JP2011186977A - Manufacturing method of input device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a manufacturing method of an input device which can stably form a wiring part in a specific wiring pattern. <P>SOLUTION: The manufacturing method is provided with a process for forming a transparent conductive layer 32 on the entire surface of a base material and forming a metal layer 33 composed of a specific wiring pattern on the transparent conductive layer 32, a process (Fig.2(d)) for covering the sides and the top of the metal layer 33 by a resist layer 36a and forming a resist layer 36b composed of a sensor pattern on a sensor section, a process for removing the transparent conductive layer 32 not covered by a resist layer 36, and a process for removing the resist layer 36. The metal layer 33 is not affected by the etching against the transparent conductive layer 32 in a Fig.2(e) process. Thus the wiring part composed of a laminated structure of the transparent conductive layer and the metal layer 33 can be formed stably in a specific wiring pattern. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an input device manufacturing method capable of detecting an input coordinate position, and more particularly to a wiring portion manufacturing method.

  The following patent documents disclose inventions related to touch sensors. A large number of sensor patterns made of ITO or the like are arranged in the sensor portion of the touch sensor. And the wiring part electrically connected to each sensor pattern is routed by the predetermined wiring pattern at the non-sensor part on the side of the sensor part.

  Conventionally, the wiring pattern has been formed by printing or the like, but the area of the non-sensor part (also referred to as a frame) has become very narrow, and a capacitive touch panel has a large number in the sensor part. Since the sensor pattern (electrode pattern) exists, the number of wiring patterns routed to the non-sensor portion increases. As a result, it is necessary to reduce the pitch between the wiring patterns.

  Therefore, it has been necessary to miniaturize the wiring pattern using thin film technology and photolithography technology.

  For example, in the invention shown in Patent Document 1, a transparent conductive layer and a metal layer are formed on a base material so as to overlap each other, and a predetermined pattern composed of a laminated structure of the transparent conductive layer and the metal layer is formed using a photolithography technique. is doing.

  4A to 4E are process diagrams for explaining problems of a conventional method for manufacturing an input device (touch sensor). Each left figure of (a)-(e) shows the top view in a manufacturing process, Each right figure of (a)-(e) is the part cut | disconnected from the AA line shown to the left figure of (a). A longitudinal sectional view is shown.

  In the step of FIG. 4A, the transparent conductive layer 2 is formed on the entire surface of the substrate 1. Further, a metal layer 3 is formed on the entire surface of the transparent conductive layer 2. 4A, a resist layer 4 having a sensor pattern 4b and a wiring pattern 4a is formed on the upper surface of the metal layer 3. As shown in FIG.

  4B, the metal layer 3 not covered with the resist layer 4 is removed by etching. As a result, the metal layer 3 is left as a wiring pattern and a sensor pattern.

  4C, the resist layer 4 is used as it is, and the transparent conductive layer 2 not covered with the resist layer 4 is removed by etching. As a result, the transparent conductive layer 2 is left as a wiring pattern and a sensor pattern.

  Next, in the step of FIG. 4D, the resist layer of the sensor pattern 4b is removed by multiple exposure / development. Thereby, the metal layer 3 of the sensor pattern is exposed. Next, in the step of FIG. 4D, the metal layer 3 of the sensor pattern is removed by etching (dotted line portion of FIG. 4D).

In the step of FIG. 4E, the remaining resist layer 4 is removed.
Thereby, in the wiring part 5, a plurality of wiring patterns in which the metal layer 3 is overlaid on the transparent conductive layer 2 can be formed.

