JP7036963B1 - Touch panel and touch device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a narrow bezel product for improving the electrical overlap stability between a contact detection electrode layer of a touch panel and a peripheral circuit layer.
A touch panel includes a substrate 110, a raised structure 120, a contact detection electrode layer 130, and a peripheral circuit layer 140. The substrate has a visible region VR and a boundary region BR surrounding the visible region VR. The raised structure 120 is arranged on the substrate 110, and is arranged in the boundary region BR where the raised structure 120 and the substrate 110 form a step region. The contact detection electrode layer 130 is arranged in the visible region VR, and a part of the contact detection electrode layer 130 extends to the boundary region BR so as to extend beyond the raised structure 120 and cover the stepped region. The peripheral circuit layer 140 is arranged in the boundary region BR and overlaps the contact detection electrode layer 130 at least on the raised structure 120 and the stepped region.
[Selection diagram] Fig. 2

Description

The present disclosure relates to a touch panel and a touch device, and more particularly to a touch panel and a touch device having an overlapping structure.

In recent years, touch panels have been widely used in portable electronic products such as mobile phones, notebook computers, satellite navigation systems and digital audiovisual players to function as information communication channels between users and electronic devices.

The touch panel includes a contact electrode and a peripheral circuit, and the contact electrode and the peripheral circuit usually contact each other in the peripheral region to form a conductive path or loop, and the contact impedance affects the signal transmission and response speed of the touch panel. To exert. The contact impedance depends on the overlapping area of overlap between the contact electrode and the peripheral circuit. Generally, the larger the overlapping area, the lower the contact impedance. However, the overlapping area directly affects the size of the peripheral area of the touch panel. As the demand for narrow bezel products gradually increases, touch panels that can meet not only the size requirement of the peripheral area but also the contact impedance requirement are being studied.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the touch panel comprises a substrate, a raised structure, a contact detection electrode layer and a peripheral circuit layer. The substrate has a visible region and a boundary region surrounding the visible region. The raised structure is arranged on the substrate, and the raised structure and the substrate are arranged in the boundary region so as to form a step region. The contact detection electrode layer is arranged in the visible region, and a part thereof extends to the boundary region so as to cover the stepped region beyond the raised structure. The peripheral circuit layer is arranged in the boundary region and overlaps the contact detection electrode layer at least on the raised structure and the stepped region.

In some embodiments, the contact detection electrode layer comprises a matrix and a plurality of metal nanostructures dispersed within the matrix.

In some embodiments, the raised structure comprises a metallic material, the reactivity of the metallic material being higher than the reactivity of the metallic nanostructures.

In some embodiments, the raised structure has a central region and a peripheral region surrounding the central region, the vertical thickness of the central region being greater than the vertical thickness of the peripheral region.

In some embodiments, the contact detection electrode layer has a first portion and a second portion, the first portion covering the central region of the raised structure and the second portion being the peripheral region and the stepped region of the raised structure. The first part is connected to the second part.

In some embodiments, the second portion of the contact detection electrode layer is in contact with the substrate at a stepped region.

In some embodiments, the contact detection electrode layer comprises a plurality of metal nanostructures, the density of the metal nanostructures in the second portion of the contact detection electrode layer is that of the metal nanostructures in the first portion of the contact detection electrode layer. Greater than density.

In some embodiments, the density of the metal nanostructures in the first portion of the contact detection electrode layer is between 10% and 50%, and the density of the metal nanostructures in the second portion of the contact detection electrode layer is contact. It is 7% to 18% greater than the density of the metal nanostructures in the first portion of the detection electrode layer.

In some embodiments, the maximum vertical thickness of the raised structure is between 2 μm and 8 μm.

In some embodiments, the substrate is a protective cover and the raised structure is at least part of the light shielding structure.

In some embodiments, the contact detection electrode layer conformally extends onto the raised structure.

In some embodiments, the contact detection electrode layer defines an overlapping region that overlaps the peripheral circuit layer.

According to some other embodiments of the present disclosure, the touch device includes the touch panel described above.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the touch device includes a display, a mobile phone, a notebook, a tablet, a wearable device, an automobile device or a polarizing element.

