TWI480115B - Laser etching device and etching method thereof - Google Patents

Description

Laser etching device and etching method thereof

The present invention relates to an etching apparatus and an etching method thereof, and more particularly to a laser etching apparatus for a touch panel and an etching method thereof.

The related technologies of the touch panel can be roughly classified into a resistive type, a capacitive type, a surface acoustic wave type, an infrared type, an electromagnetic type, an optical type, and the like. In the current general touch panel manufacturing process, the current industry uses chemical etching and photolithography, which is a wet etching method. The required processing method is complicated, and the pattern etching is not only time consuming but also relatively difficult. .

Photolithography is a precision surface processing technique that combines a patterned mask and chemical etching. The purpose is to etch a geometric pattern corresponding to or complementary to the mask on the cerium oxide or metal film. Since photolithography is a complex process, a specific portion of the film is removed through a series of production steps to form a pattern.

However, the general production steps of photolithography etching include cleaning, coating of photoresist layer, exposure, development, drying, and etching. The equipment requires large investment, high maintenance cost, and requires a large amount of chemical agents. High production costs and long production hours. In particular, for large-sized touch panels, these problems are particularly severe and are likely to cause a drop in production yield. However, there are many disadvantages as follows: in the production process, there are environmental problems in chemical waste treatment, high cost of use, and different masks and patterns require mask problems for different electrode patterns.

In view of the above, the present invention is directed to the above problems, and the present invention provides a laser etching apparatus and an etching method thereof, thereby solving the above drawbacks.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a laser etching apparatus and an etching method thereof, which use laser etching to pattern a conductive film, thereby designing a specific power energy setting value in the case of a film of different materials. And the laser etch method of the frequency setting value, performing different degrees of laser etching on the surface of the film to form a desired geometric pattern, and finally The designed electrical characteristics can be obtained for use in conductive layers such as displays, touch panels, and the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a laser etching apparatus and an etching method thereof, which are inexpensive to use, low in maintenance cost, and do not require the use of a large amount of chemicals as compared with the photolithography etching technique. Therefore, there is no environmental problem of chemical waste liquid treatment, so that the production cost can be reduced, the production man-hours, and the reticle used for different electrode patterns for different points and patterns can be shortened.

To achieve the above object, the present invention discloses a laser etching apparatus for etching a workpiece, the laser etching apparatus includes a laser light generator to generate a laser beam, and the calibration instrument is electrically connected to the laser light generator, and the power can be set. Energy setting value and frequency setting value, and the power energy setting value is 20 watts to 40 watts, and the frequency setting value is 15 kHz to 30 kHz to adjust the density of the laser beam, the mobile platform has a driver, and the mobile platform The concentrating element is disposed on the mobile platform to receive the laser beam, the multi-axis controller is electrically connected to the driver to control the direction of the moving platform, and the processing platform is disposed under the concentrating element to place the workpiece And the concentrating element can project a laser beam onto the workpiece.

A laser etching method for etching a workpiece, the laser etching method comprising the steps of outputting a laser beam, setting a power energy and a frequency, and setting the power energy to be 20 watts to 40 watts, and the frequency setting value is 15 kHz to 30 kHz to adjust the density of the laser beam and project the laser beam onto the workpiece.

The purpose, technical contents, features and effects achieved by the present invention will be more readily understood by the detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

10‧‧‧Laser etching device

12‧‧‧Workpiece

14‧‧‧Laser light generator

16‧‧‧Laser beam

18‧‧‧ Tuning instruments

20‧‧‧Mobile platform

22‧‧‧ Drive

24‧‧‧ Concentrating elements

26‧‧‧Multi-axis controller

28‧‧‧Processing platform

30‧‧‧Base

32‧‧‧Electrical film

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a laser etching apparatus of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a block diagram of a laser etching apparatus of the present invention.

Figure 3A is a schematic view of the etching of the workpiece of the present invention.

Figure 3B is another schematic view of the workpiece etching of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a flow chart of the laser etching method of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic view of the conductive film of the present invention.

Fig. 6A to Fig. 6H are partial enlarged views of the point A of the conductive film set in Fig. 5 with a power energy setting value of 20 watts to 40 watts and a frequency setting value of 15 kHz to 30 kHz.

