Touch-panel-equipped display device and method for manufacturing touch-panel-equipped display device

• US 10,386,950 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2016
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Tetsuya, Chikama, Yoshimasa, Hara, Yoshihito
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherman, Stephen G
• Application Number:
  US15/746,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20190004647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/18 Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light indicating depth of field G03B13/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/127 with a particular formation, treatment or patterning of the active layer specially adapted to the circuit arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1288 employing particular masking sequences or specially adapted masks, e.g. half-tone mask

Abstract

A touch-panel-equipped display device includes an active matrix substrate 1, TFTs 4; a first insulating film 44 formed on a liquid crystal layer side with respect to the TFT 4; pixel electrodes 31 provided on a liquid crystal layer side with respect to the first insulating film; a second insulating film 46 provided on a liquid crystal layer side with respect to the pixel electrodes; counter electrodes 21 that are formed on a liquid crystal layer side with respect to the second insulating film, the counter electrodes and the pixel electrodes having electrostatic capacitances therebetween; a control unit that detects a touch position by supplying a touch driving signal to the counter electrodes; and signal lines 22 for supplying the touch driving signal from the control unit to the counter electrodes. The signal lines are formed between the first insulating film and the second insulating film.

Claims

1. A touch-panel-equipped display device comprising:

an active matrix substrate;

a counter substrate opposed to the active matrix substrate;

a liquid crystal layer interposed between the active matrix substrate and the counter substrate;

a display control element formed on the active matrix substrate;

a first insulating film formed on the active matrix substrate, on a liquid crystal layer side with respect to the display control element;

a plurality of pixel electrodes formed on the active matrix substrate, on a liquid crystal layer side with respect to the first insulating film;

a second insulating film formed on the active matrix substrate, on a liquid crystal layer side with respect to the pixel electrodes;

a plurality of counter electrodes formed on the active matrix substrate, on a liquid crystal layer side with respect to the second insulating film, the counter electrodes and the pixel electrodes having electrostatic capacitances therebetween;

a control unit provided on the active matrix substrate, the control unit detecting a touch position by supplying a touch driving signal to the counter electrodes; and

signal lines for connecting the control unit and the counter electrodes, and supplying the touch driving signal from the control unit to the counter electrodes,

wherein the signal lines are formed on the active matrix substrate, between the first insulating film and the second insulating film,

the touch-panel-equipped display device further comprising;

a gate line arranged on the active matrix substrate, the gate line extending in a first direction; and

a source line arranged on the active matrix substrate, the source line extending in a second direction that is different from the first direction,

wherein the control unit is provided on the active matrix substrate, the control unit being electrically connected with the gate line and the source line, and

in a terminal part where the control unit is connected to the active matrix substrate, a first metal film made of the same material as a material of the gate line, a second metal film made of the same material as a material of the source line, a first transparent electrode film made of the same material as a material of the pixel electrodes, and a second transparent electrode film made of the same material as a material of the counter electrodes are laminated sequentially on the active matrix substrate.

2. The touch-panel-equipped display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a conductive film provided between the signal lines and the first insulating film, the conductive film being made of the same material as a material of the pixel electrodes.

3. The touch-panel-equipped display device according to claim 1,

wherein the display control element is a thin film transistor, and includes at least a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode,

at a position where the pixel electrode is in contact with the drain electrode, the touch-panel-equipped display device further comprising:

a metal film provided between the pixel electrode and the second insulating film.

4. The touch-panel-equipped display device according to claim 1,

wherein the signal lines are in contact with the second insulating film in such a manner that only a portion of a counter electrode side surface of each of the signal lines, on one side of an area in contact with the counter electrode, is in contact with the second insulating film.

5. The touch-panel-equipped display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a flattening film arranged on the active matrix substrate, between the first insulating layer and the pixel electrodes,

wherein a surface of the flattening film is treated by plasma treatment.

6. The touch-panel-equipped display device according to claim 1,

wherein, in a connection part in which the first metal film made of the same material as a material of the gate line, the second metal film made of the same material as a material of the source line, and the first transparent electrode film made of the same material as a material of the pixel electrodes are laminated sequentially, the signal lines are laminated on the first transparent electrode film, and

the signal lines are electrically connected with the control unit through the first metal film or the second metal film.

7. A touch-panel-equipped display device comprising:

an active matrix substrate;

a counter substrate opposed to the active matrix substrate;

a liquid crystal layer interposed between the active matrix substrate and the counter substrate;

a display control element formed on the active matrix substrate;

a first insulating film formed on the active matrix substrate, on a liquid crystal layer side with respect to the display control element;

a plurality of pixel electrodes formed on the active matrix substrate, on a liquid crystal layer side with respect to the first insulating film;

a second insulating film formed on the active matrix substrate, on a liquid crystal layer side with respect to the pixel electrodes;

a plurality of counter electrodes formed on the active matrix substrate, on a liquid crystal layer side with respect to the second insulating film, the counter electrodes and the pixel electrodes having electrostatic capacitances therebetween;

a control unit provided on the active matrix substrate, the control unit detecting a touch position by supplying a touch driving signal to the counter electrodes; and

signal lines for connecting the control unit and the counter electrodes, and supplying the touch driving signal from the control unit to the counter electrodes,

wherein the signal lines are formed on the active matrix substrate, between the first insulating film and the second insulating film,

the touch-panel-equipped display device further comprising;

a gate line arranged on the active matrix substrate, the gate line extending in a first direction; and

a source line arranged on the active matrix substrate, the source line extending in a second direction that is different from the first direction,

wherein the control unit is provided on the active matrix substrate, the control unit being electrically connected with the gate line and the source line, and

in a terminal part where the control unit is connected to the active matrix substrate, a first metal film made of the same material as a material of the gate line, a second metal film made of the same material as a material of the source line, a first transparent electrode film made of the same material as a material of the pixel electrodes, a metal film made of the same material as a material of the signal lines, and a second transparent electrode film made of the same material as a material of the counter electrodes are laminated sequentially on the active matrix substrate.

