Transparent Composite Substrate Bonding Sapphire Glass

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Solution Overview

Problem

Sapphire substrates, despite their excellent abrasion and scratch resistance, are limited by high costs, low compression resistance, and brittleness, while existing composite substrates with adhesives suffer from poor transparency and adhesion issues, especially at high temperatures and pressures.

Innovation Solution

A method of manufacturing a transparent composite substrate by forming an inorganic material layer on a sapphire substrate, stacking it with a glass substrate, and applying an electrical field to create a binding layer without adhesives, using silicon or silicon dioxide layers and temperatures between 200°C to 400°C to achieve strong and stable bonding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If adhesive is used to bond sapphire substrate to glass substrate, then bonding is achieved, but transparency deteriorates and adhesion strength decreases at high temperature and pressure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion strengthVSAvoidtransparency
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the adhesive layer from the bonding structure, replacing it with a direct bonding interface between the sapphire substrate and glass substrate. This extraction eliminates the transparency-detrimental adhesive while maintaining bonding through surface activation and direct contact at the interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a thin film layer (such as silicon oxide or silicon nitride) as an intermediary between the sapphire substrate and glass substrate. This intermediary layer facilitates bonding through plasma treatment or chemical vapor deposition, achieving strong adhesion without compromising optical transparency, as the film is sufficiently thin to maintain light transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If adhesive is used to bond sapphire substrate to glass substrate, then bonding is achieved, but bonding reliability deteriorates at high temperature and pressure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion strengthVSAvoidbonding stability at high temperature and pressure
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates the adhesive layer that degrades under high temperature and pressure, replacing it with a direct bonding interface. This extraction ensures bonding reliability by using the inherent thermal and pressure stability of the sapphire-glass interface, enhanced by surface activation treatments that create temperature-resistant bonds.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the bonding parameters by applying plasma treatment or chemical vapor deposition to activate the substrate surfaces before bonding. This parameter change creates a surface state that forms strong, temperature-resistant bonds without requiring organic adhesives that would degrade under high temperature and pressure conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Strength

If adhesive is used to bond sapphire substrate to glass substrate, then bonding is achieved, but substrate thickness increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion strengthVSAvoidsubstrate thickness
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the adhesive layer from the bonding structure, eliminating the additional thickness that adhesives contribute. The direct bonding interface between sapphire and glass substrates achieves adhesion without the extra material layer, thereby reducing the overall substrate thickness while maintaining bonding strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Strength

If sapphire substrate is used, then abrasion and scratch resistance are improved, but cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveabrasion and scratch resistanceVSAvoidcost
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite structure by bonding sapphire substrate to glass substrate, combining the abrasion and scratch resistance of sapphire with the cost-effectiveness and compression resistance of glass. This composite material approach allows the expensive sapphire to be used only where its specific properties are needed, while the less expensive glass provides structural support and reduces overall cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 reduces the cost of sapphire substrates, enhances compression resistance, maintains transparency, and ensures strong bonding at high temperatures, making the composite suitable for wide application in touch panels.

Implementation Method 1

The sapphire substrate and the glass substrate are heated to form a binding layer at the contact surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

an electrical field is applied to the sapphire substrate and the glass substrate, which the sapphire substrate is connected to an anode of the electrical field, and the glass substrate is connected to an cathode of the electrical field

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical field application: Electric Field

Data Source

PatentEP3012717B1Transparent composite substrate, preparation method thereof and touch panel
Publication Date: 2019.05.15 TPK TOUCH SOLUTIONS (XIAMEN) INC
  • EP3012717B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3012717B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3012717B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A transparent composite substrate includes a first transparent substrate, a second transparent substrate, and a binding layer bonding the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate.