Capacitive input device, display device with input function, and electronic apparatus

• US 8,872,786 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display West Incorporated (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Japan Display West Incorporated (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Inventors: Matsuo, Mutsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRIS, DOROTHY H
• Application Number:
  US12/362,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20090244028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,097 Days
• Field of Search: 345/174
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/285 comprising deposited thin solid films G02B5/281 - G02B5/289 take precedence; multilayered film filters for fibre optic multiplexing G02B6/29361
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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

Abstract

A capacitive input device includes a light-transmitting substrate, a multilayer film formed on one of the surfaces of the light-transmitting substrate and including a plurality of light-transmitting thin films which have different refractive indexes and one of which is a niobium oxide film, a plurality of first light-transmitting electrodes formed on the multilayer film in an input region of the light-transmitting substrate to extend in a first direction, and a plurality of second light-transmitting electrodes formed on the multilayer film in the input region of the light-transmitting substrate to extend in a second direction crossing the first direction.

Claims

1. A capacitive input device comprising:

a light-transmitting substrate;

a multilayer film formed on one of the surfaces of the light-transmitting substrate and including a plurality of light-transmitting thin films which have different refractive indexes and one of which is a niobium oxide film;

a plurality of first light-transmitting electrodes formed on the multilayer film in an input region of the light-transmitting substrate to extend in a first direction; and

a plurality of second light-transmitting electrodes formed on the multilayer film in the input region of the light-transmitting substrate to extend in a second direction crossing the first direction, wherein at each of the intersections between the first light-transmitting electrodes and the second light-transmitting electrodes, either the first or second light-transmitting electrodes are continuous with each other, while the other of the first or second light-transmitting electrodes are discontinuous with each other, wherein a light-transmitting interlayer insulation film consisting of an acrylic resin is formed on the continuous light-transmitting electrodes at each of the intersections, and a light-transmitting relay electrode consisting of ITO and having a film thickness smaller than that of the first and second light-transmitting electrodes is formed on the interlayer insulation film in order to electrically connect the other discontinuous light-transmitting electrodes at each intersection, and

wherein the light-transmitting substrate is a glass substrate;

the first light-transmitting electrodes and the second light-transmitting electrodes are composed of an ITO film; and

the multilayer film includes the niobium oxide film formed on the light-transmitting substrate and a silicon oxide film laminated on the niobium oxide film;

wherein the niobium oxide film has a thickness of 4 nm to 6 nm and a refractive index of 2.22 to 2.37;

the silicon oxide film has a thickness of 52 nm to 60 nm or 70 nm to 78 nm and a refractive index of 1.425 to 1.49; and

the ITO film has a thickness of 17 nm to 23 nm and a refractive index of 1.87 to 1.945.

2. The capacitive input device according to claim 1,

wherein the first light-transmitting electrodes and the second light-transmitting electrodes are formed of the same material.

3. The capacitive input device according to claim 1,

wherein the multilayer film is formed over the entire input region including the region where the first light-transmitting electrodes and the second light-transmitting electrodes are not formed.

4. The capacitive input device according to claim 1,

wherein the surface of the light-transmitting substrate on which the first light-transmitting electrodes and the second light-transmitting electrodes are formed is covered with at least a light-transmitting resin layer.

5. A display device with an input function comprising the capacitive input device according to claim 1,

wherein an image forming device is disposed on the side opposite to an input side of the capacitive input device.

6. An electronic apparatus comprising the display device with an input function according to claim 5.

7. The capacitive input device according to claim 1,

wherein the first light-transmitting electrodes and the second light-transmitting electrodes are formed so as to not cover any of a top surface of the light-transmitting interlayer insulation film.

8. The capacitive input device according to claim 1, wherein the first light-transmitting electrodes and the second light-transmitting electrodes are formed as a same layer by one etching process.

9. The capacitive input device according to claim 1, wherein the first light-transmitting electrodes and the second light-transmitting electrodes are formed as a same layer on the multilayer film in the input region of the light-transmitting substrate, so that the multilayer film with the first and second light-transmitting electrodes thereon function as an anti-reflection film using optical interference,

the first light-transmitting electrodes and the second light-transmitting electrodes are formed as a light-transmitting electrode film of the same material and having the same thickness, and

thickness and refractive indexes of each film of the multilayer and the light-transmitting electrode film, which form the anti-reflection film together, are arranged so that a light reflected at an interface between the light-transmitting substrate and the multilayer film, and a light reflected at an interface between the multilayer film and the light-transmitting electrode film are cancelled by each other, and a reflection light of an incident light from outside of the anti-reflection film is reduced.

10. The capacitive input device according to claim 1, wherein the light-transmitting relay electrode has a film thickness ranging from 10-15 nm.

11. The capacitive input device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second light-transmitting electrodes have a diamond-shaped outline in planar view, at a position other than a cross point between the first and second light-transmitting electrodes.

12. A capacitive input device comprising:

a light-transmitting substrate;

a multilayer film formed on one of the surfaces of the light-transmitting substrate and including a plurality of light-transmitting thin films which have different refractive indexes and one of which is a niobium oxide film;

a plurality of first light-transmitting electrodes formed on the multilayer film in an input region of the light-transmitting substrate to extend in a first direction; and

a plurality of second light-transmitting electrodes formed on the multilayer film in the input region of the light-transmitting substrate to extend in a second direction crossing the first direction, wherein at each of the intersections between the first light-transmitting electrodes and the second light-transmitting electrodes, either the first or second light-transmitting electrodes are continuous with each other, while the other of the first or second light-transmitting electrodes are discontinuous with each other, wherein a light-transmitting interlayer insulation film consisting of an acrylic resin is formed on the continuous light-transmitting electrodes and discontinuous light-transmitting electrodes over at least substantially the entire surface of the light-transmitting substrate, the light-transmitting interlayer insulation film including contact holes at each of the intersections, wherein a light-transmitting relay electrode consisting of ITO and having a film thickness smaller than that of the first and second light-transmitting electrodes is formed in the contact holes of the interlayer insulation film in order to electrically connect the other discontinuous light-transmitting electrodes at each intersection, and

wherein the light-transmitting substrate is a glass substrate;

the first light-transmitting electrodes and the second light-transmitting electrodes are composed of an ITO film; and

the multilayer film includes the niobium oxide film formed on the light-transmitting substrate and a silicon oxide film laminated on the niobium oxide film;

wherein the niobium oxide film has a thickness of 4 nm to 6 nm and a refractive index of 2.22 to 2.37;

the silicon oxide film has a thickness of 52 nm to 60 nm or 70 nm to 78 nm and a refractive index of 1.425 to 1.49; and

the ITO film has a thickness of 17 nm to 23 nm and a refractive index of 1.87 to 1.945.