According to the above-described embodiment of the present disclosure, the touch panel of the present disclosure has a raised structure arranged between the substrate and the contact detection electrode layer, so that the overlapping area between the contact detection electrode layer and the peripheral circuit layer is large. The contact impedance between the contact detection electrode layer and the peripheral circuit layer can be reduced. Therefore, the electrical overlap stability between the contact detection electrode layer and the peripheral circuit layer can be improved, and the lateral space required for the overlap can be reduced. As a result, the width of the boundary area of the touch panel can be narrowed to meet the user's needs for a narrow bezel product.

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

FIG. 3 is a schematic top view showing a touch panel according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

It is a schematic partial enlarged view which shows the area R1 of the touch panel of FIG.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the touch panel of FIG. 2 along lines a to a'according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Next, the present embodiment of the present disclosure will be referred to in detail, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in drawings and descriptions to refer to the same or similar parts.

In addition, as shown in the figure, relative terms such as "bottom" or "bottom" and "top" or "top" may be used to describe the relationship between one element and another. can. It should be understood that the relative terminology is intended to include different orientations of the device other than those shown in the figure. For example, if the device in one figure is flipped over, the element described as being "below" the other element is directed to the "up" side of the other element. Thus, the exemplary term "down" may include "down" and "up" orientations, depending on the particular orientation of the drawing. Similarly, when the device in one figure is flipped over, the elements "below" the other elements are placed "above" the other elements. Thus, the exemplary term "down" can include "up" and "down" orientations.

The present disclosure provides a touch panel having a raised structure disposed between a substrate and a contact detection electrode layer. By constructing the raised structure in this way, it is possible to improve the electrical overlap stability between the contact detection electrode layer and the peripheral circuit layer, reduce the width of the boundary region of the touch panel, and narrow the bezel. It can meet the user's needs for the product.

FIG. 1 is a schematic top view showing a touch panel 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic partially enlarged view showing the area R1 of the touch panel 100 of FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the touch panel 100 of FIG. 2 along the lines a to a'. 1 to 3 are referred to. The touch panel 100 includes a substrate 110, a raised structure 120, a contact detection electrode layer 130, and a peripheral circuit layer 140. The substrate 110 extends along a horizontal plane (eg, a plane formed by the X-axis and the Y-axis) and has a visible region VR and a boundary region BR surrounding the visible region VR. Although the contact detection electrode layer 130 in the present embodiment is shown to include an electrode extending in the X axis, the contact detection electrode layer 130 may also include an electrode extending in the Y axis in the actual design. Further, the electrode pattern of the contact detection electrode layer 130 is not limited to the present disclosure.

In some embodiments, the substrate 110 can be, for example, a rigid transparent substrate or a flexible transparent substrate. In some embodiments, the material of the substrate 110 is a transparent material such as glass, acrylic, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, cycloolefin polymer, cycloolefin copolymer, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, colorless polyimide or them. Including, but not limited to, combinations of. In some embodiments, the pretreatment step may be performed on the surface of the substrate 110. For example, a surface modification process is performed or the adhesive or resin layer adheres between the substrate 110 and another layer (eg, the raised structure 120 and / or the contact detection electrode layer 130 on the substrate 110). Is additionally coated above the surface of the substrate 110 to reinforce.

In some embodiments, the raised structure 120 is placed on the substrate 110 and placed in the boundary region BR. The raised structure 120 is raised in the vertical direction (for example, along the Z axis), and there is a height difference between the raised structure 120 and the substrate 110. Such a height difference may form a step region S. The contact detection electrode layer 130 is arranged in the visible region VR on the substrate 110, and a part thereof extends to the boundary region BR so as to extend beyond the raised structure 120 and cover the step region S. The peripheral circuit layer 140 is arranged on the substrate 110, is located in the boundary region BR, and overlaps with the contact detection electrode layer 130 at least on the raised structure 120 and the step region S. In some embodiments, the raised structure 120, the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the peripheral circuit layer 140 are sequentially stacked on the substrate 110 to form an overlap structure 200 located at the boundary region BR.

In some embodiments, the contact detection electrode layer 130 overlaps with the peripheral circuit layer 140 to define an overlap region, which has an overlapping area. In this embodiment, the overlap region is a quadrilateral region in the top view (that is, the viewing angle of FIG. 2). More specifically, the overlap region in this embodiment is a quadrilateral region formed by the length L1 and the width W1 in the top view.

