Flexible touch sensor with fine pitch interconnect

• US 9,642,243 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Sebastian, Muthu, Travasso, Dominic M., Lennhoff, Nancy S., Swartz, Steven T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Davis, Daborah Chacko
• Application Number:
  US14/240,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20140299365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• Field of Search: 430318, 430316, 430394
• 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: 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 1/09 Use of materials for the conductive, e.g. metallic pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0302 Properties and characteristics in general
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/032 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/06 the conductive material being removed chemically or electrolytically, e.g. by photo-etch process semi-additive methods H05K3/108

Abstract

An article includes a multilayer structure, such as, e.g., a touch sensor, having two opposing sides and comprising a central polymeric UV transparent substrate, a transparent conductive layer on each of the two major opposing surfaces of the polymeric substrate, a metallic conductive layer on each transparent conductive layer, and a patterned photoimaging mask on each metallic conductive layer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a multilayer structure having two opposing sides and comprising a central polymeric UV transparent substrate having two major opposing surfaces, a transparent conductive layer on each of the two major opposing surfaces of the polymeric substrate, and a metallic conductive layer on each transparent conductive layer;

applying and patterning first photoimaging layers on both metallic conductive layers to form first masks having desired patterns for the transparent conductive layers;

etching portions of the metallic conductive layers and transparent conductive layers exposed by the first masks such that remaining portions of the transparent conductive layers have the desired patterns for the transparent conductive layers and remaining portions of the metallic conductive layers have the desired patterns for the transparent conductive layers which are different from desired patterns for the metallic conductive layers;

removing the first masks;

applying and patterning second photoimaging layers over the remaining portions of each metallic conductive layer to form second masks having the desired patterns for the metallic conductive layers; and

etching portions of the metallic conductive layers exposed by the second masks using an etchant that selectively etches the metallic conductive layers thereby forming the desired patterns for the metallic conductive layers in the metallic conductive layers, the desired patterns for the metallic conductive layers comprising conductive traces positioned at a pitch in a range of 60 micrometers to 200 micrometers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first photoimaging layers on opposing sides of the multilayer structure are simultaneously exposed to UV light.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the portions of the metallic conductive layers on opposing sides of the multilayer structure that are exposed by the first masks are etched simultaneously.

4. The method of claim 1, the portions of the transparent conductive layers on opposing sides of the multilayer structure that are exposed by the first masks are etched simultaneously.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired pattern for one or both of the metallic conductive layers comprises a circuit for connecting the transparent conductive layer to a device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the etchant that selectively etches the metallic conductive layers does not etch ITO.

7. A method comprising:

providing a multilayer structure having two opposing sides and comprising a central polymeric UV transparent substrate having two major opposing surfaces, a transparent conductive layer on each of the two major opposing surfaces of the polymeric substrate, and a metallic conductive layer on each transparent conductive layer;

applying and patterning first photoimaging layers on both metallic conductive layers to form first masks having desired patterns for the transparent conductive layers and the metallic conductive layers;

etching portions of the metallic conductive layers and transparent conductive layers exposed by the first masks such that remaining portions of the transparent conductive layers have the desired patterns for the transparent conductive layers and remaining portions of the metallic conductive layers include desired patterns for the metallic conductive layers and include undesired portions of the metallic conductive layers;

removing the first masks;

applying and patterning second photoimaging layers over the remaining portions of each metallic conductive layer to form second masks protecting the desired patterns of the metallic conductive layers; and

etching portions of the metallic conductive layers exposed by the second masks using an etchant that selectively etches the metallic conductive layers to remove the undesired portions of the metallic conductive layers, wherein the desired patterns for the metallic conductive layers comprise conductive traces positioned at a pitch in a range of 60 micrometers to 200 micrometers.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first photoimaging layers on opposing sides of the multilayer structure are simultaneously exposed to UV light.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the portions of the metallic conductive layers on opposing sides of the multilayer structure that are exposed by the first masks are etched simultaneously.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the portions of the transparent conductive layers on opposing sides of the multilayer structure that are exposed by the first masks are etched simultaneously.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the desired pattern for one or both of the metallic conductive layers comprises a circuit for connecting the transparent conductive layer to a device.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the etchant that selectively etches the metallic conductive layers does not etch ITO.