JP2022158850A - touch sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a touch panel which satisfies not only requirements for narrow width bezel design and but also electric requirements of a touch panel.SOLUTION: The present invention is directed to a touch sensor having a visible area VA and a peripheral area PA provided on at least one side of the visible area. The touch sensor has a substrate 110 and a touch electrode layer 120, and a peripheral trace 132. The touch electrode layer is disposed on a surface of the substrate and has a touch electrode 122 corresponding to the visible area. The peripheral trace is disposed on the surface of the substrate and corresponds to the peripheral area. The peripheral trace is electrically connected to the respective touch electrodes. Each of the peripheral trace has a matrix and a metal nanowire distributed in the matrix. A line width W of each of the peripheral trace is 6 μm or larger and 12 μm or smaller, and a line interval D of the peripheral traces optionally adjacent to each other is 6 μm or larger and 12 μm or smaller.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1B

Description

The present disclosure relates to touch sensors.

Description of Related Art In recent years, touch sensors have been widely used in portable electronic products such as mobile phones, notebook computers, satellite navigation systems, and digital AV players as information communication channels between users and electronic devices. ing.

As the demand for narrow bezel electronic products gradually increases, the industry is committed to reducing the size of touch panel bezels to meet the needs of users. In general, a touch panel includes a touch electrode and a peripheral circuit, and the touch electrode and the peripheral circuit are usually in the peripheral area so that the touch electrode can transmit a signal to an external controller through the peripheral circuit. Overlapping each other to form a conductive path or loop. The bezel size of a touch panel often depends on factors such as the line width and line spacing of the peripheral circuit, and the contact area between the touch electrode and the peripheral circuit. They further affect the stability of signal transmission. Therefore, how to provide a touch panel that can not only meet the requirements of narrow bezel design, but also the electrical specifications of the touch panel is worthy of current research.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a touch sensor having a visible area and a peripheral area on at least one side of the visible area comprises: a substrate; a touch electrode layer; and a plurality of peripheral traces. The touch electrode layer is disposed on the surface of the substrate and includes a plurality of touch electrodes corresponding to the visible area. Peripheral traces are disposed on the surface of the substrate and correspond to the peripheral area. The peripheral traces are each electrically connected to the touch electrode, each of the peripheral traces includes a matrix and a plurality of metal nanowires distributed (dispersed) in the matrix, and each of the peripheral traces has a line width of 6 μm or more. , is less than or equal to 12 μm, and the line spacing between any adjacent ones of the peripheral traces is greater than or equal to 6 μm and less than or equal to 12 μm.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the line width of each of the peripheral traces is 10 μm or less, preferably 8 μm or less, and the line spacing of any adjacent peripheral traces is 10 μm or less, preferably 8 μm or less. is.

In some implementations of the present disclosure, the ratio of the width of the peripheral area on one side of the viewing area to the width of the viewing area is between 0.003 and 0.010.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the touch electrode layer is a metal nanowire layer that includes a matrix and metal nanowires distributed within the matrix.

In some implementations of the present disclosure, each of the peripheral traces includes a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer arranged in a stack, the first conductive layer distributed in a matrix and in the matrix. It is a metal nanowire layer containing metal nanowires.

In some implementations of the present disclosure, the first conductive layer is between the second conductive layer and the substrate, and the first conductive layer contacts the lower surface of the second conductive layer. do.

In some implementations of the present disclosure, the first conductive layer and the touch electrode layer are on the same horizontal plane.

In some implementations of the present disclosure, the second conductive layer is between the first conductive layer and the substrate, and the second conductive layer contacts the bottom surface of the first conductive layer.

In some implementations of the present disclosure, the first conductive layer and the touch electrode layer are on different horizontal planes, and the first conductive layer is brought into contact with the first conductive layer by a climbing section. It is connected to one of the corresponding touch electrodes.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, sidewalls of the first conductive layer are substantially aligned with sidewalls of the second conductive layer.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first conductive layer and one of the corresponding touch electrodes connected to the first conductive layer are integrated without any interface therebetween. (one piece) and integrally formed.

In some implementations of the present disclosure, the touch sensor further includes a film layer covering the peripheral traces.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the film layer is filled between adjacent ones of the peripheral traces.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer of each of the peripheral traces are in contact with the film layer.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the second conductive layer is a single layer structure (structure) made from a single metallic or alloy material, two or more metallic or alloy materials. Bilayer or multilayer structures made or bilayer or multilayer structures made from metal and metal oxide materials.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the covering structure is on the interface between the matrix and each of the metal nanowires of each peripheral trace.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the matrix is filled between adjacent metal nanowires of metal nanowires, and the coating structure is not alone within the matrix.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the coating structure comprises the matrix and each metal nanowire so as to define a coating layer that is uniformly formed on the interface between the matrix and each metal nanowire. covers the entire interface between

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the covering structure is a single layer structure made from a single metallic or alloy material, or a double or multi-layer structure made from two or more metallic or alloy materials. is.

According to the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure, the peripheral traces of the touch sensor of the present disclosure comprise metal nanowires, and the line width and line spacing of the peripheral traces are each designed to be within specific numerical ranges. . Additionally, various configurations of peripheral traces are provided having line widths and line spacings within specific numerical ranges that are practicable. In this way, the touch sensor can provide a variety of applications that meet the requirements of touch sensor electrical specifications and narrow bezel design, thereby meeting market demand. Moreover, if the peripheral traces of the touch sensor are composed of different materials, there are different limitations due to the different materials and corresponding patterning process conditions. In other words, the specifications of peripheral traces made of a different material than metal nanowires are not comparable to those of peripheral traces made of metal nanowires.

The present disclosure can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1A is a schematic top view illustrating a touch sensor according to some implementations of the present disclosure; FIG.

FIG. 1B is a schematic enlarged partial view showing region R1 of the touch sensor in FIG. 1A, according to some implementations of the present disclosure.

2A-2C are schematic cross-sectional views showing the touch sensor of FIG. 1A along line A-A', according to different implementations of the present disclosure. 2A-2C are schematic cross-sectional views showing the touch sensor of FIG. 1A along line A-A', according to different implementations of the present disclosure. 2A-2C are schematic cross-sectional views showing the touch sensor of FIG. 1A along line A-A', according to different implementations of the present disclosure.