When the touch panel 100 is operated, the contact detection electrode layer 130 located in the visible region VR can detect the touch motion of the user and generate a contact detection signal, and is overlaid on the peripheral circuit layer 140 located in the boundary region BR. The contact detection signal can be further transmitted via the overlapping contact between the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the peripheral circuit layer 140 in the wrap structure 200 to perform subsequent signal processing. In the following description, the overlap structure 200 of the present disclosure will be described in more detail.

It should be understood that the cross section along the lines a to a'of FIG. 3 is the cross section of the overlap structure 200 of the present disclosure. That is, FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the overlap structure 200 of the touch panel 100 of FIG. See FIG. In some embodiments, the raised structure 120 has a central region 122 and a peripheral region 124 surrounding the central region 122, the thickness T1 of the central region 122 along the Z axis (also referred to as the vertical thickness T1). , Is greater than the thickness T2 (also referred to as the vertical thickness T2) of the peripheral region 124 along the Z axis. For example, the thickness of the raised structure 120 gradually decreases from the central region 122 to the peripheral region 124, and the degree of the thickness decrease gradually increases from the central region 122 to the peripheral region 124. Such a change in thickness can form the upper surface of the raised structure 120 as a convex curved surface. In some embodiments, the maximum vertical thickness _TM of the raised structure 120 may be between 2 μm and 8 μm, whereby the electrical between the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the peripheral circuit layer 140. The overlap stability is improved, thereby reducing the lateral width W2 of the boundary region BR of the touch panel 100 (discussed in detail below). In some embodiments, the top surface 121 of the raised structure 120 may be, for example, a smooth curved surface (as shown in FIG. 3). In some other embodiments, the top surface 121 of the raised structure 120 may be a regular / irregular surface, eg, having a stepped or corrugated surface. Any contour of the top surface 121 is within the scope of the present disclosure, as long as the vertical thickness T1 of the central region 122 of the raised structure 120 is greater than the vertical thickness T2 of the peripheral region 124 of the raised structure 120. In some embodiments, the raised structure 120 may be at least part of the light-shielding structure of the touch panel 100, eg, dark or opaque photoresist, where the substrate 110 functions as a protective cover for the touch panel 100. Formed from material.

In some embodiments, the contact detection electrode layer 130 extends laterally across the raised structure 120 along the X-axis. In other words, in the overlap structure 200, the vertical projection of the contact detection electrode layer 130 on the substrate 110 can completely cover, for example, the vertical projection of the raised structure 120 on the substrate 110. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, in the overlap structure 200, the contact detection electrode layer 130 has a first portion 132 and a second portion 134 that laterally surrounds the first portion, and the first portion. 132 covers the central region 122 of the raised structure 120, and the second portion 134 covers the peripheral region 124 and the stepped region S of the raised structure 120. The first portion 132 is connected to the second portion 134, and the highest position (for example, the upper surface) of the first portion 132 is higher than the highest position of the second portion 134. Further, the second portion 134 of the contact detection electrode layer 130 is in contact with the substrate 110 in the step region S.

In some embodiments, the contact detection electrode layer 130 disposed on the raised structure 120 may vary depending on the contour of the top surface 121 of the raised structure 120. In other words, in the overlap structure 200, the contour of the contact detection electrode layer 130 may depend on the contour of the upper surface 121 of the raised structure 120. In some embodiments, the contact detection electrode layer 130 can conformally extend onto the raised structure 120 and the substrate 110. That is, in the overlap structure 200, the contact detection electrode layer 130 can have a uniform and constant thickness T3 with respect to the upper surface 121 of the raised structure 120, and the contact detection electrode layer 130 in contact with the substrate 110 also has. , It is possible to have a uniform and constant thickness T3 with respect to the upper surface 111 of the substrate 110. In some embodiments, the thickness T3 of the contact detection electrode layer 130 may be between 30 nm and 120 nm, resulting in the required electrical overlap between the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the peripheral circuit layer 140. Stability can be maintained, and adverse effects on the optical characteristics of the touch panel 100 can be suppressed. Specifically, when the thickness T3 of the contact detection electrode layer 130 is less than 30 nm, the surface resistance becomes excessive, which may affect signal transmission. If the thickness T3 of the contact detection electrode layer 130 is larger than 120 nm, it may affect the optical characteristics of the touch panel 100.

