Touch Panel Nanowire Electrodes Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing methods for metal oxide thin film layers in touch panels are costly, complex, and result in high contact resistance due to non-conductive gaps between nanowire touch sensing electrodes and metal traces, with silver migration issues in wet conditions and low yield in mass production.
Innovation Solution
A touch panel manufacturing method involving a substrate with a transparent conductive layer of metal nanowires and a film layer, where the nanowires are patterned to form touch sensing electrodes and peripheral conductive traces, with a protective layer and a conductive layer applied via electroless or electroplating methods to reduce impedance and enhance durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a thicker resin layer is applied on the touch sensing electrodes made of nanowires to improve weatherability, then durability is improved, but contact resistance increases due to non-conductive gap between nanowires and metal traces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protective resin layer and the conductive connection into a single integrated conductive resin layer. This layer simultaneously provides mechanical protection (durability) and electrical connection (low contact resistance) by containing conductive fillers that bridge the gap between nanowire touch sensing electrodes and metal peripheral traces, eliminating the need for separate thick resin applications that would create non-conductive gaps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by incorporating conductive fillers (such as metal particles, carbon materials, or conductive polymers) into the resin matrix. This creates a conductive resin composite that maintains both the protective function of the resin and the electrical conductivity needed for low contact resistance, resolving the contradiction between durability enhancement and electrical connection quality.
2Reliability
If silver paste is used to fabricate metal traces in peripheral areas, then conductivity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to additional laser etching process required after paste coating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the metal trace fabrication process with the nanowire transparent conductor patterning process. Both the touch sensing electrodes (nanowires) and peripheral conductive traces are formed in the same patterning step, eliminating the need for separate silver paste coating and laser etching processes. This integration maintains conductivity while significantly reducing manufacturing complexity and production time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies a universal patterning process that serves multiple functions: forming both the transparent conductive touch sensing electrodes in the display area and the peripheral conductive traces in the peripheral area. This multi-functional approach replaces the traditional multi-step process (nanowire deposition, paste coating, laser etching) with a single integrated patterning operation, reducing complexity while maintaining conductivity.
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional photolithography process is used to form patterns in metal oxide thin film layers, then pattern precision is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and yield decreases due to complex processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the formation of touch sensing electrodes and peripheral traces into a single patterning operation using the nanowire network structure. This integrated approach maintains pattern precision by utilizing the inherent network geometry of nanowires while eliminating multiple sequential processing steps (metal oxide deposition, photolithography, etching, paste application, laser etching), thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and improving yield.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental material parameter from traditional metal oxide thin films to metal nanowire networks. This parameter change enables a different patterning approach that achieves comparable or superior pattern precision while dramatically simplifying the manufacturing process. The nanowire network's inherent connectivity and flexibility allow for direct patterning without complex photolithography and etching sequences, improving both precision and productivity.
4Reliability
If metal oxide thin film layers are formed by physical vapor deposition or chemical vapor deposition, then conductivity is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex vapor deposition processes (physical or chemical) with simpler nanowire deposition and patterning techniques. Instead of requiring high-vacuum environments, precise temperature control, and multi-step film formation processes, the nanowire approach uses solution-based or direct deposition methods followed by single-step patterning, maintaining conductivity while dramatically reducing process complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A touch panel includes a substrate, a touch sensing electrode, a peripheral conductive trace, a protective layer, and a conductive layer. The substrate has a display area and a peripheral area. The touch sensing electrode is disposed in the display area. The peripheral conductive trace is disposed in the peripheral area. The touch sensing electrode is electrically connected to the peripheral conductive trace. The touch sensing electrode and the peripheral conductive trace at least include metal nanowires. The protective layer is disposed on the touch sensing electrode, and the conductive layer is disposed on the peripheral conductive trace.