TOUCH PANEL STRUCTURE

• US 20130126327A1
• Filed: 07/06/2012
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TERA Xtal Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: TERA Xtal Technology Corporation
• Inventors: WANG, WEI-HSIANG, LU, CHUAN-LANG
• Granted Patent: US 9,632,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/600
• 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: 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 1/03 Use of materials for the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0108 Transparent

Abstract

A touch panel structure is provided. The touch panel structure includes a sapphire substrate having a crystal axis, a crystal structure and a transmittance, wherein the crystal axis includes one selected from a group consisting of c-axis (0001), a-axis (1 210), a-axis (1 1 20), a-axis (2 110), a-axis ( 1120), a-axis ( 21 10), a-axis ( 12 10), m-axis ( 1010), m-axis ( 1100), m-axis (01 10), m-axis (10 10), m-axis (1 100), m-axis (0 110), r-axis (10 11), r-axis ( 101 1), r-axis (01 11), r-axis (0 11 1), r-axis (1 10 1) and r-axis ( 1101), the crystal structure is a single-crystal structure, and the transmittance is one of percentages larger than and equal to 80%; and a sensing module including a first sensing layer directly disposed on the sapphire substrate.

Claims

1. A touch panel structure, comprising:

a sapphire substrate having a crystal axis, a crystal structure and a transmittance, wherein the crystal axis includes one selected from a group consisting of c-axis (0001), a-axis (1 210), a-axis (1 1 20), a-axis (2 110), a-axis ( 1120), a-axis ( 21

     10), a-axis ( 12 10), m-axis ( 1010), m-axis ( 1100), m-axis (01 10), m-axis (10 10), m-axis (1 100), m-axis (0 110), r-axis (10 11), r-axis ( 101 1), r-axis (01 11), r-axis (0 11

     1), r-axis (1 10 1) and r-axis ( 1101), the crystal structure is a single-crystal structure, and the transmittance is one of percentages larger than and equal to 80%; and

a sensing module including a first sensing layer directly disposed on the sapphire substrate.

2. A touch panel structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the sensing module further includes an insulating layer and a second sensing layer;

the first sensing layer has a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface directly contacts the sapphire substrate, and the insulating layer is formed on the second surface;

the second sensing layer is formed on the insulating layer;

the first sensing layer includes an x-axis sensing circuit net, and the second sensing layer includes a y-axis sensing circuit net, wherein the x-axis sensing circuit net and the y-axis sensing circuit net interlaces with each other from a top view and are not electrically connected to each other;

the first sensing layer and the second sensing layer are both indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent conductive films; and

the sensing module is formed on the sapphire substrate by a photolithography process.

3. A touch panel structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the touch panel structure further comprises a conducting wire circuit layer formed on the second sensing layer, and electrically connected to the x-axis sensing circuit net and the y-axis sensing circuit net;

and

the sapphire substrate serves as a cover for the touch panel structure.

4. A touch panel structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the sensing module further includes an insulating layer;

the first sensing layer has a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface directly contacts the sapphire substrate, and the insulating layer is formed on the second surface;

the first sensing layer includes an x-axis sensing circuit net and a y-axis sensing circuit net, wherein the x-axis sensing circuit net and the y-axis sensing circuit net interlaces with each other from a top view and are not electrically connected to each other;

the first sensing layer is an ITO transparent conductive film; and

the sensing module is formed on the sapphire substrate by a photolithography process.

5. A touch panel structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the touch panel structure further comprises a conducting wire circuit layer formed on the insulating layer, and electrically connected to the x-axis sensing circuit net and the y-axis sensing circuit net;

and

the sapphire substrate serves as a cover for the touch panel structure.

6. A touch panel structure, comprising:

a sapphire substrate having a crystal structure and a transmittance, wherein the crystal structure is a single-crystal structure, and the transmittance is one of percentages larger than and equal to 80%; and

a sensing module including a first sensing layer directly disposed on the sapphire substrate.

7. A touch panel structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the sapphire substrate further has a crystal axis including one selected from a group consisting of c-axis (0001), a-axis (1 210), a-axis (1 1 20), a-axis (2 110), a-axis ( 1120), a-axis ( 21

     10), a-axis ( 12 10), m-axis ( 1010), m-axis ( 1100), m-axis (01 10), m-axis (10 10), m-axis (1 100), m-axis (0 110), r-axis (10 11), r-axis ( 10 1 1), r-axis (01 11), r-axis (0 11

     1), r-axis (1 10 1) and r-axis ( 1101);

the sensing module further includes an insulating layer and a second sensing layer;

the first sensing layer has a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface directly contacts the sapphire substrate, and the insulating layer is formed on the second surface;

the second sensing layer is formed on the insulating layer;

the first sensing layer includes an x-axis sensing circuit net, and the second sensing layer includes a y-axis sensing circuit net, wherein the x-axis sensing circuit net and the y-axis sensing circuit net interlaces with each other from a top view and are not electrically connected to each other;

the first sensing layer and the second sensing layer are both indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent conductive films; and

the sensing module is formed on the sapphire substrate by a photolithography process.

8. A touch panel structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein the touch panel structure further comprises a conducting wire circuit layer formed on the second sensing layer, and electrically connected to the x-axis sensing circuit net and the y-axis sensing circuit net;

and

the sapphire substrate serves as a cover for the touch panel structure.

