Touch screen and manufacturing method thereof

• US 9,524,043 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2014
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Hwang, Ji-Young, Hwang, In-Seok, Chun, Sang-Ki, Lee, Dong-Wook, Son, Yong-Koo, Park, Min-Choon, Lee, Seung-Heon, Koo, Beom-Mo, Hong, Young-Jun, Kim, Ki-Hwan, Kim, Su-Jin, Choi, Hyeon
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Shamim
• Application Number:
  US14/518,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20150108085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 216/13, 216/41, 345/173
• 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 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 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/061 Etching masks
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4611 by laminating two or more circuit boards H05K3/4652 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a touch screen, comprising the steps of: a) forming a conductive layer on a substrate; b) forming an etching resist pattern on the conductive layer; and c) forming a conductive pattern having a line width smaller than the line width of the etching resist pattern by over-etching the conductive layer by using the etching resist pattern and a touch screen manufactured by the method. According to the present invention, a touch screen comprising a conductive pattern having an ultrafine line width can be economically and efficiently provided.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a touch screen, comprising the steps of:

a) forming a conductive layer on a substrate;

b) forming an etching resist pattern on the conductive layer; and

c) forming a first conductive pattern having a line width smaller than the line width of the etching resist pattern by over-etching the conductive layer by using the etching resist pattern as a mask,

wherein in the step b), a line edge roughness (LER) of the etching resist pattern is controlled to be 0.1 to 5 micrometers,

wherein in step c), an etching time of the conductive layer ranges from a just-etching time to a time 2,000% more than the just-etching time, and the just-etching time means a time required when a pattern is etched in the same shape as the shape of the mask,

wherein the first conductive pattern has a line width of 100 micrometer or less, and

wherein the first conductive pattern has a pattern shape formed continuously on an area of 7 inch or more.

2. The method of manufacturing a touch screen of claim 1, further comprising:

d) forming a second conductive pattern after step c), and the step d) comprises forming a second conductive layer on the first conductive pattern;

forming an etching resist pattern on the second conductive layer; and

forming a second conductive pattern having a line width smaller than the line width of the etching resist pattern by over-etching the conductive layer by using the etching resist pattern.

3. The method of manufacturing a touch screen of claim 1, further comprising:

d) forming a second conductive pattern after step c), and the step d) comprises d2) forming the second conductive pattern on the substrate in the same manner as steps a) to c) at an opposite side of a surface formed with the first conductive pattern of the substrate.

4. The method of manufacturing a touch screen of claim 1, further comprising:

d) forming a second conductive pattern after step c), and the step d) comprises d3) laminating a surface of the substrate with a second conductive pattern on a surface of the substrate with the first conductive pattern or a surface with the first conductive pattern, after forming the second conductive pattern on an additional substrate in the same manner as steps a) to c).

5. The method of manufacturing a touch screen of claim 1, further comprising:

e) removing the etching resist pattern;

or f) reforming the etching resist pattern so as to cover the first conductive pattern, after step c).

6. The method of manufacturing a touch screen of claim 5, wherein in step f), the method of reforming the etching resist pattern comprises heat processing, contact with a solvent or fume of the solvent, plasma processing, or pressurizing.

7. The method of manufacturing a touch screen of claim 1, further comprising:

baking during or after step b).

8. The method of manufacturing a touch screen of claim 5, further comprising:

forming an insulating layer on the first conductive pattern, after performing step e).

9. The method of manufacturing a touch screen of any one of claims 2 to 4, further comprising:

forming an insulating layer on the second conductive pattern, after step d).