3A and 3B are optical microscope images of peripheral traces, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. 3A and 3B are optical microscope images of peripheral traces, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Figures 3C and 3D are optical microscope images of peripheral traces according to some comparative examples. Figures 3C and 3D are optical microscope images of peripheral traces according to some comparative examples.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

We use the terms “lower” or “bottom” and “upper” or “upper” to describe the relationship between one element and another as shown in the figures. It should be appreciated that relative terms such as "top" can be used. It should be understood that relative terms are intended to include different orientations of devices other than that shown in the figures. For example, if the device in one figure were turned over, elements described as being on the "lower" side of other elements would be oriented on the "upper" side of the other elements. Thus, the exemplary term "lower" may include orientations of "lower" and "upper," depending on the particular orientation of the drawing. Similarly, when the device in one figure is turned over, elements described as "below" other elements are oriented "above" the other elements. Thus, the exemplary term "below" can include orientations "above" and "below."

Furthermore, terms such as "about," "approximately," or "substantially," as used in this disclosure, generally refer to "within 20% of a given value or range, preferably is within 10%, or more preferably within 5%". Unless explicitly stated, values or ranges set forth in this disclosure are to be considered approximate values or ranges. That is, the terms "about," "approximately," or "substantially" can be inferred when not explicitly stated in this disclosure.

The present disclosure provides a touch sensor in which the peripheral traces of the touch sensor include metal nanowires, and the line width and line spacing of the peripheral traces are each designed to be within specific numerical ranges. Therefore, the touch sensor of the present disclosure can not only meet the requirements of narrow bezel design, but also meet the requirements of electrical specifications for touch sensors, thereby meeting market demands.

FIG. 1A is a schematic top view of touch sensor 100, according to some implementations of the present disclosure. The touch sensor 100 of the present disclosure includes a substrate 110, a touch electrode layer 120, and a peripheral circuitry layer . In some implementations, the touch sensor 100 has a visible area VA and a peripheral area PA, with the peripheral area PA located on the side of the visible area VA. For example, the peripheral area PA may be a frame-shaped area arranged around the visible area VA (that is, including its right side, left side, upper side, and lower side). As another example, the peripheral area PA may be an L-shaped area located on the left side and below the visible area VA. In the embodiment of FIG. 1A, the peripheral areas PA are arranged on two opposite sides (eg left and right) of the visibility area VA.

The substrate 110 is configured to carry the touch electrode layer 120 and the peripheral circuit layer 130, and may be, for example, a rigid transparent substrate or a flexible transparent substrate. In some embodiments, the substrate 110 material is glass, acrylic, polyvinyl chloride, cycloolefin polymer, cycloolefin copolymer, polypropylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, colorless polyimide, or combinations thereof. Including but not limited to transparent materials.

The touch electrode layer 120 may be disposed on the surface of the substrate 110 and patterned to include a plurality of touch electrodes 122 corresponding to the visible area VA. In the embodiment of FIG. 1A, touch electrode layer 120 is an example of a single layer electrode structure disposed on a single surface of substrate 110 . In some other embodiments, the touch electrode layer 120 may be, for example, a double-sided monolayer, a single-sided bilayer, or a bridge-type single-layer electrode structure. In some implementations, the touch electrodes 122 may be arranged in a non-interlaced manner. For example, the touch electrodes 122 extend along the first direction D1, are arranged at intervals along the second direction D2, and are strip-shaped ( strip-shaped) electrodes. It should be understood that the configuration of the touch electrodes 122 is not the focus of this disclosure and is not intended to limit this disclosure.

In some implementations, the touch electrode layer 120 can include a matrix and a plurality of metal nanowires (also called metal nanostructures) distributed within the matrix. The matrix can include polymers or mixtures thereof to impart specific chemical, mechanical, and optical properties to the metal nanowires. For example, the matrix can provide good adhesion between metal nanowires and substrate 110 . As another example, the matrix can also provide good mechanical strength to the metal nanowires. In some embodiments, the matrix can include certain polymers such that the metal nanowires have additional scratch/wear resistant surface protection, thereby improving the surface strength of the touch electrode layer 120 . The particular polymer can be, for example, polyacrylate, epoxy resin, polyurethane, polysiloxane, polysilane, poly(silicon-acrylic acid), or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the matrix further contains surfactants, crosslinkers, stabilizers (e.g., , antioxidants or UV stabilizers), polymerization inhibitors, or combinations of any of the foregoing ingredients.

As used herein, the term "metal nanowires" is a collective noun that refers to and includes a collection of metal wires comprising multiple metal elements, metal alloys, or metal compounds (including metal oxides). It should be understood that the number of metal nanowires does not affect the scope of this disclosure. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional size (eg, cross-sectional diameter) of a single metal nanowire can be less than 500 nm, preferably less than 100 nm, more preferably less than 50 nm. In some embodiments, the metal nanowires have a large aspect ratio (ie, length:cross-sectional diameter). Specifically, the aspect ratio of the metal nanowires can be between 10 and 100,000. More particularly, the aspect ratio of the metal nanowires may be greater than 10, preferably greater than 50, more preferably greater than 100. Additionally, other terms such as silk, fiber, or tube also have the cross-sectional dimensions and aspect ratios described above and are within the scope of this disclosure.

A peripheral circuit layer 130 is disposed on the surface of the substrate 110 and corresponds to the peripheral area PA, the peripheral circuit layer 130 may be patterned to include a plurality of peripheral traces 132, where the peripheral traces 132 are: Each includes a matrix and a plurality of metal nanowires distributed within the matrix. In some implementations, each of the peripheral traces 132 and each of the touch electrodes 122 are in contact with each other at the boundary between the visible area VA and the peripheral area PA and are electrically connected to each other to form the visible area VA and the peripheral area PA. form an electron transfer pathway across the In some implementations, peripheral trace 132 may also be connected to an external controller for touch or other signaling. The substrate 110 corresponding to the peripheral area PA is mainly configured to accommodate the peripheral traces 132, and the line width of each peripheral trace 132 and the line spacing of two adjacent peripheral traces 132 are the same as the peripheral area of the touch sensor 100. Note that the size of the area PA (e.g., the width W1 of the peripheral area PA) has a large impact, and the size of the peripheral area PA may also affect the bezel size of the terminal product. Therefore, in this disclosure, the line width and line spacing of the peripheral traces 132 in the peripheral area PA are actually implemented such that the touch sensor 100 meets the requirements of the narrow bezel design and the electrical specifications of the touch sensor 100, respectively. It is designed to fall within specific numerical ranges according to several possible constructions and manufacturing processes.

