TWI606382B - Touch screen panel - Google Patents

Description

Touch screen panel

The invention relates to a touch screen panel.

Typically, a touch screen is a screen that is equipped with a special input device to receive a user's finger or stylus to touch the screen. The touch screen does not use a keyboard but has a multi-layer stack configuration in which the touch screen is recognized when a user's finger or an object like a stylus or stylus touches a particular character or position displayed on the screen. It is located and receives data directly from the screen to actually process the information at a particular location by software stored at a particular location.

In order to identify the location of contact without reducing the visibility of the image displayed on the screen, it is necessary to use a transparent electrode in which the sensing pattern is typically formed in the transparent electrode in a predetermined pattern.

Such a sensing pattern may be formed by the first sensing pattern and the second sensing pattern. The first and second sensing patterns are arranged in different directions from each other to provide information of the X and Y coordinates of the touch point. Specifically, when the user's finger or an object touches a cover window substrate, the capacitance value detected according to the contact position changes, and is transmitted to the first and second sensing patterns and the metal wiring to A driving circuit, the metal wiring is a position detecting line. Then, the capacitance value is converted into an electronic signal by the X and Y input processing circuits to identify The contact location.

In this regard, the first and second sensing patterns must be formed on the same substrate In one layer, the respective patterns must be electrically connected to each other to detect the touch position. However, when the first sensing patterns are connected to each other, the second sensing patterns are separated from each other in the form of islands. Therefore, additional bridge electrodes are needed to electrically connect the second sensing patterns to each other.

Due to the difference in reflectivity between the bridge electrode and the sensing pattern, the pattern can be external The department saw it. In order to solve this problem, a technique of forming a narrow bridge electrode width has been proposed. However, under such conditions, the electrical conductivity is lowered.

In order to solve the problem of reduced conductivity, the technique of forming a bridge electrode from metal has been put forward. Since the metal does not allow light to transmit and reflects light, the light emitted from the light source is reflected by the bridge electrode made of metal. Therefore, the transmittance of the touch screen panel is reduced.

Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-98169 discloses a transparent conductive film. One of the lower coating layers comprises two layers having different refractive indices between the transparent substrate and the transparent conductive layer.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a touch screen panel having a significantly improved transmittance.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a touch screen panel with lower visibility.

The above objects of the present invention will be achieved by the following features:

(1) A touch screen panel comprising a touch sensing electrode and a pixel portion, wherein the touch sensing electrode comprises: a sensing pattern including a first pattern formed in the first direction And a second pattern formed in the second direction; and a metal bridge electrode configured to electrically connect the separation unit pattern in the second pattern, wherein the metal bridge electrode is formed on top of the black matrix of the pixel portion on.

(2) The touch screen panel of (1) above, wherein the unit metal bridge electrode It is formed to be placed on top of a region whose width is defined by the width of the black matrix.

(3) The touch screen panel of (1) above, wherein the unit metal bridge electrode The system is formed such that the center of its width is placed on the vertical top of the center of the width of the black matrix.

(4) The touch screen panel of (1) above, wherein the unit metal bridge electrode has a width of 2 to 30 μm.

(5) The touch screen panel of (1) above, wherein the width of the metal bridge electrode and the black matrix of the unit respectively satisfy the following Equation 1: (where a represents the width of the unit metal bridge electrode and b represents the width of the black matrix).

(6) The touch screen panel of (1) above, wherein the black matrix is formed so as to be placed on the top of the gate line and the data line of the pixel portion.

(7) The touch screen panel of (1) above, wherein the metal bridge electrode is formed of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, silver, aluminum, copper, and chromium.

(8) The touch screen panel of (1) above, wherein the metal bridge electrode is formed of the same material as the metal wiring and the position detecting line.

(9) The touch screen panel of (1) above, further comprising a light blocking insulator disposed between the sensing pattern and the metal bridge electrode and formed on a visible side of the metal bridge electrode.

(10) The touch screen panel of (9) above, wherein the light-blocking insulator has a transmittance of 70% or less.

