Method for making enhanced light transmission conductive coated transparent substrate

Abstract

A method for making a reduced glare, conductive coated panel having increased visible light transmission and suitable for use as a touch screen, digitizer panel or a substrate in an information display includes forming a first transparent thin film layer on a first surface of a transparent substrate and a first transparent thin film layer on a second surface of the substrate by dipping the substrate in a liquid solution of a precursor for the thin film material at an angle to the vertical such that the layer of one side of the substrate has a thickness different from that on the opposite side, and applying a transparent electrically conductive coating over the thin film layer on at least one of the first and second surfaces. Preferably, the dipped substrate is fired at an elevated temperature prior to applying the transparent electrically conductive coating.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 213,663, filed on Jun. 23, 2000, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to an improved conductive coated transparent substrate as used in a touch screen, or a digitizer panel, or a substrate in an information display such as a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, a field emission display, an electroluminescent display, an electrochromic display, or a cathode ray tube display. [0003] In the production of conductively coated transparent substrates for use in touch screens, digitizer panels or information displays such as those described above, it is desired that the screen, panel or display not only have a conductive coating providing electrical conductivity to allow activation of circuits, switches or other electrical devices controlled by the scree...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] In one aspect, the invention is a reduced glare, conductive coated panel comprising a transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface, a first, multilayer, antiglare, interference stack disposed on the first surface of the substrate, the first stack comprising a plurality of transparent, thin film layers, and a second multilayer, antiglare, interference stack disposed on the second surface of the substrate, the second stack also comprising a plurality of transparent, thin film layers. The first of the layers in the first stack is positioned on the first surface and corresponds to the first of the layers in the second stack which is positioned on the second surface. The second of the layers in the first stack is positioned on the first layer and corresponds to the second of the layers in the second stack which is positioned on the first layer of the second stack. At least one of the layers of the first stack has a thickness greater than the thickness of the corresponding layer of the second stack on the second surface. Also included is a transparent conductive coating on at least one of the thin film layer of the first stack which is spaced farthest away from the first surface and the thin film layer of the second stack which is spaced farthest away from the second surface. Visible light transmission through the coated panel is increased as compared to the substrate coated only with the transparent conductive coating.

[0017] Accordingly, the present invention provides a reduced glare, conductively coated panel and a method for manufacturing same which allows preparation of each of the two sides of a substrate differently through the use of a lesser expensive, more highly efficient wet deposition process so that one side of the substrate is prepared to receive an additional electrically conductive coating layer so as to maximize light transmission through the coated substrate when such conductive coating is included.

Problems solved by technology

However, in order to prepare one side of such a substrate for receipt of a conductive coating layer, it is necessary that vacuum sputtering deposition of the layers on either side of such a transparent substrate be prepared differently causing greater manufacturing time and expense.

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