FIG. 1B is a schematic partial enlarged view showing region R1 of touch sensor 100 in FIG. 1A, according to some implementations of the present disclosure. Please refer to FIGS. 1A and 1B. As described above, the line width W and line spacing D of the peripheral traces 132 of the present disclosure are each within specific numerical ranges so that the touch sensor 100 not only meets the requirements of narrow bezel designs, but also It also satisfies the electrical specification requirements of the touch sensor 100, thereby meeting market demands. Specifically, the line width W of each peripheral trace 132 is 6 μm or more and 12 μm or less, and the line spacing D between any two adjacent peripheral traces 132 is 6 μm or more and 12 μm or less. That is, the line width W and line spacing D can be between 6 μm and 12 μm. The numerical ranges of line width W and line spacing D are very important. Specifically, when trying to fabricate a peripheral trace 132 with a line width W and a line spacing D of less than 6 μm, the line width W is too small, which may result in an open circuit of the peripheral trace 132 and the line spacing Because D is too small, peripheral traces 132 may also be shorted, causing touch sensor 100 to fail and fail to meet touch sensor 100 electrical specification requirements. When manufacturing peripheral traces 132 with line widths W and line spacings D greater than 12 μm, the touch sensor 100 satisfies narrow bezel size applications and designs because the line widths W and line spacings D of the peripheral traces 132 are excessively large. I can't. In other words, by designing the line width W of each peripheral trace 132 and the line spacing D of any two adjacent peripheral traces 132 between 6 μm and 12 μm, the touch sensor 100 can meet the electrical specifications of the touch sensor 100. Meet market demand for narrow bezel products while meeting requirements. Furthermore, in order to achieve a more flexible routing layout of the peripheral traces 132 under the demands of narrow bezel products, the line width W of each peripheral trace 132 and the line width of any two adjacent peripheral traces 132 The spacing D can be less than 10 μm, preferably less than 8 μm.

In some embodiments, taking the peripheral area PA on one side of the visible area VA as an example, the line width W and the line spacing D of the peripheral trace 132 are within the above specified numerical ranges. , the ratio of the width W1 of the peripheral area PA to the width W2 of the visible area VA of the touch sensor 100 can be between 0.003 and 0.010, so that the terminal product made from the touch sensor 100 has a high screen-to-body ratio, and terminal products can meet the requirements of narrow bezel design. In this specification, the “width W1 and width W2” refer to the width of the peripheral area PA and the width of the visible area VA, respectively, extending along the first direction D1, and are on the same horizontal plane (e.g., Note that it refers to the width of the peripheral area PA and the width of the visible area VA on a horizontal plane parallel to the plane).

In the touch sensor 100 of the present disclosure, the peripheral traces 132 described above with line widths W and line spacings D within certain numerical ranges can be implemented in a variety of configurations. Specifically, refer to FIGS. 2A-2C, which are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating the touch sensor 100 of FIG. 1A along line A-A', according to different implementations of the present disclosure. In the following discussion, various structures and manufacturing processes for peripheral traces 132 are described in detail.

Please refer to FIGS. 1A and 2A. In the embodiment of FIG. 2A, each of the peripheral traces 132 includes a first conductive layer 1320 and a second conductive layer 1325 arranged in a stack, where the first conductive layer 1320 is the second conductive layer. Between the conductive layer 1325 and the substrate 110 , the first conductive layer 1320 is in contact with the second conductive layer 1325 . In some implementations, the first conductive layer 1320 includes a matrix M and a plurality of metal nanowires S distributed within the matrix M. FIG. That is, the first conductive layer 1320 is a metal nanowire layer including a matrix M and metal nanowires S distributed within the matrix M. FIG. Also, the matrix M and metal nanowires S in the first conductive layer 1320 are substantially the same as the matrix and metal nanowires in the touch electrode layer 120 . In other words, a portion of the metal nanowire layer including the matrix M and the metal nanowires S forms the first conductive layer 1320 in the peripheral area PA, and a portion of the metal nanowire layer including the matrix M and the metal nanowires S is visible. Form the touch electrode layer 120 in the area VA, where the first conductive layer 1320 and the corresponding touch electrode layer 120 connected to and corresponding to the first conductive layer 1320 have no interface therebetween. Integrally, integrally formed.

In view of the above, integrally forming the first conductive layer 1320 of the peripheral trace 132 and the touch electrode 122 directly and electrically connects the touch electrode layer 120 and the peripheral circuit layer 130 to each other. be able to. In other words, the touch electrode 122 and the first conductive layer 1320 belong to different parts of a single metal nanowire layer. Therefore, no additional contact structures are required to achieve electrical contact between the peripheral traces 132 and the touch electrodes 122, so that the area occupied by the contact structures in the peripheral area PA (area) can be saved. In some implementations, the first conductive layer 1320 and the touch electrode layer 120 can be disposed on the same horizontal plane (eg, the horizontal plane formed by the first direction D1 and the second direction D2).

In some implementations, sidewalls 1321 of first conductive layer 1320 are substantially aligned with sidewalls 1326 of second conductive layer 1325 and upper surface 1322 of first conductive layer 1320 is , is in contact with the bottom surface 1327 of the second conductive layer 1325 . In some implementations, the contour of the top surface 1322 of the first conductive layer 1320 and the contour of the bottom surface 1327 of the second conductive layer 1325 may be conformal. That is, the bottom surface 1327 of the second conductive layer 1325 may extend along the contour of the top surface 1322 of the first conductive layer 1320, and the bottom surface 1327 of the second conductive layer 1325 may extend along the top surface 1322 of the first conductive layer. It is laminated closely to the top surface 1322 of 1320 . In some implementations, the pattern and size (eg, length, width and height) of first conductive layer 1320 can be the same or similar to the pattern and size of second conductive layer 1325 . For example, first conductive layer 1320 and second conductive layer 1325 may both have strip-like patterns, where the width (eg, line width) of first conductive layer 1320 is the width of the second conductive layer. It is the same or similar to the width of 1325. In other words, the vertical projection of first conductive layer 1320 on substrate 110 can completely overlap the vertical projection of second conductive layer 1325 on substrate 110 . Note that for clarity and convenience, first conductive layer 1320 and second conductive layer 1325 in FIG. 2A are illustrated as having rectangular cross-sectional shapes. However, the shapes of the first conductive layer 1320 and the second conductive layer 1325 can be changed according to the actual application and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

Furthermore, the first conductive layer 1320 and the touch electrode layer 120 are formed in the peripheral area PA and the visible area VA by covering the entire surface of the substrate 110 with a metal nanowire layer through a patterning process. In some embodiments, the visible The optical transmittance of the metal nanowire layer to light (eg, light with a wavelength between 400 nm and 700 nm) may be greater than about 80%, and the surface resistivity of the metal nanowire layer is 10 ohms/square (Ω/ sq) to 1000 ohms/square. In preferred embodiments, the optical transmittance of the metal nanowire layer to visible light may be greater than about 85%, and the surface resistivity of the metal nanowire layer may be between 50 ohms/square and 500 ohms/square. good.