In some embodiments, the contact detection electrode layer 130 may include a matrix 136 and a plurality of metal nanowires (also referred to as metal nanostructures) 138 distributed within the matrix 136. In some embodiments, the matrix 136 may comprise a polymer or a mixture thereof. This imparts specific chemical, mechanical, and optical properties to the contact detection electrode layer 130. For example, the matrix 136 can provide good adhesion between the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the raised structure 120, and between the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the substrate 110. As another example, the matrix 136 can provide good mechanical strength to the contact detection electrode layer 130. In some embodiments, the matrix 136 is such that the contact detection electrode layer 130 has additional surface protection against scratches and abrasion, thereby increasing the surface strength of the contact detection electrode layer 130, such as a particular polymer, eg. , Polyacrylate, Epoxy Resin, Polyurethane, Poly (Silicone-Acrylic Acid), Polysiloxane, Polysilane, or Combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the matrix 136 further comprises a cross-linking agent, a polymerization inhibitor, a stabilizer (including, but not limited to, an antioxidant or a UV stabilizer), a surfactant, or a combination thereof. However, it may improve the anti-ultraviolet property of the contact detection electrode layer 130 and extend the service life.

Metal nanowires 138 may include, but are not limited to, silver nanowires, gold nanowires, copper nanowires, nickel nanowires, or combinations thereof. More specifically, the term "metal nanowire 138" as used herein is a collective nomenclature, which includes a plurality of metal elements, metal alloys, or metal compounds (including metal oxides). Refers to a set of metal wires. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional size of a single metal nanowire (eg, the diameter of the cross-section) may be less than 500 nm, preferably less than 100 nm, more preferably less than 50 nm. In some embodiments, the single metal nanowire 138 has a large aspect ratio (ie, length: diameter of cross section). Specifically, the aspect ratio of a single metal nanowire may be between 10 and 100,000. More specifically, the aspect ratio of a single metal nanowire may be greater than 10, preferably greater than 50, more preferably greater than 100. In addition, other terms such as silk, fiber, or tube also have the above cross-sectional dimensions and aspect ratios that fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

In some embodiments, the peripheral circuit layer 140 on the raised structure 120 traverses the contact detection electrode layer 130 along the X-axis. In other words, in the overlap structure 200, the peripheral circuit layer 140 may be located directly above the contact detection electrode layer 130, cover the contact detection electrode layer 130, and be electrically connected to the contact detection electrode layer 130. Due to the electrical overlap between the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the peripheral circuit layer 140, the contact detection signal can be transmitted in the touch panel 100 without any trouble. In some embodiments, the bottom surface 143 of the peripheral circuit layer 140 may vary with the contour of the top surface 131 of the contact detection electrode layer 130. That is, the contour of the bottom surface 143 of the peripheral circuit layer 140 may depend on the contour of the top surface 131 of the contact detection electrode layer 130. In some embodiments, the peripheral circuit layer 140 may have a vertical thickness T4 that varies with position. Specifically, the vertical thickness T4 of the peripheral circuit layer 140 may be gradually increased laterally from the center of the overlap structure 200 toward the periphery. In some other embodiments, the region of the peripheral circuit layer 140 corresponding to the raised structure 120 may also have a uniform and constant thickness T4 with respect to the top surface 131 of the contact detection electrode layer 130. In some embodiments, the peripheral circuit layer 140 may include, for example, copper, silver, a copper-silver alloy, or other suitable conductive material.

In some embodiments, the electrical overlap stability between the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the peripheral circuit layer 140 is the physical properties of the raised structure 120 (eg, the shape of the raised structure 120, the vertical thickness, etc.). ) Can depend on it. In other words, by adjusting the physical properties of the raised structure 120, the electrical overlap stability between the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the peripheral circuit layer 140 can be improved. Specifically, when the contact detection electrode layer 130 is arranged on the raised structure 120, the raised structure 120 has an intermediate convex structure, so that the contact detection electrode layer 130 can be formed into a shape similar to an “arch bridge”. can. Therefore, the actual overlapping area is increased on the premise that the overlapping area formed between the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the peripheral circuit layer 140 (for example, the overlapping area defined by the length L1 and the width W1) is not changed. be able to. Further, the metal nanowires 138 in the contact detection electrode layer 130 can be settled so as to gather in the step region S due to gravity. As a result, the contact impedance between the contact detection electrode layer 130 (particularly, the second portion 134 of the contact detection electrode layer 130) and the peripheral circuit layer 140 can be reduced, whereby the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the periphery can be reduced. Improves electrical overlap stability between circuit layers 140.

