Touch Sensor Peripheral Wiring Before Wet-Plated Electrodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing touch sensors with narrow line widths and inter-wiring distances often result in disconnected peripheral wirings due to bubbles or impurities during plating, making it difficult to achieve stable and uniform formation of fine metal wires.
Innovation Solution
A method involving photolithography and wet etching to form detection electrode connection terminals, peripheral wirings, and external connection terminals, followed by a wet plating process to create touch detection electrodes on a to-be-plated layer, with the use of protective layers to prevent disconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If peripheral wirings with narrow line width and narrow inter-wiring distance are formed simultaneously with touch detection electrodes and external connection terminals using the plating method, then the peripheral region can be narrowed, but bubbles generated during plating or impurities cause disconnection of peripheral wirings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the formation process into two separate stages: first forming peripheral wirings using photolithography and wet etching to achieve narrow line widths and distances, then separately forming touch detection electrodes using plating. This segmentation prevents bubbles and impurities from causing disconnection in the narrow peripheral wirings while still achieving the goal of narrowing the peripheral region.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary formation of peripheral wirings using photolithography and wet etching before forming the touch detection electrodes by plating. This preliminary action ensures that the peripheral wirings are already in place with proper connectivity before the plating process begins, preventing disconnection issues that would occur if plating were used for narrow wirings directly.
2Length of moving object
If peripheral wirings with narrow line width are formed using the plating method, then the line width can be reduced, but impurities mixed during plating cause disconnection of peripheral wirings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the plating method (electrochemical deposition) with photolithography and wet etching for forming peripheral wirings. This substitution eliminates the introduction of bubbles and impurities associated with plating, enabling precise formation of narrow line width wirings with high manufacturing precision.
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 approach effectively prevents disconnection of peripheral wirings and ensures stable formation of fine metal wires, enhancing the reliability of touch sensors by maintaining electrical connectivity.
Implementation Method 1
forming a plurality of detection electrode connection terminals, a plurality of external connection terminals, and a plurality of peripheral wirings that connect the plurality of detection electrode connection terminals and the plurality of external connection terminals to each other by patterning a photosensitive resist on a surface of the metal layer through photolithography
Implementation Method 2
subjecting the metal layer to wet etching
Implementation Method 3
forming a plurality of touch detection electrodes that are electrically connected to the plurality of detection electrode connection terminals on the to-be-plated layer by a wet plating method
Data Source
AI summary
A touch sensor where disconnection of peripheral wirings is prevented and a method of producing the touch sensor. The method includes in order: preparing a substrate including a detection region and a peripheral region; forming a metal layer in the peripheral region; forming detection electrode connection terminals, external connection terminals, and peripheral wirings that connect the plurality of detection electrode connection terminals and the plurality of external connection terminals to each other by patterning a photosensitive resist on the metal layer through photolithography and subjecting the metal layer to wet etching; forming a to-be-plated layer in the detection region, which extends to cover at least a part of each of the detection electrode connection terminals, and includes a pattern composed of a plurality of thin wires; and forming touch detection electrodes that are electrically connected to the detection electrode connection terminals on the to-be-plated layer by a wet plating method.