In some implementations, the second conductive layer 1325 may be composed of a metallic material with good electrical conductivity. In some implementations, the second conductive layer 1325 may be a single layer conductive structure composed of a single metallic or alloy material, such as a copper layer or a silver layer. Alternatively, the second conductive layer 1325 is a bilayer composed of two or more metallic or alloy materials such as a copper/nickel layer, a molybdenum/aluminum layer, a titanium/aluminum/titanium layer, or a molybdenum/aluminum/molybdenum layer. Alternatively, it may have a multilayer structure. Alternatively, the second conductive layer 1325 may be a bilayer or multi-layer structure composed of a metal material and a metal oxide material such as an indium zinc oxide/silver/indium zinc oxide layer. The conductive structure is preferably opaque. In some implementations, the surface resistivity of second conductive layer 1325 may be between 0.05 ohms/square and 0.5 ohms/square.

In some implementations, the touch sensor 100 may further include a film layer 140 , which covers the entire peripheral circuit layer 130 . More specifically, the film layer 140 covers each of the peripheral traces 132 and is also filled between adjacent peripheral traces 132 to electrically isolate adjacent peripheral traces 132 to avoid short circuits. In some implementations, film layer 140 may comprise an insulating material. For example, the insulating material may be a non-conductive resin or other organic material such as polyacrylate, epoxy resin, polyurethane, polysilane, polysiloxane, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyvinyl butyral, poly(silicon-acrylic), poly(styrene). sulfonic acid), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), ceramic materials, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the aforementioned metal nanowires S are not present in the film layer 140 (ie, the concentration of metal nanowires S in the film layer 140 is 0) to achieve a good insulation effect. In some embodiments, for a single peripheral trace 132, film layer 140 surrounds sidewalls 1321 of first conductive layer 1320 and sidewalls 1326 and top surface 1328 of second conductive layer 1325 to may be in contact with In some implementations, the film layer 140 may extend to the visible area VA to cover the entire surface of each touch electrode 122 of the touch electrode layer 120, and may also extend between adjacent touch electrodes 122. It may be filled to electrically isolate adjacent touch electrodes 122 to avoid short circuits.

In some embodiments, when the insulating material used to form film layer 140 is coated onto substrate 110 to cover peripheral traces 132 , some of the insulating material may be used on adjacent peripheral traces 132 . It may infiltrate (infiltrate) the space between them, and may cover some protrusions of the metal nanowires S partially protruding from the metal nanowire layer, so that the metal nanowires S is partially embedded within the film layer 140 after curing.

It should be understood that the connection relationships, materials, and advantages of the components described above are not repeated below. A method for manufacturing the touch sensor 100 of FIG. 2A will be briefly described below. The manufacturing method of the touch sensor 100 of FIG. 2A includes steps S10 to S16, and steps S10 to S16 can be sequentially performed.

First, substrate 110 is prepared, and in step S10, the entire surface of substrate 110 (including surfaces corresponding to visible area VA and peripheral area PA) is coated with a metal nanowire layer including metal nanowires S to form. In some embodiments, the metal nanowire layer may further include a matrix M. In some embodiments, a dispersion or slurry containing metal nanowires S may be formed on the surface of substrate 110 by processes such as screen printing, nozzle coating, or roller coating, and then dispersed. The liquid or slurry is cured or dried to form a metal nanowire layer disposed on substrate 110 . In some embodiments, a roll-to-roll process may be performed such that the dispersion or slurry is coated onto the surface of the continuously fed substrate 110 . After the curing or drying step, the solvent and other substances in the dispersion or slurry volatilize and the metal nanowires S can be randomly distributed on the surface of the substrate 110 or, preferably, the metal nanowires S , can be fixed on the surface of the substrate 110 without falling off to form a metal nanowire layer. The metal nanowires S in the metal nanowire layer can contact each other to provide continuous current paths and form a conductive network. That is, the metal nanowires S contact each other at their crossing positions to form a path for electron transfer. In some embodiments, pretreatments may be performed on the surface of substrate 110 . For example, in order to enhance the adhesion between the substrate 110 and the metal nanowire layer, a surface modification treatment is performed, or an adhesive layer or resin layer is further coated on the surface of the substrate 110 .

In some embodiments, the dispersion or slurry contains a solvent such that the metal nanowires S are uniformly dispersed in the solvent. Specifically, the solvent is, for example, water, alcohols, ketones, ethers, hydrocarbons, aromatic solvents (benzene, toluene, xylene, etc.), or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the dispersion further contains additives, surfactants, and/or It may contain a binder. Specifically, additives, surfactants and/or binders include, for example, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hypromellose, fluorosurfactants, sulfosuccinate sulfonates, sulfates, It may be a phosphate, a disulfonate, or a combination thereof.

In some embodiments, in order to increase the electrical conductivity of the metal nanowires S, the metal nanowires S are further subjected to post-treatments to improve the contact properties of the metal nanowires S at the intersections of the metal nanowires S (e.g., increase the contact area). Post-treatments may include, but are not limited to, steps such as heating, plasma application, corona discharge, ultraviolet application, ozone application, or pressurization. Specifically, after the metal nanowire layer is formed by curing or drying, one or more rollers may be used to apply pressure to the metal nanowire layer. In some embodiments, a post-treatment heating and pressure step can be performed on the metal nanowires S simultaneously to increase the electrical conductivity of the metal nanowires S. In some embodiments, the metal nanowires S may be exposed to a reducing agent for post-treatment. For example, metal nanowires S comprising silver nanowires can preferably be exposed to a silver reducing agent for post-treatment. In some embodiments, the silver reducing agent may include a borohydride such as sodium borohydride, a boron nitrogen compound such as dimethylamine borane, or a gaseous reducing agent such as hydrogen. After the post-treatment, the contact strength and contact area at the crossing positions of the metal nanowires S can be enhanced.

Next, in step S12, a metal material layer containing a highly conductive metal is formed on the entire surface of the substrate 110 in the peripheral area PA to cover the metal nanowire layer in the peripheral area PA. After performing this step, a metal nanowire layer is disposed on the entire surface of the substrate 110 corresponding to the visible area VA and the peripheral area PA, and a metal material layer is disposed on the entire surface of the metal nanowire layer corresponding to the peripheral area PA.

