Conductive Layer on Plastic Substrate via Surface Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conductive layers formed on plastic substrates typically have lower crystallinity and higher resistance due to the inability to achieve high-temperature processing, which is necessary for optimal crystal growth, resulting in subpar performance compared to those on glass substrates.
Innovation Solution
A conductive layer with desired crystallinity is formed on a surface with a contact angle of 75 degrees or more, allowing for the creation of a crystalline or semi-crystalline structure without high-temperature treatment, using materials like indium oxide and incorporating techniques such as oxygen plasma treatment or ion beam treatment to control surface characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a conductive layer is formed on a plastic base layer by conventional methods (DC magnetron sputtering, RF magnetron sputtering, vacuum deposition, or ion plating), then the device can be made lighter and smaller, but the resistance characteristic of the conductive layer deteriorates compared to glass substrate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the surface energy parameter of the plastic base layer by controlling the contact angle to 75 degrees or more through surface treatment. This parameter change enables the formation of a conductive layer with excellent resistance characteristics (2×10^-3 Ω·cm or less) without requiring high-temperature annealing, thus maintaining the lightweight advantage of plastic substrates while achieving glass-substrate-level performance.
2Reliability
If high-temperature treatment is applied to grow crystals in the conductive layer, then the crystallinity and resistance characteristics improve, but the plastic base layer cannot withstand the high temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary surface treatment of the plastic base layer to control the contact angle to 75 degrees or more before forming the conductive layer. This preliminary action creates optimal surface conditions that enable crystalline growth and achieve excellent resistance characteristics during the conductive layer formation process itself, eliminating the need for subsequent high-temperature annealing treatment.
3Ease of manufacture
If the contact angle of the base layer surface is controlled to 75 degrees or more, then the conductive layer achieves desired crystallinity without high-temperature treatment, but additional surface treatment steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention controls the contact angle parameter of the base layer surface to 75 degrees or more through surface treatment. This single parameter control enables the conductive layer to achieve desired crystallinity and resistance characteristics (2×10^-3 Ω·cm or less) during the deposition process itself, eliminating the need for separate high-temperature annealing steps and simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
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
The method achieves a conductive layer with excellent transparency and resistance characteristics, maintaining resistivity at 2×10−3 cm or less and optical transmittance of 80% or more in the visible region, without the need for high-temperature annealing.
Implementation Method 1
incorporating techniques such as oxygen plasma treatment or ion beam treatment to control surface characteristics
Implementation Method 2
incorporating techniques such as oxygen plasma treatment or ion beam treatment to control surface characteristics
Implementation Method 3
A conductive layer with desired crystallinity is formed on a surface with a contact angle of 75 degrees or more, allowing for the creation of a crystalline or semi-crystalline structure without high-temperature treatment
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a conductive layer and a method of manufacturing the same. The conductive layer is formed without, so called, a high temperature process but has suitable crystallinity, excellent transparency and excellent resistance characteristic, and the method of manufacturing the same is also provided.