(11) The touch screen panel of (9), wherein the light-blocking insulator comprises a colorant, an alkali-soluble binder resin, a multifunctional single molecule, an illuminating polymerization initiator, a surfactant, and a solvent.

(12) The touch screen panel of (1) above, further comprising a light-blocking metal oxide layer formed on one side of the visible side of the metal bridge electrode.

(13) The touch screen panel of (12), wherein the light-blocking metal oxide layer is composed of molybdenum, silver, aluminum, copper, chromium or an alloy oxide thereof.

(14) The touch screen panel of (12) above, wherein the light-blocking metal oxide layer has a transmittance of 70% or less.

The touch screen panel of any one of the above-mentioned (9) to (14), wherein the unit metal bridge electrode has a width of 2 to 30 μm.

The touch screen panel of any one of the above-mentioned (9) to (14), wherein the width of the unit metal bridge electrode and the black matrix respectively satisfy the following Equation 1: (where a represents the width of the unit metal bridge electrode and b represents the width of the black matrix).

The touch screen panel of the present invention is solved by solving a bridge electrode made of metal The problem of reduced transmittance is to significantly improve the transmittance.

In addition, the touch screen panel of the present invention has low visibility due to slight differences in reflectance at different locations.

1‧‧‧Substrate

110‧‧ ‧ pixels

120‧‧‧Black matrix

210‧‧‧First sensing pattern

220‧‧‧Second sensing pattern

230‧‧‧Bridge electrode

240‧‧‧Insulation

250‧‧‧Contact hole

260‧‧‧Light-blocking metal oxide layer

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a touch screen panel according to other embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a touch screen panel according to another embodiment of the present invention; A front view of a touch screen panel of another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a front view of the touch screen panel produced by the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a touch screen panel manufactured by the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is a front elevational view of the touch screen panel produced in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 8 is a front elevational view of the touch screen panel fabricated in the second embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention discloses a touch screen panel including a touch sensing electrode and a pixel portion, wherein the touch sensing electrode includes: a sensing pattern including a first pattern formed in the first direction and formed in the first a second pattern in two directions; and a metal bridge electrode configured to electrically connect the separation unit pattern in the second pattern, the metal bridge electrode being formed on top of the black matrix of the pixel portion, thereby having a significant improvement The low transmittance of the transmittance and the nuances of the reflectance at different positions.

1 to 4 illustrate the drooping of a touch screen panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. Straight view and front view. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<pixel part>

The touch screen panel of the present invention includes pixel portions that are commonly used in the related art.

The pixel portion is a part that can express red, green, and blue. To this end, the pixel portion includes a color filter (not shown) in the case of a liquid crystal display device, but may optionally include a color filter in the case of an organic light emitting display device.

The configuration and position of the pixel portion are not particularly limited, but may include any configuration commonly used in the related art, and may be formed at a position commonly employed in the related art.

The pixel portion includes a plurality of pixels 110. The configuration of the unit pixel 110 is not particularly limited, but may include any configuration commonly used in the related art, and may include, for example, a switching thin film transistor, a driving thin film transistor, a storage element, or the like.

The unit pixel 110 may be defined by a boundary between a gate line and a data line formed in a direction crossing each other.

The pixel portion further includes a black matrix 120 that plays a role of preventing the lower wiring from being seen from the outside and improving the contrast. In order to prevent a decrease in transmittance due to the black matrix 120, the black matrix 120 is formed to be positioned on the top of the gate line and the data line of the pixel portion.

<Touch sensing electrode>

Sensing pattern

1 illustrates a vertical cross-sectional view of a touch screen panel in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The sensing pattern of the present invention may include a first sensing pattern 210 formed in a first direction and a second sensing pattern 220 formed in a second direction.

The first sensing pattern 210 and the second sensing pattern 220 are disposed differently from each other Direction, but not limited to this.

The first and second sensing patterns 210 and 220 provide a touch point of the X and Y blocks Subject information. Specifically, when the user's finger or an object touches a cover window substrate, a change in the capacitance value according to the contact position is detected, and the first and second sensing patterns 210 and 220 and the metal wiring are converted to A driving circuit, the metal wiring is a position detecting line. The change in capacitance value is then converted to an electrical signal by an X and Y input processing circuit (not shown) to identify the contact location.

