Touch Electrode Layout Using Laser Etching for Faster Fabrication
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing fabrication methods for touch control devices, involving coating, lithography, and etching, are complex and hinder production rate and cost reduction.
Innovation Solution
A touch control device fabricated using laser etching technology, featuring a substrate with touch control electrode structures and a dummy electrode set, where the dummy electrode set is divided by a groove extending through the substrate, reducing fabrication steps and time, and enhancing production efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional lithography and etching fabrication procedures are used, then structures and components can be manufactured with good precision, but the fabrication process becomes too complex and production rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate fabrication processes (coating, lithography, etching) into a single laser etching process. The laser etching technology directly patterns the touch control electrode structures and dummy electrode sets without requiring separate coating and lithography steps, thereby simplifying the fabrication process while maintaining manufacturing precision and improving production rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary intermediate steps from the conventional fabrication process. By using laser etching directly on the substrate to form both the touch control electrode structures and dummy electrode sets, the process removes the need for separate photoresist coating, patterning, and development steps, reducing complexity while maintaining precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional coating, lithography, and etching processes are used, then structures can be fabricated with good quality, but fabrication time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The laser etching process operates continuously to pattern both the touch control electrode structures and dummy electrode sets in a single pass. The laser beam moves continuously across the substrate, eliminating the discrete sequential steps of conventional lithography and etching, thereby reducing fabrication time while maintaining structure quality through precise laser parameter control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical and chemical systems of conventional lithography (photoresist coating, exposure, development) with a direct laser etching system. This substitution eliminates the need for multiple chemical processing steps and mechanical handling, reducing fabrication time and cost while maintaining or improving structure quality through precise laser control.
3Measurement precision
If dummy electrode sets are added to equalize baseline capacitance, then touch detection accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the formation of dummy electrode sets with the fabrication of touch control electrode structures into a single laser etching process. Both types of electrodes are patterned simultaneously from the same continuous conductive layer using a single laser processing step, thereby improving touch detection accuracy through proper dummy electrode placement while avoiding the complexity of separate fabrication processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The laser etching process applies different local patterns to different regions of the substrate. The dummy electrode sets are selectively formed in specific locations between touch control electrode structures with precise local control of laser parameters, ensuring optimal capacitance equalization while maintaining simplicity in the overall fabrication approach.
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 effectively simplifies the fabrication process, saving costs and improving device performance by reducing unnecessary steps and time, while maintaining accurate touch detection and minimizing visual impact.
Implementation Method 1
performing laser etching on the structure body such that the structure body is indentedly formed with a groove
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A touch control device includes at least one sensing unit that includes an electrically insulating and light transmissive substrate, multiple mutually electrically insulating touch control electrode structures spacedly disposed on a same side of the substrate, and at least one dummy electrode set disposed on the substrate and located between adjacent ones of the touch control electrode structures. The dummy electrode set forms a groove that extends from a top side thereof through to the substrate and including a plurality of dummy electrode structures that are dividedly defined by said groove. The groove extends between the adjacent ones of the touch control electrode structures and forms at least one bent.