Mask With Intersecting Striped Patterns To Reduce Metal Node Reflectance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices with metal mesh structures, such as touch panels, exhibit high reflectance due to metal nodes at intersections, leading to undesirable visual effects.
Innovation Solution
A mask design with intersecting striped patterns featuring a first included angle less than 90 degrees and a second included angle of 90 degrees between sections, reducing the area of residual photoresist and metal nodes during the exposure and development process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a metal mesh structure is used to form touch electrodes, then the electrical conductivity and functionality are improved, but the reflectance increases causing undesirable visual effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different included angles at different locations of the mesh structure. The first included angle (less than 90 degrees) is used at intersections where metal lines meet, while the second included angle (greater than or equal to 90 degrees) is used at other regions. This local differentiation reduces the area of metal nodes at intersections, thereby reducing reflectance and visual defects while maintaining the overall electrical conductivity of the touch electrode.
2Ease of manufacture
If the first included angle is less than 90 degrees, then the metal mesh structure can be formed with standard photolithography, but the area of metal nodes at intersections increases causing higher reflectance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses different included angles at different locations: the first included angle (less than 90 degrees) at intersections for ease of photolithography, and the second included angle (greater than or equal to 90 degrees) at other regions to minimize metal node area and reflectance. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between manufacturing ease and visual quality.
3Manufacturing precision
If the second included angle is greater than the first included angle, then the area of residual photoresist and metal nodes is reduced, but the mask design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements different included angles at specific locations within the mask design. The first included angle (less than 90 degrees) is applied at intersections to facilitate photolithography, while the second included angle (greater than or equal to 90 degrees) is applied at other regions to control node area. This localized approach achieves precise node area control without requiring complete redesign of the entire mask, thus managing design complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces asymmetry in the mask design by using different included angles for different regions. The first and second included angles are deliberately made different (with the second being greater than or equal to 90 degrees while the first is less than 90 degrees), creating an asymmetric pattern that reduces metal node area and improves visual quality while maintaining manufacturability.
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 design minimizes the area of metal nodes, thereby reducing undesirable visual effects and improving the appearance of electronic devices by optimizing the intersection angles and widths of the striped patterns.
Implementation Method 1
When an exposure process is performed on a photoresist layer, a node 320 at the intersection of the first striped pattern 308 and the second striped pattern 310 will cause diffraction
Data Source
AI summary
A mask including a substrate and a mesh pattern are disclosed along with an electronic device. The mesh pattern, being disposed on the substrate, includes a first striped pattern and a second striped pattern; the first striped pattern includes a first, second, and third section, and the second section is disposed between the first and the third sections; the second striped pattern includes a fourth, fifth, and sixth section, and the fifth section is disposed between the fourth and the sixth sections; the first section has a first extension direction, the fourth section has a second extension direction, and a first included angle is between the first extension direction and the second extension direction; the fifth section and the second section intersect each other while having a second included angle between the two sections, and the second included angle is greater than the first included angle.