Touch Electrode Gap Coverage Using Dummy Electrodes in Display Panels

A dummy electrode is introduced as an intermediary element between the first touch electrode and second touch electrode. This dummy electrode fills the gap between them, preventing light leakage while maintaining the electrical insulation function. The dummy electrode acts as a mediator that resolves the conflict between manufacturing simplicity (requiring gaps) and display quality (requiring gap coverage).

The solution transitions from a two-dimensional planar arrangement to a three-dimensional stacked structure. The dummy electrode is positioned in a different layer (third layer) while the first touch electrode and second touch electrode are in the same layer (first layer). This vertical arrangement allows the dummy electrode to cover the gap between electrodes without interfering with their electrical insulation function, effectively blocking light leakage from the gap.

The dummy electrode serves multiple functions simultaneously: it blocks light leakage from gaps, provides electrical insulation between touch electrodes, and can be integrated with existing manufacturing processes. By making the dummy electrode multi-functional, the design avoids adding separate components for each function, thereby reducing overall device complexity while achieving multiple objectives.

The dummy electrode is merged with the touch electrode structure in the same manufacturing process. Both are formed using similar transparent conductive material and can be deposited in the same layer sequence. This merging approach reduces the number of separate manufacturing steps and materials needed, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining the light-blocking function.