Modified Sapphire Cover Plate for Touch Screen Sensitivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile electronic devices face challenges in achieving improved mechanical toughness and scratch resistance for touch-sensitive screens without compromising the propagation of the electric field, as existing materials either reduce sensitivity or are prone to damage and brittleness.
Innovation Solution
A modified sapphire cover plate with a dielectric constant higher than standard sapphire, achieved through doping or irradiation, is used to enhance both mechanical properties and electric field propagation, maintaining sensitivity and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If standard sapphire is used for the cover plate, then scratch resistance and mechanical toughness are improved, but the dielectric constant is insufficient which reduces touch screen sensitivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the dielectric constant of sapphire by doping with aluminum oxide and irradiating with electron beams, changing the material parameters to achieve both high scratch resistance and improved touch sensitivity simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure by incorporating aluminum oxide dopants into the sapphire crystal lattice and applying irradiation treatment, resulting in a composite material that combines the hardness of sapphire with enhanced dielectric properties
2Strength
If polymeric coatings are applied to increase durability, then chemical and scratch resistance are improved, but visual clarity and touch sensitivity are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for separate polymeric protective coatings by directly modifying the sapphire cover plate itself through doping and irradiation, extracting the protective function from a separate layer and integrating it into the base material
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies localized modifications to the sapphire cover plate through targeted doping and irradiation treatment, creating regions with enhanced dielectric constant and mechanical properties while maintaining the overall transparency and optical quality of the cover plate
3Reliability
If the cover plate is made thinner to improve touch sensitivity, then electric field propagation is improved, but mechanical strength and durability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters of sapphire through doping with aluminum oxide and irradiation treatment, enabling the cover plate to maintain high mechanical strength at reduced thickness while improving dielectric constant for better touch sensitivity
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 modified sapphire cover plate provides increased accuracy in touch screen precision, enhanced durability, and design flexibility while maintaining visual clarity and touch sensitivity, offering improved mechanical toughness and scratch resistance.
Implementation Method 1
The sensitivity of these circuits to the electric field surrounding the probe is directly impacted by the electrical properties of the material used to prepare the touch screen, including its dielectric constant
Implementation Method 2
The modified sapphire has a dielectric constant that is at least about 0.05% greater than the dielectric constant of sapphire
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device comprising a cover plate is disclosed. The cover plate comprises at least one layer of modified sapphire having a dielectric constant that is higher than the dielectric constant of sapphire.