8. The touch-panel-equipped display device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a conductive film provided between the signal lines and the first insulating film, the conductive film being made of the same material as a material of the pixel electrodes.

9. The touch-panel-equipped display device according to claim 7,

wherein the display control element is a thin film transistor, and includes at least a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode,

at a position where the pixel electrode is in contact with the drain electrode, the touch-panel-equipped display device further comprising:

a metal film provided between the pixel electrode and the second insulating film.

10. The touch-panel-equipped display device according to claim 7,

wherein the signal lines are in contact with the second insulating film in such a manner that only a portion of a counter electrode side surface of each of the signal lines, on one side of an area in contact with the counter electrode, is in contact with the second insulating film.

11. The touch-panel-equipped display device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a flattening film arranged on the active matrix substrate, between the first insulating layer and the pixel electrodes,

wherein a surface of the flattening film is treated by plasma treatment.

12. The touch-panel-equipped display device according to claim 7,

wherein, in a connection part in which the first metal film made of the same material as a material of the gate line, the second metal film made of the same material as a material of the source line, and the first transparent electrode film made of the same material as a material of the pixel electrodes are laminated sequentially, the signal lines are laminated on the first transparent electrode film, and

the signal lines are electrically connected with the control unit through the first metal film or the second metal film.

13. A method for manufacturing a touch-panel-equipped display device that includes an active matrix substrate, a counter substrate opposed to the active matrix substrate, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the active matrix substrate and the counter substrate, and that has a function of detecting a touch position, comprising:

forming a display control element on the active matrix substrate;

after the display control element is formed, forming a first insulating film so that the first insulating film covers the display control element;

after the first insulating film is formed, forming a flattening film so that the flattening film covers the first insulating film;

performing plasma treatment to an exposed surface after the flattening film is formed;

after the plasma treatment is performed, forming a transparent electrode film for forming pixel electrodes;

after the transparent electrode film is formed, forming a metal film for forming signal lines for supplying a touch driving signal;

after the metal film is formed, forming a second insulating film; and

after the second insulating film is formed, forming counter electrodes that are electrically connected with the signal lines,

wherein the transparent electrode film is formed at least in an area where the pixel electrodes are to be formed and an area where the signal lines are to be formed, and

the signal lines are formed by forming the metal film on the transparent electrode film formed in the area where the signal lines are to be formed.

14. The method for manufacturing a touch-panel-equipped display device according to claim 13,

wherein the display control element is a thin film transistor and includes at least a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode,

the method for manufacturing a touch-panel-equipped display device further comprising:

forming a hole in the flattening film; and

at a position where the hole is formed in the flattening film, forming a hole in the first insulating film,

wherein, when forming the transparent electrode film for forming the pixel electrodes, the transparent electrode film is formed so that the pixel electrode formed is in contact with the drain electrode at the position where the hole in the flattening film and the hole in the first insulating film are formed.

15. A method for manufacturing a touch-panel-equipped display device that includes an active matrix substrate, a counter substrate opposed to the active matrix substrate, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the active matrix substrate and the counter substrate, and that has a function of detecting a touch position, comprising:

forming a display control element on the active matrix substrate;

after the display control element is formed, forming a first insulating film so that the first insulating film covers the display control element;

after the first insulating film is formed, forming a flattening film so that the flattening film covers the first insulating film;

performing plasma treatment to an exposed surface after the flattening film is formed;

after the plasma treatment is performed, forming a transparent electrode film for forming pixel electrodes;

after the transparent electrode film is formed, forming a metal film for forming signal lines for supplying a touch driving signal;

after the metal film is formed, forming a second insulating film; and

after the second insulating film is formed, forming counter electrodes that are electrically connected with the signal lines,

wherein, when forming the transparent electrode film, the transparent electrode film is formed also in an area other than the area where the pixel electrodes are to be formed, and

when forming the metal film, the metal film is formed on the transparent electrode film, also in an area other than the area where the signal lines are to be formed,

the method for manufacturing a touch-panel-equipped display device further comprising;

forming a first mask in the area where the pixel electrodes are to be formed, and in the area where the signal lines are to be formed;

after the first mask is formed, removing a portion of the transparent electrode film and the metal film that is not covered with the first mask, by etching;

after the portion of the transparent electrode film and the metal film is removed, removing the first mask;

after the first mask is removed, forming a second mask in the area where the signal lines are to be formed;

after the second mask is formed, removing a portion of the metal film that is not covered with the second mask, by etching; and

after the portion of the metal film is removed, removing the second mask,

whereby the pixel electrodes are formed in the area where the pixel electrodes are to be formed, and the signal lines are formed in the area where the signal lines are to be formed.

16. The method for manufacturing a touch-panel-equipped display device according to claim 15,

wherein the display control element is a thin film transistor and includes at least a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode,

the method for manufacturing a touch-panel-equipped display device further comprising:

forming a hole in the flattening film; and

at a position where the hole is formed in the flattening film, forming a hole in the first insulating film,

wherein, when forming the transparent electrode film for forming the pixel electrodes, the transparent electrode film is formed so that the pixel electrode formed is in contact with the drain electrode at the position where the hole in the flattening film and the hole in the first insulating film are formed.