Capacitive Touch-Screen Panel Fabrication via Double-Side Etching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional capacitive touch-screen panel fabrication faces challenges such as precise margin maintenance during interlayer lamination, signal interference, aperture ratio issues, alignment difficulties, cracking of fine ITO lines, and defects like air bubbles and scratches, which increase fabrication costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of first and second substrates with transparent conductive layers, bonded by an interlayer adhesive, with double-side exposure and etching processes to form transparent electrode pattern units and outer electrode interconnections, reducing defects and simplifying the fabrication process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If sheet-state interlayer lamination is used to bond substrates, then the fabrication process is simplified, but defects such as air bubbles, alien substances and scratches occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming protrusions on the substrates before lamination. These protrusions serve as alignment features and bonding anchors that prevent defects during the subsequent sheet-state lamination process, thereby maintaining both process simplicity and product reliability
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional screen printing process is used to form electrode units, then fabrication is straightforward, but cracks occur in fine ITO lines after high temperature curing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the curing temperature parameter from conventional high temperature to a lower temperature range that prevents cracking in fine ITO lines while still achieving adequate curing of the conductive material, thus maintaining fabrication simplicity while improving line integrity
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional lamination process is used, then interlayer bonding is achieved, but precise margin and alignment cannot be maintained causing signal interference and aperture ratio issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming protrusions with specific dimensions and positions before lamination. These protrusions serve as alignment features that guide the lamination process, ensuring precise margin and alignment maintenance while achieving reliable interlayer bonding
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusions act as intermediary elements between the substrates during lamination, providing both mechanical alignment guidance and bonding anchor points that enable precise alignment while maintaining ease of manufacture
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method effectively reduces fabrication costs and simplifies the process by minimizing defects and maintaining precise alignment, thereby improving the overall efficiency of capacitive touch-screen panel production.
Implementation Method 1
depositing first and second metal layers for forming first and second transparent conductive layers
Implementation Method 2
bonding second lateral surfaces of the first and second substrates to each other by an interlayer adhesive
Implementation Method 3
performing double-side exposure and etching processes to form the first transparent electrode pattern unit
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method of fabricating a capacitive touch-screen panel. The method includes preparing first and second substrates having first lateral surfaces on which first and second transparent conductive layers for forming first and second transparent electrode pattern units are disposed. Each of the first and second substrates has a screen region and an inactive region. Second lateral surfaces of the first and second substrates are bonded to each other by an interlayer adhesive. First and second metal layers for forming first and second outer electrode interconnections are disposed on exposed surfaces of the first and second transparent conductive layers, respectively. Double-side exposure and etching processes are performed to form the first transparent electrode pattern unit and the first outer electrode interconnection on the screen region and the inactive region of the first lateral surface of the first substrate, respectively, and simultaneously, form the second transparent electrode pattern unit and the second outer electrode interconnection on the screen region and the inactive region of the first lateral surface of the second substrate, respectively. The first and second outer electrode interconnections are electrically connected to the first and second transparent electrode pattern units, respectively. The method can efficiently reduce the fabrication cost of a touch screen and greatly simplify the fabrication process of the touch-screen panel.