Subsequently, in step S14, a patterning step is performed on the metal material layer and the metal nanowire layer, so that the metal nanowire layer in the visible area VA and the metal material layer and the metal nanowire layer in the peripheral area PA, respectively. Defined by a pattern. Thereby, the touch electrode layer 120 in the visible area VA and the peripheral circuit layer 130 in the peripheral area PA are formed. Specifically, portions of the metal nanowire layer within the visible area VA may be patterned to form a plurality of touch electrodes 122, and portions of the metal nanowire layer within the peripheral area PA may be patterned to form a plurality of first conductive electrodes 122. It may be patterned to form layer 1320 and the metal material layer in peripheral area PA may be patterned to form a plurality of second conductive layers 1325 . Thus, the first conductive layer 1320 and the second conductive layer 1325 corresponding to the first conductive layer 1320 and above the first conductive layer 1320 together form an entire peripheral trace 132 . do.

In some implementations, the touch electrode layer 120 and the peripheral circuitry layer 130 may be patterned by etching, and the touch electrode layer 120 and the peripheral circuitry layer 130 may be formed in the same etching step or different etching steps. . For patterning of the peripheral circuitry layer 130, in each etched peripheral trace 132, sidewalls 1321 of the first conductive layer 1320 and sidewalls 1326 of the second conductive layer 1325 are coplanar etched planes. (co-planar etching surface). That is, sidewall 1321 of first conductive layer 1320 and sidewall 1326 of second conductive layer 1325 are formed in the same etching step. Alternatively, the sidewalls 1326 of the second conductive layer 1325 and the sidewalls 1321 of the first conductive layer 1320 may be formed separately and sequentially in different etching steps.

Then, in step S16, an insulating material is coated on the substrate 110 to cover the entire peripheral circuit layer 130 and the entire touch electrode layer 120, and the insulating material is cured/dried to form a solid layer on the surface of the substrate 110. A film layer 140 is formed on the . In some implementations, the insulating material further permeates spaces between adjacent peripheral traces 132 and spaces between adjacent touch electrodes 122 , resulting in adjacent peripheral traces 132 and adjacent touch electrodes 122 . The electrodes 122 are electrically insulated by the film layer 140 formed after curing/drying. In some implementations, the insulating material that permeates the spaces between adjacent peripheral traces 132 and the spaces between adjacent touch electrodes 122 is also part of the metal nanowires S that partially protrude from the metal nanowire layer. may be partially embedded in the film layer 140 by covering the protruding portion of the metal nanowires S.

After performing the above steps S10 to S16, the touch sensor 100 shown in FIG. 2A can be obtained. By integrally forming the first conductive layer 1320 of the peripheral traces 132 and the touch electrodes 122 to directly form an electrical connection design, electrical connection between the peripheral traces 132 and the touch electrodes 122 can be achieved. No additional contact structure is required to achieve the physical contact, so that the area occupied by the contact structure in the peripheral area PA can be saved. Therefore, by designing the line width W of each peripheral trace 132 between 6 μm and 12 μm and the line spacing D between any two adjacent peripheral traces 132 between 6 μm and 12 μm, the total width of the peripheral area PA is W1 can be made small so that the touch sensor 100 can meet the requirements of narrow bezel designs.

Please refer to FIGS. 1A and 2B. In the embodiment of Figure 2B, each of the peripheral traces 132 includes a first conductive layer 1320 and a second conductive layer 1325 arranged in a stack. Note that the touch sensor 100 of FIG. 2B and the touch sensor 100 of FIG. 2A have substantially the same component configurations and connections, materials, and advantages. In the following description, only the differences between the touch sensor 100 of FIG. 2B and the touch sensor 100 of FIG. 2A are described, and reference is made to the related description of the touch sensor 100 of FIG. 2A above for further details. can be done.

At least one difference between the embodiment of FIG. 2B and the embodiment of FIG. 2A is that in peripheral trace 132 of FIG. Yes, the bottom surface 1323 of the first conductive layer 1320 is in contact with the top surface 1328 of the second conductive layer 1325, and the second conductive layer 1325 and the touch electrode layer 120 are in the same horizontal plane (eg, the first direction D1). the horizontal plane formed by the second direction D2). In other words, in this implementation, the first conductive layer 1320 and the touch electrode layer 120 are on different horizontal planes (eg, the horizontal plane on which the first conductive layer 1320 is located is the horizontal plane on which the touch electrode layer 120 is located). ), the first conductive layer 1320 is connected by the climbing portion G with the touch electrode 122 corresponding to the first conductive layer 1320 . In some implementations, the first conductive layer 1320, the climbing portion G, and the touch electrode 122, which are connected to each other, are integrally formed to form the first conductive layer 1320, the climbing portion G, and the touch electrode 122. There is substantially no interface between In some implementations, the first conductive layer 1320, the climbing portion G, and the touch electrode 122 can be formed on the substrate 110 in a conformal manner, for example. In some implementations, the contour of the top surface 1328 of the second conductive layer 1325 and the contour of the bottom surface 1323 of the first conductive layer 1320 may be conformal. That is, the bottom surface 1323 of the first conductive layer 1320 may extend along the contour of the top surface 1328 of the second conductive layer 1325, and the bottom surface 1323 of the first conductive layer 1320 is the second conductive layer 1325. It is laminated in intimate contact with top surface 1328 of layer 1325 .

Further, for a single peripheral trace 132, film layer 140 may surround and contact sidewalls 1321 and top surface 1322 of first conductive layer 1320 and sidewalls 1326 of second conductive layer 1325. good. Also, after the insulating material used to form the film layer 140 is coated onto the substrate 110 to cover the peripheral traces 132, some of the insulating material is transferred to the first conductive layer 1320 of the metal nanowire layer. may cover the protruding portions of some of the metal nanowires S that partially protrude from the side walls 1321 and the top surface 1322 of the film layer 132, so that some of the metal nanowires S are partially embedded in the film layer 140 after curing.