7A to 7H are another partial enlarged view of the conductive film with the set power energy setting value of 20 watts to 40 watts and the frequency setting value of 15 kHz to 30 kHz.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention is described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 to illustrate a schematic and block diagram of a laser etching apparatus of the present invention. As shown, the present invention discloses a laser etching apparatus 10 for etching a workpiece 12. The laser etching apparatus 10 includes a laser light generator 14 to generate a laser beam 16, and the calibration apparatus 18 is electrically connected to the lightning. The light generator 14 can set the power energy set value and the frequency set value, and the power energy set value is 20 watts to 40 watts, and the frequency setting value is 15 kHz to 30 kHz to adjust the density of the laser beam 16. The mobile platform 20 has a driver 22, and the mobile platform 20 is disposed on the laser light generator 14. The concentrating element 24 is disposed on the mobile platform 20 to receive the laser beam 16 of the laser light generator 14, and the multi-axis controller 26 The driver 22 and the calibration device 18 are electrically connected. Therefore, the calibration instrument 18 can control the driver 22 through the multi-axis controller 26 to control the direction of the mobile platform 20. The processing platform 28 is disposed under the concentrating member 24 to place the workpiece 12. And the concentrating element 24 can project the laser beam 16 onto the workpiece 12.

The multi-axis controller 26 of the present invention is an X-Y dual-axis controller for controlling the direction of the vertical axis and the horizontal axis of the moving platform 18. The multi-axis controller 26 can also be an X-Y-Z tri-axis controller to control the direction of the longitudinal, transverse and vertical axes of the mobile platform 18. In addition, the present invention can also use the susceptor 30 to place the laser light generator 14.

Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, a schematic view of the etching of the workpiece and another schematic of the workpiece etching of the present invention will be described. As shown in the figure, the workpiece 12 of the present invention can be applied with a touch panel, the workpiece 12 is an indium tin oxide substrate (ITO) or a polyethylene terephthalate substrate, and the conductive film 32 on the workpiece 12 is mainly used for conducting. Signal, however, since the conductive film 32 is substantially completely etched and cannot be sputtered against the desired pattern, it is necessary to pass through the laser beam 16 to form a pattern on the sputtered workpiece 12. The conductive film 32 is etched.

The present invention is described herein with reference to FIG. 4 to illustrate a flow chart of a laser etching method of the present invention. A laser etching method for etching a workpiece 12, the laser etching method comprising the following steps, such as step S10, outputting a laser beam 16; as in step S12, setting a power energy setting value It is 20 watts to 40 watts, and the frequency setting value is 15 kHz to 30 kHz to adjust the density of the laser beam 16; as in step S14, the laser beam 16 is projected onto the workpiece 12.

As described above, the present invention further includes cutting and cleaning the workpiece 12 as in step S16 before the step S10 of outputting the laser beam 16. In step S16 of cutting and cleaning the workpiece 12, the workpiece 12 is washed with ethanol and deionized water. Further, the workpiece 12 as described above is an indium tin oxide substrate or a polyethylene terephthalate substrate.

For the connection, refer to FIG. 5, FIG. 6A to FIG. 6H, and FIGS. 7A to 7H to illustrate the schematic diagram of the conductive film of the present invention and the set power energy setting of the conductive film of FIG. 5 is 20 watts to 40 degrees. The frequency setting value of the tile and the fifth figure is a partial enlargement of the point A of 15 kHz to 30 kHz and another partial enlargement of the point A. 6A and 6B are respectively the conductive film 32 after the power energy setting value is 25 watts, the frequency setting is 15 kHz, and the line angle is etched, and the 6C and 6D are respectively For the conductive film 32, the power energy setting value is 25 watts, the frequency setting value is 20 kHz, and the track angle is etched. The 6E and 6F are respectively the set values of the conductive film 32 at the power energy. The 25-watt, frequency setting is 25 kHz and the track angle is etched. The 6G and 6H are respectively the conductive film 32 with a power energy setting of 25 watts and a frequency setting of 30 kHz. The condition of the line and the track is etched. It can be clearly seen from the 6C and 6D drawings of the present invention that when the power energy setting value of the present invention is 25 watts and the frequency setting value is 20 kHz, the conductive film 32 is patterned in laser etching. The etched edge and the joint have a relatively complete etching condition, and the resistivity of the four-point probe can be found to be similar to the unetched resistivity, while other parameters have lower resistivity, but The etched surface has been damaged.

