Touch Panel Metal Nanowire Self-Aligned Bezel Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current transparent conductors, such as metal oxides and nanowires, face challenges in flexibility and optical transparency, particularly in touch panel manufacturing, where alignment errors lead to wide peripheral regions and high reflectivity issues, compromising both electrical conductivity and optical properties.
Innovation Solution
A covering structure is applied to specific surfaces of metal nanowires to enhance optical characteristics while maintaining electrical conductivity, allowing for narrower peripheral leads and improved alignment without the need for an alignment error region, using a touch-sensing tape-on-reel structure and modified metal nanowires with a covering structure on non-intersection surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If an alignment error region is reserved for nanowire and lead alignment, then alignment tolerance is improved, but the peripheral region width increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a self-aligned structure where the nanowire network automatically aligns with the lead during the deposition process, eliminating the need for a separate alignment error region. The intermediary mechanism is the self-alignment process that occurs during simultaneous deposition, where the nanowires naturally follow the lead geometry without requiring additional tolerance space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs the alignment action preliminarily by designing the deposition process to inherently align nanowires with leads before final device assembly. The self-aligned structure is formed during the deposition step itself, preventing the need for post-deposition alignment adjustments and reducing the peripheral region width.
2Area of stationary object
If the peripheral lead width is reduced to meet narrow bezel requirements, then the display area is improved, but alignment precision becomes more difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The self-aligned deposition process acts as an intermediary mechanism that enables precise alignment even with reduced lead widths. The nanowires automatically conform to the lead geometry during deposition, providing inherent alignment precision without requiring larger tolerance regions that would reduce the display area.
3Illumination intensity
If low-reflective material is coated on the surface of silver nanowires to improve optical properties, then optical transparency is improved, but electrical conductivity deteriorates due to higher resistance at intersection points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of different nanowire surfaces. The top surfaces of nanowires are coated with low-reflective material to reduce optical reflection, while the intersection points and side surfaces remain uncoated to maintain electrical conductivity. This selective coating approach allows simultaneous optimization of both optical and electrical properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the optical properties of nanowires by applying a coating that changes the reflectivity characteristic. The low-reflective coating material alters the optical interaction at nanowire surfaces, reducing unwanted reflections and improving display optical quality without affecting the electrical function when applied selectively.
Data Source
AI summary
A touch panel and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The touch panel includes a substrate, peripheral leads, a touch-sensing electrode, and first covers. The peripheral leads are disposed on the substrate. Each peripheral lead has a sidewall and an upper surface. The first covers cover the upper surfaces of the peripheral leads. The touch-sensing electrode includes a plurality of modified metal nanowires. The modified metal nanowires have first surfaces in direct contact with each other at an intersection. The modified metal nanowires have second surfaces with a covering structure, and the second surfaces are at non-intersections.