In this regard, the first and second sensing patterns 210 and 220 must be formed at the base The same layer of the board, and the respective patterns must be electrically connected to each other to detect the touch position. However, when the first sensing patterns 210 are connected to each other, the second sensing patterns 220 are separated from each other in the form of islands. Therefore, an additional bridge electrode 230 (which will be described below) is required to electrically connect the second sensing patterns 220 to each other.

The thicknesses of the first and second sensing patterns 210 and 220 are not particularly limited, but It can, for example, be in the range of 20 to 30 nm, respectively. If the thickness of the sensing pattern is less than 20 nm, the resistance will increase and the touch sensitivity will be lowered. When the thickness exceeds 30 nm, the reflection increases and the visibility is deteriorated.

Any common material used in the related art can be adopted in the first and the first The two sensing patterns 210 and 220 are not particularly limited. For example, indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnO), indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO), cadmium tin oxide (CTO), poly(3,4-dioxo) Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), carbon nanotubes (CNT), metal wires, and the like can be used. These can be used alone or in combination of two or more It is preferred to use indium tin oxide (ITO). The metal used in the metal wire is not particularly limited but may contain, for example, silver (Ag), gold, aluminum, copper, iron, nickel, titanium, tantalum, chromium, or the like, which may be used alone or in two or more kinds. The combination used.

The sensing pattern can be formed by various thin film deposition techniques, such as physical vapor deposition. PVD method, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method or the like. For example, the sensing pattern can be formed by reactive sputtering, which is an example of the PVD method, but is not limited thereto.

Additionally, the sensing pattern can be formed by a printing process. During this printing process In the meantime, various printing methods such as gravure lithography, reverse lithography, inkjet printing, screen printing, gravure printing, and the like can be used. In particular, when the sensing pattern is formed by a printing process, the sensing pattern can be made of a printable adhesive material. For example, the sensing pattern can be made of a carbon nanotube (CNT), a conductive polymer, and a silver nanowire ink.

In addition to the above method, the first and second sensing patterns 210 and 220 can be borrowed from the light micro Shadow formation.

Bridge electrode

The bridge electrode 230 is electrically connected to the separation unit pattern of the second sensing pattern 220.

Here, the metal bridge electrode 230 should be in the first sensing pattern in the sensing pattern Case 210 is electrically isolated and there is a need to form an insulator for this purpose, which will be described below.

Since the metal bridge electrode 230 does not allow light to be transmitted and has high reflectivity, The light emitted by the light source will be reflected from the metal bridge electrode 230, thus reducing the transmittance of the touch screen panel.

However, since the touch screen panel of the present invention is included in the black matrix 120 The metal bridge electrode 230 on the top, therefore the transmittance due to the metal bridge electrode 230 will decrease will not happen.

In this regard, the unit metal bridge electrode 230 is formed to be placed on top of a region. The width of the region is defined by the width of the black matrix 120. Preferably, it is formed such that the center of its width is disposed on the vertical top of the center of the width of the black matrix 120.

The metal bridge electrode 230 according to the present invention may be formed of a metal material, and Preferably, it is formed of the same material as the metal wire and the position detecting line. In this case, since the metal bridge electrode 230 can be simultaneously formed in the process of forming the metal wiring, the process can be further simplified.

The metal material is not particularly limited as long as it has excellent electrical conductivity with low electrical resistance. The ratio may include, for example, molybdenum, silver, aluminum, copper, chromium, or the like, which may be used singly or in combination of two or more.

The width of the unit metal bridge electrode 230 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 2 It is in the range of 30 μm, and preferably in the range of 2 to 20 μm, which is not particularly limited. If the width of the bridge electrode is in the range of 2 to 30 microns, the visibility of the pattern is reduced to provide an advantageous resistance.

The unit metal bridge electrode 230 has a relationship to satisfy the width of the black matrix 120 One width, which can be defined by Equation 1 below. In this case, the effect of improving the transmittance can be maximized.