As described above, the maximum vertical thickness _TM of the raised structure 120 may be between 2 μm and 8 μm, so that the electrical overlap stability between the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the peripheral circuit layer 140 can be improved. The width W2 of the boundary region BR of the touch panel 100 can be reduced. Specifically, when the contact detection electrode layer 130 is arranged on the raised structure 120 and the maximum vertical thickness _TM of the raised structure 120 is less than 2 μm, the contact detection electrode layer 130 is an “arch bridge”. It may not be possible to form the same shape as. Therefore, the contact detection electrode layer 130 is arranged on the substrate 110 in a form close to a plane, and as a result, the actual overlapping area between the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the peripheral circuit layer 140 is effectively increased. The metal nanowires 138 cannot settle and gather in the step region S by an appropriate amount. As a result, the contact impedance between the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the peripheral circuit layer 140 cannot meet the design requirements and is designed to have a larger overlapping area of the size of the boundary region BR of the touch panel 100. The width W2 cannot be reduced. On the other hand, when the contact detection electrode layer 130 is arranged on the raised structure 120 and the maximum vertical thickness _TM of the raised structure 120 is larger than 8 μm, the metal nanowires 138 in the contact detection electrode layer 130 are Excessively settles and gathers. As a result, the electrical overlap between the first portion 132 of the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the peripheral circuit layer 140 becomes unstable, and the contact detection electrode layer 130 needs to rise to a higher height, thereby causing the contact detection electrode layer 130 to rise to a higher height. It leads to electrical failure.

Since the metal nanowires 138 in the contact detection electrode layer 130 settle and gather in the second portion 134 of the contact detection electrode layer 130 due to the physical characteristics of the raised structure 120, the second portion 134 of the contact detection electrode layer 130 The density of the metal nanowires 138 in the above is higher than the density of the metal nanowires 138 in the first portion 132 of the contact detection electrode layer 130. It should be understood that the term "density" herein refers to the number of metal nanowires 138 contained in the contact detection electrode layer 130 per unit area. In some embodiments, the density of the metal nanowires 138 within the first portion 132 of the contact detection electrode layer 130 is between 10% and 50%, preferably 12%, in order to satisfy the optical and electrical properties. It may be between 2% and 22%. The density of the metal nanowires 138 in the second portion 134 of the contact detection electrode layer 130 may be about 7% to 18% higher than the density of the metal nanowires 138 in the first portion 132 of the contact detection electrode layer 130. Therefore, the contact detection electrode layer 130 can secure good conductivity, and the electrical overlap stability of the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the peripheral circuit layer 140 can be improved. Specifically, the aforementioned densities will affect the surface resistance of the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the overall optical appearance of the touch panel 100. Excessive surface resistance can occur if the density is too low, i.e. if the metal nanowires 138 are sparsely distributed within the matrix 136. If the density is too high, that is, if the metal nanowires 138 are densely distributed in the matrix 136, the light transmittance may decrease and the optical properties may be affected. The above-mentioned optical characteristics refer to the optical characteristics of the visible region VR, and the contact detection electrode layer 130 located in the visible region VR and the contact detection electrode layer 130 extending to the boundary region BR are surfaced during the manufacturing process of the touch panel 100. Since the entire surface is coated, the density of the metal nanowires 138 in the contact detection electrode layer 130 located in the boundary region BR (particularly, the density of the metal nanowires 138 in the first portion 132 of the contact detection electrode layer 130) is the visible region VR. It is substantially similar to the density of the metal nanowires 138 in the contact detection electrode layer 130 located at. Therefore, in the above-mentioned design in which the entire contact detection electrode layer 130 is coated on the entire surface, the optical characteristics of the visible region VR of the touch panel 100 are determined in consideration of the density of the metal nanowires 138 in the contact detection electrode layer 130 located in the boundary region BR. It is also necessary to consider. On the other hand, a metal material (for example, copper) having a higher conductivity than the metal nanowires 138 can be selected to form the raised structure 120. The entire overlap structure 200 can improve the electrical overlapping stability due to the raised structure 120 having the metallic material.