A method for manufacturing the touch sensor 100 of FIG. 2B will be briefly described below. Note that the method of manufacturing the touch sensor 100 of FIG. 2B and the method of manufacturing the touch sensor 100 of FIG. 2A are substantially the same. In the following description, only the differences between the method of manufacturing the touch sensor 100 of FIG. 2B and the method of manufacturing the touch sensor 100 of FIG. 2A are described, and reference is made to the related description of the method of manufacturing the touch sensor 100 of FIG. 2A above. You can get more details with

Specifically, in the method for manufacturing the touch sensor 100 in FIG. 2B, the order of steps S10 and S12 in the method for manufacturing the touch sensor 100 in FIG. 2A is reversed. In detail, after preparing the substrate 110, a metal material layer can be formed on the substrate 110 in the peripheral area PA, and then the visible area VA so that the metal nanowire layer covers the metal material layer in the peripheral area PA. A metal nanowire layer can be formed on the substrate 110 of the and on the metal material layer in the peripheral area PA. Since no metal material layer is formed in the visible area VA, the metal material layer forms a step region at the boundary between the visible area VA and the peripheral area PA, and the metal nanowire layer covers the step region. Then, the climbing section G can be formed. Subsequently, the metal material layer and the metal nanowire layer can also be patterned to form the touch electrode layer 120 in the visible area VA and the peripheral circuit layer 130 in the peripheral area PA, where the metal The nanowire layer can be patterned to form a plurality of touch electrodes 122, the metal nanowire layer in the peripheral area PA can be patterned to form a plurality of first conductive layers 1320, and the peripheral area PA The inner layer of metal material can be patterned to form a plurality of second conductive layers 1325 . Thus, the first conductive layer 1320 and the second conductive layer 1325 corresponding to the first conductive layer 1320 and above the first conductive layer 1320 together form an entire peripheral trace 132 . do. An insulating material can then be applied on the substrate 110 to form a film layer 140 provided on the surfaces of the substrate 110 , the touch electrode layer 120 and the peripheral circuit layer 130 .

The method of fabricating the touch sensor 100 of FIG. 2B integrates the first conductive layer 1320 of the peripheral traces 132 and the touch electrodes 122 to directly form the electrical connection design to achieve the peripheral traces 132 and the touch electrodes 122 . No additional contact structure is required to achieve electrical contact with the electrode 122, so that the area occupied by the contact structure in the peripheral area PA can be saved. Therefore, by combining the line width W of each peripheral trace 132 between 6 μm and 12 μm and the line spacing D between any two adjacent peripheral traces 132 between 6 μm and 12 μm, the peripheral area PA can be The overall width W1 can be reduced so that the touch sensor 100 can meet the requirements of narrow bezel designs.

See FIGS. 1A and 2C. 2C, each of the peripheral traces 132 includes a matrix M and a plurality of metal nanowires S distributed within the matrix M, and the covering structure 150 is between the matrix M and each metal nanowire S. is on the interface of In other words, each of the peripheral traces 132 of the peripheral circuit layer 130 includes at least a modified metal nanowire ("modified metal nanowires" as referred to herein are the metal nanowires S and the surface of the metal nanowires S). and a covering structure 150 covering the . In some embodiments, coating structure 150 may be a plated layer that may be formed by electroless/electrolytic plating. Since the metal used for electroless plating/electrolysis usually grows/deposits along the shape of the metal nanowires S, the coating structure 150 uniformly coats the metal nanowires S along the profile of the metal nanowires S. On the other hand, since there is no metal precipitate in the matrix M at positions where there is no metal nanowire S, the covering structure 150 alone does not exist in the matrix M. FIG. Overall, the coating structure 150 is filled between adjacent metal nanowires S, the coating structure 150 is between the metal nanowires S and the matrix M, the coating structure 150 and the metal nanowires S covered by the coating structure 150 can be viewed as wholes, the gaps between the wholes being occupied by the matrix M. The electrical conductivity of the metal nanowires S covered by the coating structure 150 (ie, the modified metal nanowires) is higher than the electrical conductivity of the unmodified metal nanowires S. Based on the above, electrons can preferably be transferred into peripheral traces 132 through modified metal nanowires that are adjacent and in contact with each other. Thereby, the surface resistance of the touch sensor 100 can be reduced, and the conductivity of the touch sensor 100 can be improved.

In some embodiments, the coating structure 150 covers the entire interface between the metal nanowires S and the matrix M to form a uniform coating layer on the interface between the metal nanowires S and the matrix M. be able to. In some implementations, the coverage of the covering structure 150 may be greater than about 80% of the total surface area of the metal nanowires S, about 90% to about 95%, about 90% to about 99%, or about 90%. % to 100%. It should be understood that if the coverage of the covering structure 150 is 100%, it means that the surface of the initial metal nanowires S is not exposed at all. In some embodiments, the covering structure 150 may be a layered structure, an island-like protruding structure, a dot-like protruding structure, or a combination thereof, including a conductive material. In some embodiments, the conductive material includes, for example, silver, gold, platinum, nickel, copper, iridium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, alloys containing the aforementioned materials, or alloys not containing the aforementioned materials. You can In some embodiments, the covering structure 150 is a single layer structure composed of a single conductive material, such as an electroless copper plated layer, an electroplated copper layer, or an electroless copper-nickel alloy plated layer. good too. Alternatively, the coating structure 150 may be a bi-layer or multi-layer structure composed of two or more conductive materials, such as first forming an electroless copper plated layer followed by an electroless silver plated layer. There may be.

In some implementations, the peripheral circuit layer 130 and the touch electrode layer 120 may be on the same horizontal plane (eg, the horizontal plane formed by the first direction D1 and the second direction D2). In some implementations, the touch electrode layer 120 within the visible area VA may include unmodified metal nanowires S. That is, the touch electrode layer 120 may include metal nanowires S distributed within a matrix M, and the interface between the matrix M and each metal nanowire S is free of the covering structure 150 . In some other implementations, the touch electrode layer 120 may have a special pattern design, such as a grid pattern with interlaced fine lines. In such embodiments, the touch electrode layer 120 within the visible area VA can be designed to include modified metal nanowires under the assumption that they are not visible. In some implementations, the touch sensor 100 may further include a film layer 140 that covers the entire surface of the peripheral circuitry layer 130 and the touch electrode layer 120 and also between adjacent peripheral traces 132 . and adjacent touch electrodes 122, so that adjacent peripheral traces 132 and adjacent touch electrodes 122 are electrically isolated to avoid short circuits.

It should be understood that the connection relationships, materials, and advantages of the components described above are not repeated below. A method for manufacturing the touch sensor 100 of FIG. 2C will be briefly described below. The manufacturing method of the touch sensor 100 of FIG. 2C includes steps S20 to S28, and steps S20 to S28 can be sequentially performed.

First, the substrate 110 is prepared, and the entire surface of the substrate 110 (including the visible area VA and the peripheral area PA) is coated with a metal nanowire layer including the metal nanowires S and the matrix M in step S20. For further details, reference may be made to step S10 above, which will not be repeated below.