(where a represents the width of the unit metal bridge electrode 230 and b represents the width of the black matrix 120).

The method of forming the metal bridge electrode 230 is not particularly limited and can be used The same forming method as the sensing pattern.

Insulation layer and contact hole

The touch screen panel of the present invention includes an insulating layer 240 formed between the sensing pattern and the metal bridge electrode 230 to prevent electrical connection between the sensing pattern and the metal bridge electrode 230. When the second sensing patterns 220 are electrically connected to each other by the metal bridge electrodes 230, the portion on which the insulating layer 240 is not formed must be electrically connected to the sensing pattern by the metal bridge electrodes 230. Here, in the region of the insulating layer 240, the portion where the insulating layer 240 is not formed is referred to as a contact hole 250. Therefore, the second sensing pattern 220 is electrically connected to the metal bridge electrode 230 in the contact hole 250.

Any conventional insulating material known in the related art can be used for the insulating layer 240 without particular limitation. For example, the insulating layer 240 may be formed in a desired pattern using a metal oxide such as cerium oxide, a transparent photosensitive resin composition containing an acrylic resin, or a thermosetting resin composition.

The insulating layer 240 may be formed on the sensing pattern using a deposition or printing method.

In the present invention, the contact hole 250 is formed in such a manner that the insulating layer 240 is completely formed on the sensing pattern, and then a plurality of holes are formed in the insulating layer (perforation method); or an insulating layer may be formed in the sensing layer The contact hole 250 is formed on the pattern in addition to the portion in which the sensing pattern and the metal bridge electrode 230 are electrically connected (islet method).

In view of reducing the visibility of the metal bridge electrode 230, it is preferred that the insulating layer 240 of the present invention be composed of a material that blocks light.

In this case, even if the metal bridge electrode 230 is more widely formed, the metal bridge electrode 230 has a lower visibility, so that the metal bridge electrode 230 can be prevented from being seen from the outside. Therefore, the metal bridge electrode 230 can be formed by a device of lower precision, thereby improving the system. Cheng Liang rate.

Since the insulating layer 240 is composed of a material that blocks light (hereinafter referred to as The light-blocking insulator blocks light, and the insulating layer is formed only on a small area between the sensing pattern and the metal bridge electrode 230, and is not formed in a layered structure as compared with the conventional insulating layer.

2 illustrates a touch screen surface in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention A vertical cross-sectional view of the panel with the visible side of the upper side of the touch panel. In this case, the light blocking insulator 240 is formed on the metal bridge electrode 230.

The light-blocking insulator 240 can use any material as long as it has excellent insulation properties. The color while blocking light is not particularly limited, and for example, it may be formed of a color ink.

The color ink may contain a colorant, an alkali soluble binder resin, and a multi-function single point A photopolymerization initiator, a surfactant, a solvent, other additives or the like, which is generally used in the related art.

When applied to a touch screen panel, it is capable of reducing metal by blocking light. The area ratio of the light-blocking insulator 240 and the metal bridge electrode 230 is not particularly limited in the range of the bridge electrode visibility and the reduction of the transmittance, but for example, the light-blocking insulator 240 may be opposite to the unit metal bridge electrode 230. 60% or more of the area.

The size of the light-blocking insulator 240 within a range that satisfies the above area ratio There is no particular limitation, but in view of suppressing the visibility of the metal bridge electrode 230, it is preferable that the light-blocking insulator 240 has a larger width than the unit metal bridge electrode 230. For example, the light blocking insulator 240 has a width that is at least 5 microns larger than the unit metal bridge electrode 230. In view of reducing the visibility of the metal bridge electrode 230 and minimizing the decrease in transmittance by blocking light, the light-blocking insulator 240 has a width of 10 to 20 microns larger than that of the unit metal bridge electrode 230 when applied to the touch screen panel. degree. In this regard, the light blocking insulator 240 has a length that is at least 20 microns shorter than the unit metal bridge electrode 230, and is preferably at least 20 to 40 microns.