  However, in the manufacturing process of FIG. 4, the metal layer 3 formed by the wiring pattern on the wiring part 5 is exposed to a plurality of etching processes. That is, after the step of forming the metal layer 3 of FIG. 4B in the wiring pattern, the etching step of removing the unnecessary transparent conductive layer 2 of FIG. 4C, the metal layer 3 of the sensor pattern of FIG. It is exposed to an etching process that removes. In the step of FIG. 4C, the etching solution used for etching (wet etching) of the transparent conductive layer 2 affects the side surface of the metal layer 3 that is open. In the step of FIG. 4D, the metal layer 3 of the sensor pattern is removed and the metal layer 3 of the wiring pattern is also etched from the side surface. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4E, the metal layer 3 finally remaining as a wiring pattern has a very thin shape, and there is a problem that a wiring pattern having a predetermined width cannot be stably formed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63-113585 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-181822 JP 2008-65748 A JP 2008-129708 A JP-A-10-214145 JP 2008-77332 A

  Therefore, the present invention is to solve the above-described conventional problems, and in particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing an input device capable of stably forming a wiring portion with a predetermined wiring pattern.

The present invention includes a sensor unit and a wiring unit located on a side of the sensor unit and electrically connected to the sensor unit. The sensor unit includes a first sensor pattern having a predetermined sensor pattern on a substrate surface. A transparent conductive layer is formed, and the wiring portion is integrated with the first transparent conductive layer, a second transparent conductive layer drawn into a predetermined wiring pattern, and the second transparent conductive layer. In the manufacturing method of the input device formed by including a metal layer formed with the wiring pattern overlaid on,
(A) forming a transparent conductive layer on the entire surface of the substrate, and forming a metal layer comprising a predetermined wiring pattern on the transparent conductive layer;
(B) a step of covering with a mask layer from the side surface to the upper surface of the metal layer and forming a mask layer made of a sensor pattern on the sensor portion;
(C) The transparent conductive layer not covered with the mask layer is removed, and at this time, a first transparent conductive layer made of the sensor pattern is formed on the sensor unit, and the metal layer is formed on the wiring unit. Forming a second transparent conductive layer integrally formed with the first transparent conductive layer on the lower side and drawn out by a wiring pattern;
(D) removing the mask layer;
It is characterized by having.

  In this invention, after forming the metal layer which consists of a wiring pattern at the (a) process, it covers with a mask layer from the side surface to the upper surface of the metal layer at the (b) process. Thereafter, in step (c), the transparent conductive layer not covered with the mask layer is removed. At this time, the metal layer is protected not only on the upper surface but also on the side surface by the mask layer. Will not be affected. Therefore, in the present invention, the metal layer of the wiring pattern can be stably formed with a predetermined width. Moreover, in this invention, an etching process can be reduced rather than before. Therefore, the manufacturing process can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be further reduced.

  In the present invention, in the step (a), a metal layer is formed on the entire surface of the transparent conductive layer, a second mask layer made of a wiring pattern is formed on the upper surface of the metal layer, and the second mask layer is formed. It is preferable to remove the metal layer that is not covered with the metal layer and leave the metal layer having a predetermined wiring pattern. Thereby, the metal layer which consists of a predetermined wiring pattern can be formed stably.

  Moreover, in this invention, it is preferable that the mask layer of a sensor pattern is formed in the upper surface of the said transparent conductive layer of the said sensor part at the said (b) process.

  According to the method for manufacturing an input device of the present invention, the wiring portion can be stably formed with a predetermined wiring pattern.

An exploded perspective view of the input device of the present embodiment, Process drawings showing the manufacturing method of the input device of this embodiment (the left figure of (a) to (e) is a plan view of the production process, the right figure of (a) to (e) is the BB line of (a). Partial longitudinal section cut from FIG. 2D is a partially enlarged vertical sectional view in which a part of the right diagram is enlarged; Process diagrams showing a conventional method of manufacturing an input device (the left diagrams of (a) to (e) are plan views of the manufacturing process, and the right diagrams of (a) to (e) are cut from line AA in (a). Partial vertical section)

  FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the input device 10 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the input device 10 includes a top plate 20, an upper substrate 21, a lower substrate 22, a flexible printed circuit board 23, and the like.

