Method of fabricating capacitive touch-screen panel

• US 9,360,969 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TK Chemical Corporation
• Original Assignee: E&H. Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Yong Hoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Donghai D
• Application Number:
  US12/747,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20110099805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,447 Days
• Field of Search: 298/30, 298/46, 298/49, 298/52, 174/261, 174/265, 178/18.03, 345/173, 345/174, 439/12
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

Provided is a method of fabricating a capacitive touch-screen panel. The method includes preparing first and second substrates having first lateral surfaces on which first and second transparent conductive layers for forming first and second transparent electrode pattern units are disposed. Each of the first and second substrates has a screen region and an inactive region. Second lateral surfaces of the first and second substrates are bonded to each other by an interlayer adhesive. First and second metal layers for forming first and second outer electrode interconnections are disposed on exposed surfaces of the first and second transparent conductive layers, respectively. Double-side exposure and etching processes are performed to form the first transparent electrode pattern unit and the first outer electrode interconnection on the screen region and the inactive region of the first lateral surface of the first substrate, respectively, and simultaneously, form the second transparent electrode pattern unit and the second outer electrode interconnection on the screen region and the inactive region of the first lateral surface of the second substrate, respectively. The first and second outer electrode interconnections are electrically connected to the first and second transparent electrode pattern units, respectively. The method can efficiently reduce the fabrication cost of a touch screen and greatly simplify the fabrication process of the touch-screen panel.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a capacitive touch-screen panel, comprising:

preparing a substrate having first and second lateral surfaces on which first and second transparent conductive layers for forming first and second transparent electrode pattern units are disposed, the substrate having a screen region and an inactive region;

depositing first and second metal layers for forming first and second outer electrode interconnections on exposed surfaces of the first and second transparent conductive layers; and

performing double-side exposure and etching processes to form the first transparent electrode pattern unit and the first outer electrode interconnection on the screen region and the inactive region of the first lateral surface of the substrate, respectively, and simultaneously, form the second transparent electrode pattern unit and the second outer electrode interconnection on the screen region and the inactive region of the second lateral surface of the substrate, respectively, wherein the first and second outer electrode interconnections are electrically connected to the first and second transparent electrode pattern units, respectively, wherein in the etching process the first outer electrode interconnection and the first transparent electrode patterns are etched sequentially to have the same shape and to expose predetermined portions of the screen region and the inactive region, and the second outer electrode interconnection and the second transparent electrode patterns are etched sequentially to have the same shape and to expose predetermined portions of the screen region and inactive region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a transparent film formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of PET, PI, acryl, PEN, and glass.

3. A method of fabricating a capacitive touch-screen panel, comprising:

preparing a substrate having first and second lateral surfaces on which first and second transparent conductive layers for forming first and second transparent electrode pattern units are disposed, the substrate having a screen region and an inactive region;

forming a plurality of through holes for forming a plurality of via holes on the inactive region of the substrate to penetrate the first and second transparent conductive layers;

depositing first and second metal layers on exposed surfaces of the first and second transparent conductive layers having the respective through holes; and

performing double-side exposure and etching processes to form the first transparent electrode pattern unit on the screen region of the first lateral surface of the substrate and simultaneously, form the second transparent electrode pattern unit on the screen region of the second lateral surface of the substrate, and to form first and second outer electrode interconnections on the inactive region of the second lateral surface of the substrate, wherein the first outer electrode interconnection is electrically connected to the first transparent electrode pattern unit through the via holes, and the second outer electrode interconnection is electrically connected to the second transparent electrode pattern unit, wherein in the etching process the first outer electrode interconnection and the first transparent electrode patterns are etched sequentially to have the same shape and to expose predetermined portions of the screen region and the inactive region, and the second outer electrode interconnection and the second transparent electrode patterns are etched sequentially to have the same shape and to expose predetermined portions of the screen region and inactive region.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising bonding a single-sided external driver to the inactive region of the substrate to be electrically connected to the first and second outer electrode interconnections.

5. A method of fabricating a capacitive touch-screen panel, comprising:

preparing a substrate having first and second lateral surfaces on which first and second transparent conductive layers for forming first and second transparent electrode pattern units are disposed, the substrate having a screen region and an inactive region;

selectively depositing first and second metal layers for forming first and second outer electrode interconnections using first and second masks on predetermined exposed surfaces of the first and second transparent conductive layers formed on the inactive region of the substrate; and

performing double-side exposure and etching processes to form the first transparent electrode pattern unit and the first outer electrode interconnection on the screen region and the inactive region of the first lateral surface of the substrate, respectively, and simultaneously, form the second transparent electrode pattern unit and the second outer electrode interconnection on the screen region and the inactive region of the second lateral surface of the substrate, respectively, wherein the first and second outer electrode interconnections are electrically connected to the first and second transparent electrode pattern units, respectively, wherein in the etching process the first outer electrode interconnection and the first transparent electrode patterns are etched sequentially to have the same shape and to expose predetermined portions of the screen region and the inactive region, and the second outer electrode interconnection and the second transparent electrode patterns are etched sequentially to have the same shape and to expose predetermined portions of the screen region and inactive region.

6. A method of fabricating a capacitive touch-screen panel, comprising:

preparing a substrate having first and second lateral surfaces on which first and second transparent conductive layers for forming first and second transparent electrode pattern units are disposed, the substrate having a screen region and an inactive region;

forming at least one through hole for forming at least one via hole on the inactive region of the substrate to penetrate the first and second transparent conductive layers;

selectively depositing the first and second metal layers using first and second masks on predetermined exposed surfaces of the first and second transparent conductive layers formed on the inactive regions of the substrate; and

performing double-side exposure and etching processes to form the first transparent electrode pattern unit on the screen region of the first lateral surface of the substrate and simultaneously, form the second transparent electrode pattern unit on the screen region of the second lateral surface of the substrate, and to form first and second outer electrode interconnections on the inactive region of the second lateral surface of the substrate, wherein the first outer electrode interconnection is electrically connected to the first transparent electrode pattern unit through the via hole, and the second outer electrode interconnection is electrically connected to the second transparent electrode pattern unit, wherein in the etching process the first outer electrode interconnection and the first transparent electrode patterns are etched sequentially to have the same shape and to expose predetermined portions of the screen region and the inactive region, and the second outer electrode interconnection and the second transparent electrode patterns are etched sequentially to have the same shape and to expose predetermined portions of the screen region and inactive region.