WO2014098406A1

WO2014098406A1 - Touch panel comprising anti-reflection layer and method for manufacturing same

Info

Publication number: WO2014098406A1
Application number: PCT/KR2013/011465
Authority: WO
Inventors: 김현수; 고용남
Original assignee: (주)인터플렉스
Priority date: 2012-12-18
Filing date: 2013-12-11
Publication date: 2014-06-26
Also published as: JP2016506574A

Abstract

Provided is a touch panel comprising: a substrate; a plurality of first sensor electrodes arranged in parallel on the substrate along a first direction; a plurality of second sensor electrodes spaced from the first sensor electrodes and arranged in parallel to each other on the substrate along a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction; a first bridge for connecting neighboring first sensor electrodes among the plurality of first sensor electrodes in the first direction; an insulating layer formed on the substrate on which the plurality of first sensor electrodes, the second sensor electrodes and the first bridge are formed; and a second bridge for connecting neighboring second sensor electrodes among the plurality of second sensor electrodes in the second direction through a via hole penetrating through the insulating layer, wherein the first bridge and the second bridge cross each other.

Description

Touch panel comprising an antireflection layer and a method of manufacturing the same

The present invention relates to a touch panel and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a touch panel including an antireflection layer and a method for manufacturing the same.

The touch panel is a device for inputting two-dimensional coordinate data by pressing a surface of a display panel provided in electronic devices such as a smartphone, a tablet computer, a game machine, a learning aid device, and a camera with a hand or a pen. Such touch panels are widely used in that they can be easily operated and widely applied to various display devices.

In general, the touch panel is formed by including a sensor electrode provided in a matrix form on a light transmissive film or a glass material, a bridge electrode connecting the sensor electrode, and an insulating layer provided between the bridge electrodes.

The touch panel may be directly attached to the surfaces of various display devices. When the display device with such a touch panel is attached, visibility may be degraded due to reflection due to external light.

In order to prevent the reflection caused by the external light and to improve the visibility, the surface of the upper surface of the touch panel may have irregularities having roughness of several tens to hundreds of nanometers to prevent diffuse reflection due to external light. AG coating (Anti-Glare coating) method has been proposed, but the haze (Haze) has a disadvantage that the sharpness is lowered.

Recently, an anti-reflection coating method has been proposed to form a thin film of two or more layers having different refractive indices to prevent direct reflection caused by external light.

In the AR coating, external light incident by a coating method of alternately stacking a high refractive index layer and a low refractive index layer causes extinction interference at an interface of each of the stacked thin films. The greater the difference in refractive index between the stacked thin films, the lower the reflectance as the number of stacked thin films increases. However, in actual implementation of the AR layer on the touch panel, there is a limitation that the AR layer cannot be made infinitely thick, but has to be formed below a predetermined thickness.

Accordingly, the present invention is to provide a touch panel and a manufacturing method thereof including an antireflection layer or a layer capable of antireflection function.

A touch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention is a substrate, a plurality of first sensor electrodes arranged side by side in a first direction on the substrate, spaced apart from the first sensor electrode on the substrate, the first direction and A plurality of second sensor electrodes arranged side by side along a second orthogonal direction, a first bridge connecting adjacent first sensor electrodes of the plurality of first sensor electrodes in the first direction, and the plurality of first sensors The second sensor electrodes adjacent to each other of the plurality of second sensor electrodes are connected in the second direction through an insulating layer formed on the substrate on which the electrode, the second sensor electrode and the first bridge are formed, and via holes penetrating through the insulating layer. And a second bridge, wherein the first bridge and the second bridge cross each other.

In the touch panel according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the insulating layer includes at least one low refractive layer and a high refractive layer.

In the touch panel according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the low refractive layer includes at least one of MgF 2, NaF, and CaF 2.

In the touch panel according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the high refractive layer includes at least one of CeF 3, Al 2 O 3, ZrO 2, TiO 2, and Nb 2 O x.

According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a touch panel includes a substrate, a plurality of first sensor electrodes disposed side by side along a first direction on the substrate, and spaced apart from the first sensor electrode on the substrate, the first direction A plurality of second sensor electrodes arranged side by side in a second direction orthogonal to each other, a first bridge connecting first sensor electrodes adjacent to each other among the plurality of first sensor electrodes in the first direction, and the plurality of first electrodes An insulating layer formed on a substrate on which a sensor electrode, a second sensor electrode, and a first bridge are formed, and second sensor electrodes adjacent to each other among the plurality of second sensor electrodes in the second direction through via holes penetrating through the insulating layer. And an anti-reflection layer disposed on a substrate on which the second bridge to connect and the plurality of sensor electrodes and the bridge are disposed.

In the touch panel according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the anti-reflection layer includes a film substrate, a low refractive layer disposed on the film substrate, and a high refractive layer disposed on the low refractive layer.

In the touch panel according to another embodiment of the present invention, the low refractive index layer and the high refractive layer are alternately provided.

In the touch panel according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the low refractive layer and the high refractive layer are alternately provided two to five times.

In the touch panel according to another embodiment of the present invention, the refractive index of the low refractive index layer is 1.3 or more and less than 1.5.

In the touch panel according to another embodiment of the present invention, the refractive index of the high refractive index layer is 1.5 or more and 2.5 or less.

In the touch panel according to another embodiment of the present invention, the low refractive layer includes at least one of MgF 2, NaF, and CaF 2.