  The top plate 20 is formed of a plastic or glass substrate. A decorative layer 24 is provided on the lower surface 20b of the top plate 20, and as shown in FIG. 1, a colored non-translucent non-sensor part surrounding the sensor part 11 and the sensor part 11 as shown in FIG. It is divided into 12. The non-sensor portion 12 is provided with a wiring portion that is electrically connected to the sensor portion 11.

  In the input device 10 according to the present embodiment, when the sensor unit 11 is operated with a finger, the capacitance between the upper sensor pattern and the lower sensor pattern arranged inside the sensor unit is caused by a capacitance change caused by the approach / operation of the finger. Based on this, a capacitive touch panel that detects the operation coordinate position of the finger is configured.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of upper sensor patterns 13 are provided on the sensor unit 11 of the upper substrate 21, and a plurality of lower sensor patterns 14 are arranged on the sensor unit 11 of the lower substrate 22. (In FIG. 1, only a part of the upper sensor pattern 13 and the lower sensor pattern 14 is shown).

  Each of the sensor patterns 13 and 14 is formed by forming a transparent conductive layer such as ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) on the substrate surface by sputtering or vapor deposition.

Each upper sensor pattern 13 and each lower sensor pattern 14 are orthogonal to each other.
As shown in FIG. 1, the upper sensor pattern 13 extends continuously along, for example, the Y1-Y2 direction of the XY plane, and a plurality of upper sensor patterns 13 are arranged at intervals in the X1-X2 direction. The

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, each lower sensor pattern 14 extends continuously along, for example, the X1-X2 direction on the XY plane, and a plurality of lower sensor patterns 14 are spaced apart in the Y1-Y2 direction. Be placed.

  An upper wiring pattern (not shown) is electrically connected to the Y2 side end portion of each upper sensor pattern 13, and the tip of each upper wiring pattern constitutes an upper connection portion 15. Each upper wiring pattern and each upper connection portion 15 are provided in the non-sensor portion 12.

  Further, a lower wiring pattern 16 is electrically connected to an end portion of each lower sensor pattern 14 on the X1 side or X2 side. For example, the lower wiring pattern 16 is connected to the X2 side end of each of the lower sensor patterns 14 arranged alternately, and the lower wiring pattern 16 is connected to the X1 side end of each of the remaining lower sensor patterns 14. .

  Each lower wiring pattern 16 is routed from the X1 side region and the X2 side region of the non-sensor portion 12, and the tip of each lower wiring pattern 16 forms a lower connection portion 17 in the Y2 side region of the non-sensor portion 12.

  The top plate 20, the upper substrate 21, and the lower substrate 22 are bonded together via a transparent adhesive layer.

  FIG. 2 illustrates an input device according to the present embodiment, particularly a method for forming a wiring portion. Each left figure of Drawing 2 (a)-(f) shows a top view (schematic figure) of lower substrate 22, and each right figure of (a)-(f) is a BB line shown in (a). The fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional view cut | disconnected from FIG.

  In the process of FIG. 2A, the transparent conductive layer 32 is formed on the entire surface of the transparent substrate 31 made of glass or resin by sputtering or vapor deposition. Here, “transparent” refers to a state where the visible light transmittance is 90% or more. Further, it is preferable that the haze value is 3 or less.

To the transparent conductive layer 32, an inorganic transparent conductive material such as ITO (Indium Tin Oxide), SnO ₂ , ZnO or the like was formed by sputtering or vapor deposition, or fine powders of these inorganic transparent conductive materials were fixed. It may be a thing. Alternatively, an organic transparent conductive material coated with an organic conductive polymer such as carbon nanotube, polythiofin, or polypyrrole may be used. However, it is preferable to use ITO for the transparent conductive layer 32.

