed by irradiating a pulsed laser onto the mesh member.

5. The transparent conductive film according to claim 4, wherein the pulsed laser is an ultrashort pulse laser with a pulse width of less than 1 picosecond.

6. The transparent conductive film according to claim 4, wherein the pulsed laser is a YAG laser or a YVO4 laser.

7. The transparent conductive film according to claim 2,

wherein the gap in the insulating portion is formed by irradiating a pulsed laser onto the mesh member.

8. The transparent conductive film according to claim 3,

wherein the gap in the insulating portion is formed by irradiating a pulsed laser onto the mesh member.

9. The transparent conductive film according to claim 7, wherein the pulsed laser is an ultrashort pulse laser with a pulse width of less than 1 picosecond.

10. The transparent conductive film according to claim 8, wherein the pulsed laser is an ultrashort pulse laser with a pulse width of less than 1 picosecond.

11. The transparent conductive film according to claim 7, wherein the pulsed laser is a YAG laser or a YVO4 laser.

12. The transparent conductive film according to claim 8, wherein the pulsed laser is a YAG laser or a YVO₄ laser.

13. A conductive substrate comprising the transparent conductive film of any one of claims 1 to 6, and 7-12 provided at least on one surface of an insulating substrate.

14. The conductive substrate according to claim 13, wherein the insulating substrate is transparent.