9. A touch panel structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the sapphire substrate further has a crystal axis including one selected from a group consisting of c-axis (0001), a-axis (1 210), a-axis (1 1 20), a-axis (2 110), a-axis ( 1120), a-axis ( 21

     10), a-axis ( 12 10), m-axis ( 1010), m-axis ( 1100), m-axis (01 10), m-axis (10 10), m-axis (1 100), m-axis (0 110), r-axis (10 11), r-axis ( 101 1), r-axis (01 11), r-axis (0 11

     1), r-axis (1 10 1) and r-axis ( 1101);

the sensing module further includes an insulating layer;

the first sensing layer has a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface directly contacts the sapphire substrate, and the insulating layer is formed on the second surface;

the first sensing layer includes an x-axis sensing circuit net and a y-axis sensing circuit net, wherein the x-axis sensing circuit net and the y-axis sensing circuit net interlaces with each other from a top view and are not electrically connected to each other;

the first sensing layer is an ITO transparent conductive film; and

the sensing module is formed on the sapphire substrate by a photolithography process.

10. A touch panel structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the touch panel structure further comprises a conducting wire circuit layer formed on the insulating layer, and electrically connected to the x-axis sensing circuit net and the y-axis sensing circuit net;

and

the sapphire substrate serves as a cover for the touch panel structure.

11. A touch panel structure, comprising:

a sapphire substrate having a single-crystal structure; and

a sensing module including a first sensing layer directly disposed on the sapphire substrate.

12. A touch panel structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the sapphire substrate further has a crystal axis including one selected from a group consisting of c-axis (0001), a-axis (1 210), a-axis (1 1 20), a-axis (2 110), a-axis ( 1120), a-axis ( 21

     10), a-axis ( 12 10), m-axis ( 1010), m-axis ( 1100), m-axis (01 10), m-axis (10 10), m-axis (1 100), m-axis (0 110), r-axis (10 11), r-axis ( 101 1), r-axis (01 11), r-axis (0 11

     1), r-axis (1 10 1) and r-axis ( 1101);

the sensing module further includes an insulating layer and a second sensing layer;

the first sensing layer has a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface directly contacts the sapphire substrate, and the insulating layer is formed on the second surface;

the second sensing layer is formed on the insulating layer;

the first sensing layer includes an x-axis sensing circuit net, and the second sensing layer includes a y-axis sensing circuit net, wherein the x-axis sensing circuit net and the y-axis sensing circuit net interlaces with each other from a top view and are not electrically connected to each other;

the first sensing layer and the second sensing layer are both indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent conductive films;

the sensing module is formed on the sapphire substrate by a photolithography process; and

the sapphire substrate further has a transmittance being one of percentages larger than and equal to 80%.

13. A touch panel structure as claimed in claim 12, wherein the touch panel structure further comprises a conducting wire circuit layer formed on the second sensing layer, and electrically connected to the x-axis sensing circuit net and the y-axis sensing circuit net;

and

the sapphire substrate serves as a cover for the touch panel structure.

14. A touch panel structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the sapphire substrate further has a crystal axis including one selected from a group consisting of c-axis (0001), a-axis (1 210), a-axis (1 1 20), a-axis (2 110), a-axis ( 1120), a-axis ( 21

     10), a-axis ( 12 10), m-axis ( 1010), m-axis ( 1100), m-axis (01 10), m-axis (10 10), m-axis (1 100), m-axis (0 110), r-axis (10 11), r-axis ( 101 1), r-axis (0 1 11), r-axis (0 11

     1), r-axis (1 10 1) and r-axis ( 1101);

the sensing module further includes an insulating layer;

the first sensing layer has a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface directly contacts the sapphire substrate, and the insulating layer is formed on the second surface;

the first sensing layer includes an x-axis sensing circuit net and a y-axis sensing circuit net, wherein the x-axis sensing circuit net and the y-axis sensing circuit net interlaces with each other from a top view and are not electrically connected to each other;

the first sensing layer is an ITO transparent conductive film;

the sensing module is formed on the sapphire substrate by a photolithography process; and

the sapphire substrate further has a transmittance being one of percentages larger than and equal to 80%.

15. A touch panel structure as claimed in claim 14, wherein the touch panel structure further comprises a conducting wire circuit layer formed on the insulating layer, and electrically connected to the x-axis sensing circuit net and the y-axis sensing circuit net;

and

the sapphire substrate serves as a cover for the touch panel structure.

16. A touch panel structure, comprising:

a touch screen; and

a sensing module having a bottom layer directly disposed on the touch screen.

17. A touch panel structure as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

the touch screen includes a sapphire substrate;

the sapphire substrate has a single-crystal structure;

the sapphire substrate further has a crystal axis including one selected from a group consisting of c-axis (0001), a-axis (1 210), a-axis (1 1 20), a-axis (2 110), a-axis ( 1120), a-axis ( 21

     10), a-axis ( 12 10), m-axis ( 1010), m-axis ( 1100), m-axis (01 10), m-axis (10 10), m-axis (1 100), m-axis (0 110), r-axis (10 11), r-axis ( 101 1), r-axis (01 11), r-axis (0 11

     1), r-axis (1 10 1) and r-axis ( 1101);

the bottom layer includes a sensing layer and an insulating layer;

the sensing layer has a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface directly contacts the sapphire substrate, and the insulating layer is formed on the second surface;

the sensing layer includes an x-axis sensing circuit net and a y-axis sensing circuit net, wherein the x-axis sensing circuit net and the y-axis sensing circuit net interlaces with each other from a top view and are not electrically connected to each other;

the sensing layer is an ITO transparent conductive film;

the sensing module is formed on the sapphire substrate by a photolithography process; and

the sapphire substrate further has a transmittance being one of percentages larger than and equal to 80%.

18. A touch panel structure as claimed in claim 17, wherein the touch panel structure further comprises a conducting wire circuit layer formed on the insulating layer, and electrically connected to the x-axis sensing circuit net and the y-axis sensing circuit net;

and

the sapphire substrate serves as a cover for the touch panel structure.