  Next, a metal layer 33 is formed on the entire surface of the transparent conductive layer 32 by sputtering or vapor deposition. The metal layer 33 does not have to be transparent, and a material that is more conductive (has a lower resistance value) than the transparent conductive layer 32 is selected. The metal layer 33 can be formed of a good conductor such as AgPdCu, Cu, Al, Ag, Au, MoNb / Al, MoNb / AgPdCu. The metal layer 33 may be a single layer or a laminate.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, a resist layer (second mask layer) 35 composed of a plurality of wiring patterns constituting the wiring portion 34 is formed on the upper surface of the metal layer 33. In FIG. 1, wiring patterns are drawn from the same direction for every other sensor pattern 14, but in FIG. 2, all the wiring patterns shown in the figure are drawn in the same direction.

  Next, in the step of FIG. 2B, the metal layer 33 not covered with the resist layer 35 is removed by etching. Thereby, the metal layer 33 of the wiring pattern is left only under the resist layer 35. The metal layer 33 is slightly subjected to side etching, and the width dimension of each metal layer 33 is smaller than the width dimension of each resist layer 35. For the etching process shown in FIG. 2B, wet etching can be selected.

Next, in the step shown in FIG. 2C, the resist layer 35 is removed.
Next, in the step shown in FIG. 2D, as shown in FIGS. 2D and 3 (a partially enlarged longitudinal sectional view in which a part of FIG. 2D is enlarged), the metal layer 33 made of a wiring pattern is formed. A resist layer (first mask layer) 36a is covered from the side surface 33a to the upper surface 33b. Further, a resist layer 36b made of a sensor pattern is formed on the upper surface of the transparent conductive layer 32 in succession to the resist layer 36a.

  In the step shown in FIG. 2D, first, a resist layer 36 is formed on the entire transparent conductive layer 32 from the metal layer 33, and the resist layer 36 is covered from the side surface 33a to the upper surface 33b of the metal layer 33 by exposure and development. A pattern is formed on the part 36a and the part 36b made of the sensor pattern.

Next, in the step shown in FIG. 2E, the transparent conductive layer 32 not covered with the resist layer 36 is removed by etching. As shown in FIG. 3, the transparent conductive layer 32a shown by a dotted line can be removed. As a result, the first transparent conductive layer 32b made of the sensor pattern can be formed, and the wiring portion 34 is integrated with the first transparent conductive layer 32b under the metal layer 33 and drawn out in the wiring pattern. A second transparent conductive layer 32c can be formed (FIG. 2E). For etching the transparent conductive layer 32, wet etching can be used.
Then, in the step of FIG. 2F, the resist layer 36 is removed.

  As described above, according to the manufacturing method of the input device of the present embodiment, the plurality of sensor patterns 14 (see FIG. 2F) can be formed by the first transparent conductive layer 32b, and further integrated with the first transparent conductive layer 32b. Thus, a wiring portion 34 (consisting of a second transparent conductive layer 32c drawn out to a predetermined wiring pattern and a metal layer 33 formed on the second transparent conductive layer 32c and formed with the wiring pattern. 2 (f)) can be formed.

  In the manufacturing method of the input device in this embodiment, after forming the metal layer 33 made of a wiring pattern (step (b) in FIG. 2), the metal layer 33 is covered with a resist layer 36a from the side surface 33a to the upper surface 33b (see FIG. d) Step, see FIG. Thereafter, in the step of FIG. 2E, the transparent conductive layer 32 not covered with the resist layer 36 is removed. At this time, not only the upper surface 33b but also the side surface 33a of the metal layer 33 is protected by the resist layer 36a. Therefore, the transparent conductive layer 32 is not affected by etching (see FIG. 3).

  In particular, even when the etching solution used when removing the unnecessary transparent conductive layer 32 by wet etching can also etch the metal layer 33, an etching solution for removing the unnecessary transparent conductive layer 32 by wet etching is used. The metal layer 33 formed by the wiring pattern is not affected. For this reason, the metal layer 33 of the wiring pattern can be stably formed with a predetermined width. Further, by using the manufacturing method shown in FIG. 2, the etching process can be reduced as compared with the conventional manufacturing method shown in FIG. Specifically, in the conventional method of manufacturing the input device shown in FIG. 4, the etching process for the metal layer 3 in FIG. 4B, the etching process for the transparent conductive layer 2 in FIG. 4C, In the input device manufacturing method of the present embodiment, the etching process for the metal layer 33 in the process of FIG. 2B and the etching of the transparent conductive layer 32 in FIG. A total of two processes are sufficient. Therefore, in this embodiment, an etching tank can be reduced compared with the past. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the manufacturing process can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be further reduced as compared with the conventional case.