In some embodiments, the electrical overlap stability between the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the peripheral circuit layer 140 may further depend on the chemical properties (eg, material) of the raised structure 120. By adjusting the chemical properties of the raised structure 120, the electrical overlap stability between the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the peripheral circuit layer 140 can be further improved. More specifically, a metal material having higher reactivity (chemical reactivity) than the reactivity of the metal nanowire 138 is selected to form the raised structure 120, and as a result, the metal nanowire 138 has a contact detection electrode layer. Within 130, it can be made easier to gather between the peripheral circuit layer 140 and the raised structure 120. Therefore, the density of the metal nanowires 138 in the contact detection electrode layer 130 of the overlap structure 200 is increased, and the electrical overlap stability between the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the peripheral circuit layer 140 is improved. For example, if silver nanowires are selected for use as metal nanowires 138, a metal (eg, copper) that is more reactive than silver can be selected as the material for the raised structure 120. ..

More specifically, the contact detection electrode layer 130 can be formed through the steps of coating, curing, and drying a dispersion containing metal nanowires 138. In some embodiments, the dispersion comprises a solution in which the metal nanowires 138 are uniformly dispersed in the solvent. Specifically, the solvent is, for example, water, alcohol, ketone, ether, hydrocarbon, aromatic solvent (benzene, toluene, xylene, etc.), or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the dispersion is an additive, surfactant, and / or binder to improve compatibility between the metal nanowire 138 and the solvent and the stability of the metal nanowire 138 in the solvent. May be further included. Specifically, the additives, surfactants, and / or binders are, for example, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hypromellose, fluorosurfactants, sulfosuccinic acid sulfonates, sulfates, phosphates, disulfonates. , Or a combination thereof.

First, the coating process may include, but is not limited to, screen printing, nozzle coating, or roller coating. In some embodiments, a roll-to-roll process may be performed to uniformly coat the top surface 111 of the substrate 110 and the top surface 121 of the raised structure 120 with a dispersion containing metal nanowires 138. Since the raised structure 120 has an intermediate convex structure, the metal nanowires 138 in the undried dispersion liquid settle due to gravity and partially collect in the dispersion liquid near the step region S. At the same time, if the reactivity of the material of the raised structure 120 is higher than the reactivity of the metal nanowires 138, the metal nanowires 138 in the dispersion are also affected by the material of the raised structure 120 and on the surface of the raised structure 120. Gather in a relatively close position. In other words, the metal nanowires 138 in the dispersion liquid coated around the overlap structure 200 (for example, on the visible region VR shown in FIG. 2) move slightly and are located at a position where they come into contact with the surface of the overlap structure 200. Gather together. Next, a curing and drying step is carried out, and the metal nanowires 138 can be fixed to the upper surface 111 of the substrate 110 and the upper surface 121 of the raised structure 120 to form the contact detection electrode layer 130.

Overall, in the coating step described above, the metal nanowires 138 in the dispersion are dependent on the physical properties (eg, vertical thickness, shape, conductivity, etc.) and chemical properties (eg, material) of the raised structure 120. Affected to move to a specific position and gather. After the curing and drying steps have been performed, the metal nanowires 138 may be densely distributed in the contact detection electrode layer 130 disposed in the overlap structure 200, in particular the second portion 134, corresponding to the step region S. can. Therefore, the contact impedance between the contact detection electrode layer 130 (particularly, the second portion 134 of the contact detection electrode layer 130) and the peripheral circuit layer 140 can be reduced. This makes it possible to improve the electrical overlap stability between the contact detection electrode layer 130 and the peripheral circuit layer 140.

In some embodiments, the primary coating layer may be coated on the metal nanowires 138 fixed to the substrate 110 and the raised structure 120. Next, the primary coating layer and the metal nanowires 138 are formed into a composite structure layer by curing. In other words, the cured primary coating layer functions as the matrix 136 of the present disclosure, and the composite structure layer functions as the contact detection electrode layer 130 of the present disclosure. More specifically, the aforementioned polymers or mixtures thereof may be formed on metal nanowires 138 by coating, and then the polymers or mixtures thereof penetrate between the metal nanowires 138 to form fillers. The filler may then be cured to form matrix 136. Therefore, the metal nanowires 138 can be embedded in the matrix 136. In some embodiments, the primary coating layer with the polymers or mixtures thereof described above can be formed in matrix 136 by heating and baking. In some embodiments, the heating and baking temperatures may be between 60 ° C and 150 ° C. It should be understood that the physical structure between the matrix 136 and the metal nanowires 138 is not intended to limit this disclosure. In some embodiments, the matrix 136 and the metal nanowires 138 may be a laminate of two layers. In some other embodiments, the matrix 136 and the metal nanowires 138 can be mixed together to form a composite structural layer. In some preferred embodiments, the metal nanowires 138 are embedded in the matrix 136 to form a composite structural layer.

