Patterned substrates with non-linear conductor traces

• US 8,933,906 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2011
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Frey, Matthew H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bukowski, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US13/019,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20120194441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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: H05K 1/0274 Optical details, e.g. printed circuits comprising integral optical means H05K1/0269 takes precedence; coupling light guides with opto-electronic components G02B6/42
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0306 Inorganic insulating substrates, e.g. ceramic, glass
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/09 Use of materials for the conductive, e.g. metallic pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0108 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/2054 Light-reflecting surface, e.g. conductors, substrates, coatings, dielectrics
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0096 for television displays, e.g. plasma display panel

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an article having (a) a substrate having opposing first and second surfaces; and (b) a conductor micropattern disposed on the first surface of the substrate. The conductor micropattern has a plurality of traces defining a plurality of open area cells. The conductor micropattern has an open area fraction greater than 80% and a uniform distribution of trace orientation. Each of the traces is non-linear and has a trace width from 0.5 to 10 micrometer. The articles are useful in devices such as displays, in particular, touch screen displays useful for mobile hand held devices, tablets and computers. They also find use in antennas and for EMI shields.

Claims

1. An article comprising:

a substrate having opposing first and second surfaces; and

a conductor micropattern disposed on the first surface of the substrate, the conductor micropattern comprising a plurality of traces defining a plurality of cells,

wherein the conductor micropattern has an open area fraction greater than 80% and a uniform distribution of trace orientation;

wherein each of the traces is non-linear and has a trace width from 0.5 to 10 micrometer; and

wherein the uniform distribution of trace orientation for the micropattern has a standard deviation of measured frequency per two degree bin of less than four.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein each of the conductor micropattern trace has a radius of curvature of less than 1 centimeter.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein each of the traces has a trace width from 0.5 to 5 micrometer.

4. The article of claim 1, wherein each of the traces has a trace width from 1 to 3 micrometer.

5. The article of claim 1, wherein the uniform distribution of trace orientation for the micropattern has a standard deviation of measured frequency per two degree bin of less than three.

6. The article of claim 1, wherein the uniform distribution of trace orientation for the micropattern has a standard deviation of measured frequency per two degree bin of less than two.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein the uniform distribution of trace orientation for the micropattern has a standard deviation of measured frequency per two degree bin of less than one.

8. The article of claim 1, wherein the trace comprises a material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, palladium, platinum, aluminum, copper, molybdenum, nickel, tin, tungsten, alloys, and combinations thereof.

9. The article of claim 1, wherein the conductor micropattern has a non-repeating cell geometry.

10. The article of claim 1, wherein the conductor micropattern has a repeating cell geometry, the cell comprising six sides.

11. The article of claim 1, wherein the conductor micropattern has a non-repeating cell geometry, the cell comprising four sides.

12. The article of claim 1, wherein the conductor micropattern has cells that do not lie on a repeating array of positions.

13. The article of claim 1, wherein traces have a specular reflectance of less than 20% at normal incidence and in a direction oriented toward the first surface of the substrate.

14. The article of claim 1, wherein the traces have a specular reflectance of less than 10% at normal incidence and in a direction oriented toward the first surface of the substrate.

15. The article of claim 1, wherein the traces have a specular reflectance of less than 50% at normal incidence and in a direction oriented toward the first surface of the substrate.

16. The article of claim 1, wherein the traces have a specular reflectance of less than 20% at normal incidence and in a direction oriented away from the first surface of the substrate.

17. The article of claim 1, wherein the traces have a specular reflectance of less than 10% at normal incidence and in a direction oriented away the first surface of the substrate.

18. The article of claim 1, wherein the traces have a specular reflectance of less than 50% at normal incidence and in a direction oriented away the first surface of the substrate.

19. The article of claim 1, wherein the substrate is visible light transparent.

20. The article of claim 12, wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of glass and plastic.

21. The article of claim 1 further comprising

a second conductor micropattern disposed on the second surface of the substrate, the second conductor micropattern comprising a plurality of traces defining a plurality of cells,

wherein the second conductor micropattern has an open area fraction greater than 80% and a uniform distribution of trace orientation;

and

wherein each of the traces is non-linear and has a trace width from 0.5 to 10 micrometer.

22. A touch screen sensor comprising:

first and second substrates, each substrate having opposing first and second surfaces;

a conductor micropattern disposed on first surface of each of the first and second substrates, both conductor micropatterns comprising a plurality of traces defining a plurality of open area cells,

wherein the conductor micropatterns have an open area fraction greater than 80% and a uniform distribution of trace orientation having a standard deviation of measured frequency per two degree bin of less than four,

wherein each of the traces is non-linear and has a trace width from 0.5 to 10 micrometer; and

wherein the conductor micropatterns of first and second substrates are electrically isolated from one another.

23. The touch screen sensor of claim 22 further comprising an optically clear adhesive disposed between the first and second substrates such that the optically clear adhesive is in direct contact with the conductor micropattern of the first substrate and the second surface of the second substrate.

24. The touch screen sensor of claim 22, wherein the uniform distribution of trace orientation has a standard deviation of measured frequency per two degree bin of less than three.

25. The touch screen sensor of claim 22, wherein the uniform distribution of trace orientation has a standard deviation of measured frequency per two degree bin of less than two.

26. The touch screen sensor of claim 22, wherein the uniform distribution of trace orientation has a standard deviation of measured frequency per two degree bin of less than one.