Next, in step S22, the hardening degree of the matrix M in the metal nanowire layer is controlled, so that the metal nanowires S are embedded in the matrix M in a pre-hardened state or an incompletely hardened state. In some embodiments, the coating or curing conditions (eg, temperature and/or photocuring parameters) of matrix M can be controlled to cause matrix M to reach a pre-cured state or a partially cured state. In some embodiments, the thickness of matrix M can be between about 20 nm and about 10 μm, between about 50 nm and about 200 nm, or between about 30 nm and about 100 nm. For example, the thickness of matrix M may be approximately 90 nm or 100 nm. To briefly and clearly describe the present disclosure, the metal nanowires S and the matrix M are shown in FIG. 2C as overall structural layers, but it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited in this respect. Metal nanowires S and matrix M may be combined in other types of structural layers (eg, laminated structures).

Subsequently, in step S24, a patterning step is performed on the metal nanowire layer so as to define a part of the metal nanowire layer in the visible area VA and a part of the metal nanowire layer in the peripheral area PA, respectively. to form a plurality of conductive structures in the visible area VA and the peripheral area PA. In some implementations, the conductive structures in the visible area VA may be patterned to form a touch electrode layer 120 with touch electrodes 122, and the conductive structures in the peripheral area PA may be subjected to a subsequent modification step. , may be patterned to form peripheral circuitry layer 130 with peripheral traces 132 . In some implementations, the conductive structure may be patterned by etching. In some implementations, the conductive structures in the visible area VA and the peripheral area PA may be etched simultaneously, and an etch mask (eg, photoresist) is used to pattern the conductive structures in the peripheral area PA and the visible area VA. The conductive structures may be manufactured at once in the same process. In some embodiments, if the metal nanowires S in the metal nanowire layer are silver nanowires, the etchant may be a composition that can be used to etch silver. For example, the main components of the etchant are H ₃ PO ₄ (about 55% to about 70% by volume of H ₃ PO ₄ in the etchant) and HNO ₃ (etchant) to remove the silver material in the same process. about 5% to about 15% HNO ₃ ). In some other embodiments, the main components of the etchant may be ferric chloride/nitric acid or phosphoric acid/hydrogen peroxide.

Next, in step S26, a modification step is performed to form the peripheral circuit layer 130 including at least a plurality of modified metal nanowires in the peripheral area PA. Note that during the modification step, a layer of photoresist, peelable adhesive, or similar material is used to cover the touch electrode layer 120 in the visible area VA, and only the conductive structure in the peripheral area PA undergoes the modification step. You may do so. In some embodiments, an electroless copper plating solution (including a copper ion solution, a chelating agent, an alkaline agent, a reducing agent, a buffering agent, a stabilizer, etc.) can be prepared to render the conductive structure of the peripheral area PA non-conductive. It can be immersed in an electrolytic copper plating solution. The electroless copper plating solution can penetrate the pre-cured or incompletely cured matrix M and contact the surface of the metal nanowires S by capillary action. At the same time, the metal nanowires S can act as catalytic or nucleation points that promote copper deposition such that an electroless copper plating layer is deposited on the metal nanowires S to form the coating structure 150 .

During the modification step, the covering structure 150 grows substantially according to the initial shape of the metal nanowires S, forming a structure covering the metal nanowires S as the modification time increases. Since the copper material grows along the surface of each metal nanowire S (i.e., the interface between the metal nanowire S and the matrix M), the observed shape of the copper is the initial shape of each metal nanowire S after plating. (eg, a linear structure), where the copper grows uniformly to form an outer-layered structure with similar size (eg, thickness). On the other hand, in the matrix M in which the metal nanowires S are not present, there is no deposition of copper. That is, by well controlling the modification step, the coating structure 150 is formed at the interface between the matrix M and each metal nanowire S and exists alone in the matrix M without contacting the surface of the metal nanowire S. There is no covering structure 150 for In some embodiments, matrix M and electroless plating solution/electrolyte solution may comprise materials that are compatible with each other. For example, if a non-alkali resistant polymer is used to make the matrix M, the electroless plating solution can be an alkaline solution. Therefore, in this step, in addition to utilizing the aforementioned pre-cured or incompletely cured state of the matrix M, the electroless plating solution is further utilized to attack the pre-cured or incompletely cured matrix M (similar to etching). ) to facilitate the aforementioned modification steps.

In some embodiments, the growth conditions of the coating structure 150 (eg, the electroless plating time and/or the component concentrations of the electroless plating solution) are such that the coating structure 150 does not overgrow and only the surface of the metal nanowires S is grown. It can be controlled to cover. Additionally, the pre-cured or partially cured matrix M can also serve to limit or control growth. Therefore, the growth reaction of the coating structure 150 is confined to the interface between the metal nanowires S and the matrix M, so that the coating structure 150 can grow in a controlled and uniform manner. In this way, the coating structure 150 formed by the modification step does not deposit/grow solely within the matrix M without contacting the metal nanowires S, but between the matrix M and the surface of each metal nanowire S. formed in In some embodiments, the curing step may also be performed after the modification step, so that the pre-cured or incompletely cured matrix M reaches a fully cured state. can be done.

Subsequently, in step S28, an insulating material is coated on the substrate 110 so as to cover the entire peripheral circuit layer 130 and the entire touch electrode layer 120, the insulating material is cured/dried, and the surface of the substrate 110 is coated with an insulating material. A film layer 140 is formed on the . In some implementations, the insulating material may also permeate spaces between adjacent peripheral traces 132 and spaces between adjacent touch electrodes 122 , resulting in adjacent peripheral traces 132 and adjacent touch electrodes 122 . The touch electrodes 122 are electrically insulated by the film layer 140 formed after curing.

After performing the above steps S20 to S28, the touch sensor 100 shown in FIG. 2C can be obtained. Overall, each of the peripheral traces 132 in the peripheral area PA may comprise a modified metal nanowire, and each of the touch electrodes 122 in the visible area VA may comprise a modified metal nanowire or an unmodified metal nanowire S. good. In the peripheral circuit layer 130 in the peripheral area PA, the peripheral traces 132 before modification are integrally formed with the touch electrodes 122 in the visible area VA to form direct electrical connections. In other words, no additional contact structures are required to realize electrical contact between the peripheral traces 132 and the touch electrodes 122, so that the area occupied by the contact structures in the peripheral area PA can be saved. . In this way, by combining the line width W of each peripheral trace 132 between 6 μm and 12 μm and the line spacing D between any two adjacent peripheral traces 132 between 6 μm and 12 μm, the peripheral area PA can be reduced, thereby allowing the touch sensor 100 to accommodate the requirements of narrow bezel designs.