The transmittance of the light blocking insulator 240 can be appropriately selected so as to be applied to The touch panel reduces the visibility of the metal bridge electrode 230 and minimizes the decrease in transmittance by blocking light, for example, 70% or less, and preferably 20 to 60%.

Blocking metal oxide layer

The touch screen panel of the present invention may comprise a light-blocking metal oxide layer 260 instead of It is a light blocking insulator 240.

3 illustrates a touch screen surface in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention The upper side of the plate is a vertical section view of the visible side. In this case, the light-blocking metal oxide layer 260 is formed over the metal bridge electrode 230.

The light-blocking metal oxide is not particularly limited as long as it can reduce the metal bridge The visibility of the electrode 230, but may include, for example, molybdenum, silver, aluminum, copper, chromium, or an alloy oxide, etc., and is preferably the same metal oxide as the metal bridge electrode 230. In this case, a light-blocking metal oxide layer is formed at the same time as the metal bridge electrode 230 is formed or formed by oxidizing a portion of the metal bridge electrode 230.

The transmittance of the light-blocking metal oxide layer 260 can be appropriately selected so as to be suitable for The reduction in visibility and minimized transmittance of the metal bridge electrode 230 by blocking light when used in a touch screen panel may be, for example, 70% or less, and preferably 20 to 60%.

Substrate

The touch sensing electrodes are formed on a substrate 1.

The substrate 1 can be composed of any material commonly used in the related art, and There are special restrictions, for example, may include polyether (PES), polyacrylate (PAR), polyether phthalimide (PEI), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) ), polyvinyl sulfide (PPS), polyarylate, polyimide, polycarbonate (PC), cellulose triacetate (TAC), cellulose acetate propionate (CAP) or the like.

The substrate 1 may be a separate substrate or a shape included in the touch screen panel A cover window substrate that forms the outermost surface of the touch screen panel or display panel.

Transparent dielectric layer

The touch sensing electrode of the present invention can be further included in the substrate 1 as needed A transparent dielectric layer between the sensing electrodes.

The role of the transparent dielectric layer is to reduce the structural difference due to the different locations. The difference in optical properties caused by the difference improves the optical uniformity of the touch panel.

The transparent dielectric layer may be composed of cerium oxide, an organic insulating film or the like. The transparent dielectric layer can be formed by deposition in a thin film form by vapor deposition, sputtering, coating or the like.

In the present invention, a plurality of transparent dielectric layers are formed on the substrate as needed 100 on. In this case, each of the plurality of transparent dielectric layers may be composed of different materials from each other and have different refractive indices and thicknesses from each other.

Passivation layer

In order to avoid the sensing pattern and the bridge electrode 230 being exposed to the external environment (humidity, air, etc.) Contamination, the touch sensing electrode may further include a passivation layer for covering the sensing pattern as needed.

The passivation layer may use a metal oxide such as cerium oxide, including an acrylic tree The lipid transparent photosensitive resin composition, thermosetting resin composition or the like is formed in a desired pattern.

The passivation layer according to the invention may have a suitable thickness, for example, 2000 Meters or less, and therefore, may, for example, be in the range of 0 to 2000 nm. When the passivation layer has a thickness within the above range, the effect of the decrease in transmittance can be improved.

The passivation layer can include a contact hole to connect the sensing pattern to the driver circuit.

The touch screen panel of the present invention may further comprise a commonly used technology The components in .

Instances and comparison examples

The touch screen panel is prepared by bonding a touch sensing electrode to a pixel portion One unit pixel has a long side length of 150 micrometers and a short side length of 30 micrometers; a black matrix pattern width between the long sides of the unit pixels is 10 micrometers, and is between the short sides of the unit pixels The black matrix pattern has a width of 30 microns.

Using a glass (refractive index: 1.51, extinction coefficient: 0) for touch The measuring electrode, an indium tin oxide film (refractive index: 1.8, extinction coefficient: 0) is a first and second pattern, molybdenum is a metal bridge electrode, and an acrylic insulating metal (refractive index: 1.51, extinction coefficient: 0) is a kind Insulation.

The refractive index and the extinction coefficient are determined in accordance with light having a wavelength of 550 nm.