The touch panel 100 of the present disclosure can be assembled with other electronic devices such as a display having a touch function. For example, the touch panel 100 can be coupled to a display device (eg, a liquid crystal display device or an organic light emitting diode display device) and uses an optical adhesive or other adhesive to move between the touch panel 100 and the display device. Can be combined. The touch panel 100 of the present disclosure can be further applied to electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablets, and notebooks, and can also be applied to flexible products. The touch panel 100 of the present disclosure can also be applied to a polarizing element. The touch panel 100 of the present disclosure can be applied to wearable devices (eg, watches, glasses, smart clothing, and smart shoes) and automobile devices (eg, dashboards, driving recorders, rearview mirrors, and windows).

Since the touch panel of the present disclosure has a raised structure arranged between the substrate and the contact detection electrode layer, the overlapping area between the contact detection electrode layer and the peripheral circuit layer can be increased, and as a result, the contact can be increased. The contact impedance between the detection electrode layer and the peripheral circuit layer can be reduced. This can improve the electrical overlap stability between the touch sensing electrode layer and the peripheral circuit layer, and reduce the lateral space required for the overlap. Therefore, the width of the boundary region of the touch panel can be reduced, and the user's needs for a narrow bezel product can be satisfied.

The present disclosure has been described in considerable detail with reference to that particular embodiment, but other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the gist 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 to the structure of the present disclosure may be made without departing from the scope or gist of the present disclosure. In view of the above, the present disclosure is intended to cover any amendments and variations of the present disclosure, provided that it is within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (14)

A substrate having a visible region and a boundary region surrounding the visible region,
A raised structure arranged on the substrate and arranged in the boundary region, the raised structure and the raised structure in which the substrate constitutes a step region.
A contact detection electrode layer arranged in the visible region and partially extending to the boundary region so as to extend beyond the raised structure and cover the step region.
A peripheral circuit layer arranged in the boundary region and overlapping with the contact detection electrode layer at least on the raised structure and the step region.
Touch panel with. The contact detection electrode layer comprises a matrix and a plurality of metal nanostructures dispersed in the matrix.
The touch panel according to claim 1. The raised structure comprises a metallic material, the reactivity of the metallic material being higher than the reactivity of the metal nanostructure.
The touch panel according to claim 2. The raised structure has a central region and a peripheral region surrounding the central region, and the vertical thickness of the central region is larger than the vertical thickness of the peripheral region.
The touch panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The contact detection electrode layer has a first portion and a second portion, the first portion covers the central region of the raised structure, and the second portion is the peripheral region of the raised structure and the step. Covering the area, the first portion is connected to the second portion.
The touch panel according to claim 4. The second portion of the contact detection electrode layer is in contact with the substrate in the step region.
The touch panel according to claim 5. The contact detection electrode layer contains a plurality of metal nanostructures and contains a plurality of metal nanostructures.
The density of the metal nanostructures in the second portion of the contact detection electrode layer is higher than the density of the metal nanostructures in the first portion.
The touch panel according to claim 5 or 6. The density of the metal nanostructures in the first portion of the contact detection electrode layer is between 10% and 50%.
The density of the metal nanostructures in the second portion of the contact detection electrode layer is 7% to 18% higher than the density of the metal nanostructures in the first portion of the contact detection electrode layer.
The touch panel according to claim 7. The maximum vertical thickness of the raised structure is between 2 μm and 8 μm.
The touch panel according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The substrate is a protective cover and
The raised structure is at least part of a light-shielding structure.
The touch panel according to any one of claims 1 to 9. The contact detection electrode layer conformally extends on the raised structure.
The touch panel according to any one of claims 1 to 10. The contact detection electrode layer defines an overlap region that overlaps with the peripheral circuit layer.
The touch panel according to any one of claims 1 to 11. A touch device including the touch panel according to any one of claims 1 to 12. The touch device includes a display, a mobile phone, a notebook, a tablet, a wearable device, an automobile device or a polarizing element.
The touch device according to claim 13.

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