Peripheral traces 132 can be implemented in a variety of structures, according to the aforementioned implementations disclosed in FIGS. 2A-2C. The following discussion uses optical microscope images to further verify the feasibility of the above design of the line width W and line spacing D of the peripheral trace 132 . In the optical microscope images of the embodiments and comparative examples below, the peripheral trace 132 is implemented in the structure shown in FIG. 2A, and the metallic material of the second conductive layer 1325 of the peripheral trace 132 is copper. Also, the line width W is the average line width at three different locations on a single peripheral trace 132, and the line spacing D is the average line spacing at three different locations on two adjacent peripheral traces 132. is.

3A and 3B are optical microscope images of peripheral trace 132, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. See FIG. 3A. The line width W of any peripheral trace 132 is approximately 8 μm, and the line spacing D between two adjacent peripheral traces 132 is also approximately 8 μm. From the optical microscope image shown in FIG. 3A, when fabricated such that the line width W and line spacing D of the peripheral traces 132 are about 8 μm, the peripheral traces 132 perform well and uniformly without shorts or open circuits. I know it can be formed. In addition, if the line width W and line spacing D are designed to be about 8 μm, the manufactured touch sensor 100 can easily meet the size requirements of narrow-bezel products, providing greater design freedom. See FIG. 3B. The line width W of any peripheral trace 132 is approximately 6 μm, and the line spacing D between two adjacent peripheral traces 132 is also approximately 6 μm. From the optical microscope image shown in FIG. 3B, it can be seen that when the line width W and line spacing D of the peripheral traces 132 are further reduced to about 6 μm, the peripheral traces 132 can be formed well and uniformly without shorts or open circuits.

3C and 3D are optical microscope images of peripheral traces 132 according to some comparative examples. See FIGS. 3C and 3D. The comparative example of FIGS. 3C and 3D is an attempt to fabricate peripheral traces 132 with a line width W of about 5 μm and a line spacing D of about 5 μm. As can be seen from FIG. 3C, the peripheral traces 132 are not well formed and have open circuits due to overetching. As can be seen from FIG. 3D, the peripheral traces 132 are also not well and uniformly formed due to over-etching, and there is a short between two adjacent peripheral traces 132 due to insufficient etching. From the above, in order for the touch sensor 100 to meet the electrical specifications of the touch sensor 100, the lower limit of the line width W and the line spacing D of the peripheral traces 132 is about 6 μm.

According to the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure, the peripheral traces of the touch sensor of the present disclosure comprise metal nanowires, and the line width and line spacing of the peripheral traces are each designed to be within specific numerical ranges. . Additionally, various configurations of peripheral traces are provided having line widths and line spacings within specific numerical ranges that are practicable. In this way, the touch sensor can provide a variety of applications that meet the requirements of touch sensor electrical specifications and narrow bezel design, thereby meeting market demand. Moreover, if the peripheral traces of the touch sensor are composed of different materials, there are different limitations due to the different materials and corresponding patterning process conditions. In other words, the specifications of peripheral traces composed of a material different from metal nanowires are not comparable to those of peripheral traces composed of metal nanowires.

Although the present disclosure has been described in considerable detail with reference to specific implementations thereof, other implementations are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structures of the disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. In view of the above, it is intended that the present disclosure include modifications and variations of the present disclosure as long as they come within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (15)

A touch sensor having a visible area and a peripheral area on at least one side of the visible area,
substrate;
a touch electrode layer disposed on the surface of the substrate and including a plurality of touch electrodes corresponding to the visible region; and a touch electrode layer disposed on the surface of the substrate corresponding to the peripheral region and electrically connected to each of the touch electrodes. multiple peripheral traces connected to
including
Each of the peripheral traces includes a matrix and a plurality of metal nanowires distributed within the matrix, each of the peripheral traces has a line width of 6 μm or more and 12 μm or less; A touch sensor, wherein the line spacing of the peripheral traces is 6 μm or more and 12 μm or less. 2. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein each of said peripheral traces has a line width of 8[mu]m or less and a line spacing between any adjacent ones of said peripheral traces is 8[mu]m or less. The touch sensor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio of the width of said peripheral area on one side of said visible area to the width of said visible area is between 0.003 and 0.010. The touch sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said touch electrode layer is a metal nanowire layer comprising said matrix and said metal nanowires distributed within said matrix. each of said peripheral traces comprising a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer arranged in a stack, said first conductive layer comprising said matrix and said metal nanowires distributed within said matrix; The touch sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is a metal nanowire layer containing. 6. The touch of claim 5, wherein the first conductive layer is between the second conductive layer and the substrate, and wherein the first conductive layer contacts a bottom surface of the second conductive layer. sensor. 7. The touch sensor of claim 6, wherein the first conductive layer and the touch electrode layer are on the same horizontal plane. 6. The touch of claim 5, wherein the second conductive layer is between the first conductive layer and the substrate, the second conductive layer contacting a bottom surface of the first conductive layer. sensor. The first conductive layer and the touch electrode layer are on different horizontal planes, and the first conductive layer is connected by a climbing portion to one of the touch electrodes corresponding to the first conductive layer. 9. The touch sensor of claim 8. The touch sensor of any one of claims 5-9, wherein sidewalls of the first conductive layer are substantially aligned with sidewalls of the second conductive layer. 3. The first conductive layer and one of the corresponding touch electrodes connected to and corresponding to the first conductive layer are integrally formed as one piece with no interfaces therebetween. 5. The touch sensor according to 5. The touch sensor of any one of claims 5-11, further comprising a film layer covering said peripheral traces. The second conductive layer is a single-layer structure composed of a single metal material or alloy material, a double-layer structure or multilayer structure composed of two or more metal materials or alloy materials, or a metal material and a metal oxide. The touch sensor according to any one of claims 5 to 12, which is a two-layer or multi-layer structure composed of physical materials. A coating structure is on the interface between the matrix and each metal nanowire of each of the peripheral traces, the coating structure being a single layer structure composed of a single metallic material or an alloy material, or two The touch sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which has a two-layer structure or a multi-layer structure composed of the above metal materials or alloy materials. 3. The coating structure covers the entire interface between the matrix and each metal nanowire to define a uniformly formed coating layer on the interface between the matrix and each metal nanowire. 15. The touch sensor according to 14.

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