Touch Sensor Nanowire Silver Layer Narrow Bezel Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current touch sensors face challenges in achieving flexibility and narrow bezel designs while maintaining optical quality, as traditional silver paste materials for peripheral circuits can affect the overall appearance and functionality.
Innovation Solution
A touch sensor design featuring a metal nanowire layer and a silver layer on a substrate, with specific spacer regions and recesses, allowing for direct electrical connections between touch electrodes and peripheral traces without additional overlapping structures, and utilizing an argon plasma treatment process to enhance manufacturing precision and reduce manufacturing steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If silver paste material is used for peripheral circuits, then electrical conductivity is improved, but optical quality and appearance are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the silver paste material from the visible area and relocates it exclusively to the peripheral area. The touch electrodes in the visible area are formed using transparent conductive materials, while silver paste is only used for peripheral circuits where it is invisible, thus maintaining optical quality while ensuring electrical conductivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different material qualities to different regions: transparent conductive materials are used in the visible area for optical transparency, while silver paste is used in the peripheral area for optimal electrical conductivity. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between conductivity and optical quality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If peripheral circuits are designed in the peripheral area, then flexibility is improved, but bezel size is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves peripheral circuits from the traditional peripheral area (horizontal dimension) to the space between touch electrodes (vertical/density dimension). By arranging peripheral circuits in the intervals between adjacent touch electrodes, the bezel area is significantly reduced while maintaining circuit functionality and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the function of touch electrodes and peripheral circuits by placing them in close proximity and using the same transparent conductive material for both. This integration allows peripheral circuits to occupy minimal space while performing their electrical functions.
3Reliability
If additional overlapping structures are added for electrical connections, then connection reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the formation of touch electrodes and peripheral circuits into a single manufacturing process step. Both are formed simultaneously from the same transparent conductive material layer, eliminating the need for additional overlapping structures and reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The transparent conductive material layer serves multiple functions: it forms both touch electrodes and peripheral circuits, and provides both electrical conductivity and optical transparency. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate overlapping structures.
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
This design enables the formation of touch sensors with small line widths and spacings, meeting narrow bezel requirements without degrading optical effects, while reducing manufacturing costs and complexity.
Implementation Method 1
performing an argon plasma treatment process to remove a residual resin corresponding to the peripheral area through the wiring pattern
Data Source
AI summary
A touch sensor having a visible area and a peripheral area includes a substrate, a metal nanowire layer, and a silver layer. The metal nanowire layer is disposed on a main surface of the substrate and defines a plurality of electrode portions corresponding to the visible area and a plurality of wiring portions corresponding to the peripheral area. The electrode portions are arranged at intervals, and the wiring portions are respectively connected to the electrode portions and arranged at intervals. Two adjacent electrode portions are spaced apart by a first spacer region, and two adjacent wiring portions are spaced apart by a second spacer region. The silver layer is disposed on the wiring portions and in contact with the wiring portions. A thickness of the substrate corresponding to the first spacer region is smaller than a thickness of the substrate corresponding to the second spacer region.