Touch panel

• US 9,207,798 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2014
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tamura, Hikaru, Kozuma, Munehiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Spar, Ilana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Karki, Paras D
• Application Number:
  US14/280,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 257/59, 257/72
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/975 using a capacitive movable element
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96015 Constructional details for touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96046 Key-pad combined with display, back-lit
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/9653 with illumination

Abstract

A touch sensor (touch panel) which can be formed over the same substrate as a display portion is provided. Alternatively, a touch sensor (touch panel) which does not cause degradation in the quality of an image displayed on a display portion is provided. The touch panel includes a light-emitting element and a microstructure in which a pair of electrodes facing each other is isolated with an insulating material. As the insulating material, an elastic material or a material having a hole is used so that a filler layer formed using the insulating material can be deformed when a movable portion operates. It is preferable to use a material which is softened or hardened by certain treatment (e.g., heat treatment or chemical treatment) after formation.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

a transistor over a first substrate, the transistor comprising a gate electrode, a semiconductor layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode;

an insulating layer covering the transistor, the insulating layer having an opening,

a filler layer filling the opening;

a light-emitting element comprising a first electrode over the insulating layer, a light-emitting layer over the first electrode and a second electrode over the light-emitting layer;

a first capacitor comprising a first lower electrode, an upper electrode and the filler layer between the first lower electrode and the upper electrode;

a second capacitor comprising a second lower electrode, the upper electrode and the filler layer between the first lower electrode and the upper electrode; and

a spacer between a second substrate and the first substrate, the spacer overlapping with the filler layer and the upper electrode,

wherein the first lower electrode and the second lower electrode are formed using the same material as the gate electrode, and

wherein the upper electrode is over the insulating layer and formed using the same material as the first electrode.

2. The touch panel according to claim 1,

wherein the first electrode is electrically connected to one of the source electrode and the drain electrode, and

wherein the upper electrode is electrically connected to the other of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

3. The touch panel according to claim 1, further comprising a partition wall covering an end portion of the first electrode, the first capacitor and the second capacitor,

wherein the partition wall has an opening, and

wherein the spacer is provided so as to fill the opening in the partition wall.

4. The touch panel according to claim 3,

wherein the spacer is formed using a material which is harder than a material of the partition wall, and

wherein the partition wall is formed using a material which is harder than the material of the filler layer.

5. The touch panel according to claim 1,

wherein the filler layer is formed using an elastic insulating material which can be reversibly deformed by a pressure.

6. The touch panel according to claim 5, wherein the elastic insulating material is one of an elastomer and a thermoplastic elastomer.

7. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the filler layer is formed using a porous insulating material which can be reversibly deformed by a pressure.

8. The touch panel according to claim 7, wherein the porous insulating material is a block copolymer.

9. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor layer comprises an oxide semiconductor.

10. The touch panel according to claim 1,

wherein the first electrode of the light-emitting element and the upper electrode are spaced from each other.

11. A touch panel comprising:

a transistor over a first substrate, the transistor comprising a gate electrode, a semiconductor layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode;

an insulating layer covering the transistor, the insulating layer having an opening,

a filler layer filling the opening;

a light-emitting element comprising a first electrode over the insulating layer, a light-emitting layer over the first electrode and a second electrode over the light-emitting layer;

a first capacitor comprising a first lower electrode, an upper electrode and the filler layer between the first lower electrode and the upper electrode;

a second capacitor comprising a second lower electrode, the upper electrode and the filler layer between the first lower electrode and the upper electrode; and

a spacer between a second substrate and the first substrate, the spacer overlapping with the filler layer and the upper electrode,

wherein the first lower electrode and the second lower electrode are formed using the same material as the source electrode and the drain electrode, and

wherein the upper electrode is over the insulating layer and formed using the same material as the first electrode.

12. The touch panel according to claim 11,

wherein the first lower electrode is electrically connected to a first wiring, and

wherein the second lower electrode is electrically connected to a second wiring.

13. The touch panel according to claim 11,

wherein the first electrode is electrically connected to one of the source electrode and the drain electrode, and

wherein the upper electrode is electrically connected to the other of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

14. The touch panel according to claim 11, further comprising a partition wall covering an end portion of the first electrode, the first capacitor and the second capacitor,

wherein the partition wall has an opening, and

wherein the spacer is provided so as to fill the opening in the partition wall.

15. The touch panel according to claim 14,

wherein the spacer is formed using a material which is harder than a material of the partition wall, and

wherein the partition wall is formed using a material which is harder than the material of the filler layer.

16. The touch panel according to claim 11,

wherein the filler layer is formed using an elastic insulating material which can be reversibly deformed by a pressure.

17. The touch panel according to claim 16, wherein the elastic insulating material is one of an elastomer and a thermoplastic elastomer.

18. The touch panel according to claim 11, wherein the filler layer is formed using a porous insulating material which can be reversibly deformed by a pressure.

19. The touch panel according to claim 18, wherein the porous insulating material is a block copolymer.

20. The touch panel according to claim 11, wherein the semiconductor layer comprises an oxide semiconductor.

21. The touch panel according to claim 11,

wherein the first electrode of the light-emitting element and the upper electrode are spaced from each other.