Continuation, as shown in Fig. 7A and Fig. 7B, respectively, the conductive film 32 is etched at a power energy setting of 35 watts, a frequency setting of 15 kHz, and a line angle after etching, 7C and 7D. The conductive film 32 is in a state where the power energy is set to 35 watts, the frequency is set to 20 kHz, and the track angle is etched. The 7E and 7F are respectively set by the conductive film 32 at the power energy. The value is 35 watts, the frequency setting is 25 kHz, and the track angle is etched. The 7G and 7H are respectively the conductive film 32 with a power energy setting of 35 watts and a frequency setting of 30. The condition of the kilohertz line and the track angle after etching. It can be clearly seen from the 7A and 7B of the present invention that when the power energy setting value of the present invention is 35 watts and the frequency setting value is 15 kHz, the conductive film 32 is in the laser etching pattern. At the etched edge and the junction, there is a relatively complete etching condition, and the resistivity of the four-point probe can be found to be similar to the unetched resistivity, while other parameters have lower resistivity. However, the etched surface is damaged.

In summary, according to the laser etching apparatus and the etching method thereof, the laser etching is used for pattern processing, and the surface of the conductive film 32 can be designed to different degrees by laser etching in the case of films of different materials. The laser is etched to form the desired geometric pattern. In addition, when the set power energy setting is 25 watts, the frequency setting is 20 kHz or the power energy setting is 35 watts, the frequency setting is 15 In the case of kilohertz, the best electrical characteristics will be obtained for application to conductive layers such as displays and touch panels. Therefore, according to the laser etching apparatus disclosed by the present invention, the use of the equipment is lower than the photolithography etching technology, and the investment cost is not only low, the maintenance cost is low, and a large amount of chemicals are not required, so there is no chemical waste liquid. The environmental problems of the treatment can reduce the production cost, shorten the production man-hours and the lack of masks and the like used for different electrode patterns at different points and patterns.

The foregoing embodiments of the present invention are disclosed above, but are not intended to limit the invention. Modifications and modifications made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention are claimed in the scope of the invention. Please refer to the attached request for the scope of patents defined by the present invention.

10‧‧‧Laser etching device

12‧‧‧Workpiece

14‧‧‧Laser light generator

16‧‧‧Laser beam

18‧‧‧ Tuning instruments

20‧‧‧Mobile platform

22‧‧‧ Drive

24‧‧‧ Concentrating elements

28‧‧‧Processing platform

30‧‧‧Base

Claims (10)

A laser etching apparatus for etching a workpiece, the laser etching apparatus comprising at least: a laser light generator to generate a laser beam; a calibration instrument electrically connected to the laser light generator, which can be set a power energy set value and a frequency set value, and the power energy set value is 20 watts to 40 watts, and the frequency setting value is 15 kHz to 30 kHz to adjust the density of the laser beam; a mobile platform Having a driver, and the mobile platform is disposed on the laser light generator; a light collecting component is disposed on the mobile platform to receive the laser beam; a multi-axis controller electrically connecting the driver and the The instrument is calibrated to control the direction of the moving platform; and a processing platform is disposed under the concentrating element to place the workpiece, and the concentrating element can project the laser beam onto the workpiece. The laser etching apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power energy setting value is 25 watts, the frequency setting value is 20 kHz, and when the power energy setting value is 35 watts, the frequency setting value is 15 kHz. The laser etching apparatus of claim 1, wherein the multi-axis controller is an X-Y dual-axis controller to control the direction of the longitudinal axis and the horizontal axis of the moving platform. The laser etching apparatus of claim 1, wherein the multi-axis controller is an X-Y-Z triaxial controller to control the directions of the longitudinal axis, the horizontal axis, and the vertical axis of the moving platform. The laser etching apparatus of claim 1, wherein the workpiece is an indium tin oxide substrate or a polyethylene terephthalate substrate. A laser etching method for etching a workpiece, the laser etching method comprising the steps of: outputting a laser beam; setting a power energy setting value of 20 watts to 40 watts, and setting a frequency of 15 kHz to 30 volts; Kilowatts to adjust the density of the laser beam; and project the laser beam onto the workpiece. The laser etching method according to claim 6, wherein the power energy setting value is 25 watts, the frequency setting value is 20 kHz, and when the power energy setting value is 35 watts, the frequency setting value is 15 kHz. The laser etching method of claim 6, wherein before the step of outputting the laser beam, Includes: cutting and cleaning the workpiece. The laser etching method of claim 9, wherein the step of cutting and cleaning the workpiece is to clean the workpiece with ethanol and deionized water. The laser etching method of claim 6, wherein the workpiece is an indium tin oxide substrate or a polyethylene terephthalate substrate.