Metal bridge electrodes are respectively formed to have a width of 10 μm and a length of 150 μm (Example 1 and Comparative Example 1) and a width of 30 μm and a length of 150 μm (Example 2 and Comparative Example 2).

In these examples, the touch screen panel is bonded to the substrate by bonding the metal bridge electrodes It is prepared to be placed on top of the black matrix of the pixel portion, and in the comparative example, the touch screen panel is prepared by bonding without considering the position.

The respective structures (front view) of the touch screen panels prepared in the examples and the comparative examples are illustrated in FIG. 5 (Example 1), FIG. 6 (Example 2), FIG. 7 (Comparative Example 1), and FIG. 8 (Comparative Example) 2).

Experimental example

Measurement of the transmittance of the pixel portion

The transmittance of the pixel portion of the touch panel prepared in the examples and the comparative examples was measured by OSP-SP2000 (Olympus), and the results are shown in Table 1 below.

Here, the transmittance is evaluated with the transmittance before 100% bonding as a reference.

Referring to Table 1 above, it can be seen that the touch screen panel prepared in the example has excellent transmittance due to light transmission through the pixel portion, and the pixel portion does not suppress the metal bridge electrode positioned on the top of the black matrix. Light reflection.

However, the touch screen panel prepared in the comparative example has a lower transmittance by reflection of light from the metal bridge electrode.

110‧‧ ‧ pixels

120‧‧‧Black matrix

230‧‧‧Bridge electrode

240‧‧‧Insulation

Claims (16)

A touch screen panel includes a touch sensing electrode and a pixel portion, wherein the pixel portion includes a plurality of pixels and a black matrix, wherein the touch sensing electrode comprises: a sensing pattern including formation a first pattern in a first direction and a second pattern formed in a second direction; and a metal bridge electrode configured to electrically connect the separation unit pattern of the second pattern, wherein the first pattern and the second A pattern is formed on both the pixel and the black matrix, and the metal bridge electrode is selectively formed on top of the black matrix of the pixel portion. The touch screen panel of claim 1, wherein the metal bridge electrode is formed to be placed on top of a region, the width of the region being defined by the width of the black matrix. The touch screen panel of claim 1, wherein the metal bridge electrode is formed such that a center of its width is disposed on a vertical top of a center of a width of the black matrix. The touch screen panel of claim 1, wherein the metal bridge electrode has a width of 2 to 30 micrometers. The touch screen panel of claim 1, wherein the width of the metal bridge electrode and the black matrix respectively satisfy the following Equation 1: Where a represents the width of the metal bridge electrode and b represents the width of the black matrix. The touch screen panel of claim 1, wherein the black matrix is It is placed on the top of the gate line and the data line of the pixel portion. The touch screen panel of claim 1, wherein the metal bridge electrode is formed of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, silver, aluminum, copper, and chromium. The touch screen panel of claim 1, wherein the metal bridge electrode is formed of the same material as a metal wiring and a position detecting line. The touch screen panel of claim 1, further comprising a light blocking insulator disposed between the sensing pattern and the metal bridge electrode and formed on a visible side associated with the metal bridge electrode On the side. The touch screen panel of claim 9, wherein the light-blocking insulator has a transmittance of 70% or less. The touch screen panel of claim 9, wherein the light-blocking insulator comprises a colorant, an alkali-soluble adhesive resin, a multifunctional single molecule, a photopolymerization initiator, a surfactant, and a solvent. The touch screen panel of claim 1, further comprising a light-blocking metal oxide layer formed on one side of a visible side of the metal bridge electrode. The touch screen panel of claim 12, wherein the light-blocking metal oxide layer is composed of molybdenum, silver, aluminum, copper, chromium or an alloy oxide thereof. The touch screen panel of claim 12, wherein the light-blocking metal oxide layer has a transmittance of 70% or less. The touch screen panel of any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the metal bridge electrode has a width of 2 to 30 micrometers. The touch screen panel of any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the width of the metal bridge electrode and the black matrix respectively satisfy the following Equation 1: Where a represents the width of the metal bridge electrode and b represents the width of the black matrix.