  In this embodiment, each wiring pattern formed in the wiring portion 34 can be formed sufficiently smaller and more stable than the conventional case where the wiring pattern is printed and formed. For example, in this embodiment, the pitch of each wiring pattern is formed. Can be stably formed to 100 μm or less or 50 μm or less.

  Instead of FIGS. 2A and 2B, a resist layer having a wiring pattern shape space is formed on the transparent conductive layer 32, and the metal layer 33 is sputtered in the space to form the metal layer 33 of the wiring pattern. There is also a method of forming. However, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a wiring layer resist layer 35 is formed on the metal layer 33, and the metal layer 33 not covered with the resist layer 35 is removed, so that the wiring pattern If the metal layer 33 is left, it is easier to stably form a narrow pitch wiring pattern.

  In addition, it is preferable to apply the manufacturing method shown in FIG. 2 to both the upper substrate 21 and the lower substrate 22, but depending on conditions, it can be applied only to one substrate side.

  Moreover, although the input device in this embodiment was a capacitance type, it is applicable also to other input devices, such as a resistance type. For example, in the case of a resistance type input device, if the input device is capable of multi-touch input, there are a plurality of wiring patterns formed in the wiring portion, and the non-sensor portion (frame portion) is narrow, The manufacturing method of a wiring part can be applied preferably.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Input device 11 Sensor part 12 Non-sensor part 14 Lower sensor pattern 15 Upper connection part 16 Lower wiring pattern 17 Lower connection part 20 Top plate 21 Upper board 22 Lower board 23 Flexible printed circuit board 24 Decorating layer 31 Transparent base material 32 Transparent conductive Layer 32b First transparent conductive layer 32c Second transparent conductive layer 33 Metal layer 33a Metal layer side surface 33b Metal layer upper surface 34 Wiring portions 35, 36, 36a, 36b Resist layer

Claims (3)

A first transparent conductive layer including a sensor unit and a wiring unit located on a side of the sensor unit and electrically connected to the sensor unit, the sensor unit having a predetermined sensor pattern on a substrate surface; The wiring portion is integrated with the first transparent conductive layer, the second transparent conductive layer drawn out in a predetermined wiring pattern, and the second transparent conductive layer superimposed on the second transparent conductive layer. In a method for manufacturing an input device comprising a metal layer formed with a wiring pattern,
(A) forming a transparent conductive layer on the entire surface of the substrate, and forming a metal layer comprising a predetermined wiring pattern on the transparent conductive layer;
(B) a step of covering with a mask layer from the side surface to the upper surface of the metal layer and forming a mask layer made of a sensor pattern on the sensor portion;
(C) The transparent conductive layer not covered with the mask layer is removed, and at this time, a first transparent conductive layer made of the sensor pattern is formed on the sensor unit, and the metal layer is formed on the wiring unit. Forming a second transparent conductive layer integrally formed with the first transparent conductive layer on the lower side and drawn out by a wiring pattern;
(D) removing the mask layer;
A method for manufacturing an input device.   In the step (a), a metal layer is formed on the entire surface of the transparent conductive layer, a second mask layer made of a wiring pattern is formed on the upper surface of the metal layer, and is covered with the second mask layer. The method of manufacturing an input device according to claim 1, wherein the metal layer not formed is removed to leave the metal layer having a predetermined wiring pattern.   The method for manufacturing an input device according to claim 1, wherein in the step (b), a mask layer of a sensor pattern is formed on an upper surface of the transparent conductive layer of the sensor unit.

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