In the touch panel according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the high refractive layer includes at least one of CeF 3, Al 2 O 3, ZrO 2, TiO 2, and Nb 2 O x.

According to one or more exemplary embodiments, a method of manufacturing a touch panel may include forming a plurality of first sensor electrodes, a second sensor electrode, and a first bridge on a substrate, wherein the first sensor electrode, the second sensor electrode, and the first bridge are formed. Forming a via hole for exposing a portion of the second sensor electrode through an insulating layer covering the second sensor electrode; forming a via hole for exposing a portion of the second sensor electrode; Forming a second bridge layer on the insulating layer while filling, patterning the second bridge layer to form a second bridge.

The forming of the insulating layer may include forming a low refractive layer and forming a high refractive layer.

The forming of the low refractive layer and the forming of the high refractive layer are performed twice to five times, respectively.

The forming of the low refractive layer and the forming of the high refractive layer may be performed using any one of a spin coating process, a printing process, a sputtering process, a chemical vapor deposition process, an atomic layer deposition process, and a vacuum deposition process.

The touch panel according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may improve visibility by preventing reflection due to external light through an insulating layer having an insulating function and an antireflection function.

In addition, the touch panel including the anti-reflection layer according to another example of the present invention may improve visibility by preventing reflection due to external light.

1 is a schematic plan view of a touch panel according to an example of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion A of the touch panel illustrated in FIG. 1.

3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II of FIG. 2.

4 is a schematic plan view of a touch panel according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the touch panel shown in FIG. 4.

6A to 6F are diagrams for describing a method of manufacturing a touch panel according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The present invention may be modified in various ways, and may be implemented in various forms. Only specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and the text will be mainly described. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above specific embodiments, and it should be understood that all changes, equivalents, or substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention.

In the present specification, when a part is connected to another part, this includes not only a case in which the part is directly connected, but also a case in which another part is electrically connected in between. In addition, when a part includes a certain component, this means that it may further include other components, without excluding other components, unless specifically stated otherwise.

The terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various components, but such components are not limited by the terms. The terms are used to distinguish one component from other components. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be referred to as the second or third component, and similarly, the second or third component may be alternatively named.

In order to clearly describe the present invention, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted, and like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification.

1 is a schematic plan view of a touch panel according to an example of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion A of the touch panel illustrated in FIG. 1. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II of FIG. 2.

For convenience of description in FIG. 1, the direction from the left side to the right side of the figure is determined as the first direction, and the direction from the top of the figure toward the bottom is determined as the second direction. The first direction and the second direction are exemplary and are not limited to the directions shown in FIG. 1.

1 to 3, the touch panel 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a substrate 110, a plurality of first sensor electrodes 210 disposed side by side in a first direction on the substrate, and A plurality of second sensor electrodes 220 arranged side by side in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a first bridge connecting the first sensor electrodes adjacent to each other among the plurality of first sensor electrodes in the first direction. 230, among the plurality of second sensor electrodes through an insulating layer 300 formed on a substrate on which the plurality of first sensor electrodes, the second sensor electrode, and the first bridge are formed, and via holes penetrating through the insulating layer. It may include a second bridge 240 for connecting the second sensor electrodes adjacent to each other in the second direction.

In addition, a wiring circuit (not shown) connected to the first sensor electrode 210 and the second sensor electrode 220 may be disposed on the bezel of the touch panel 100.

The substrate 110 may be formed using any one of a polymer film, a plastic, and an organic. Hereinafter, the substrate 110 will be described using an example of using a polymer film made of a transparent material. PET may be used as the polymer film of the transparent material.

The first sensor electrode 210 and the second sensor electrode 220 serve to determine whether an input device such as a finger or a touch pen is in contact with each other.

In FIG. 1, the first sensor electrode 210 and the second sensor electrode 220 are illustrated as having a rhombus shape, but are not necessarily limited to a rhombus shape, and may have various shapes such as a triangle, a square, a rectangle, and a circle. It can be formed as.

The number and size of the first sensor electrode 210 and the second sensor electrode 220 may vary depending on the resolution of the touch panel 100 and the type and size of the display to which the touch panel 100 is attached.

The first bridge 230 serves to connect the plurality of first sensor electrodes 210 to each other, and the second bridge 240 serves to connect the plurality of second sensor electrodes 220 to each other. do.

The first bridge 230 and the second bridge 240 cross each other with the insulating layer 300 interposed therebetween.

The first sensor electrode 210, the second sensor electrode 220, the first bridge 230, and the second bridge 240 may be formed of a metal or a transparent material having conductivity. Transparent conductive oxide (TCO) can be used as the transparent material having such conductivity.

As the transparent conductive oxide (TCO), indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO: indium zinc oxide), and zinc oxide (ZnO) may be used. These may be used alone or in combination with each other.

The first sensor electrode 210, the second sensor electrode 220, the first bridge 230, and the second bridge 240 may be formed of the same material or may be formed of different materials. In consideration of manufacturing convenience, the first sensor electrode 210, the second sensor electrode 220, the first bridge 230, and the second bridge 240 may be formed of the same material.

An insulating layer 300 may be formed on the substrate 110 on which the first sensor electrode 210, the second sensor electrode 220, and the first bridge 230 are formed.

The insulating layer 300 may be formed in a multilayer structure including at least one low refractive layer 310 and a high refractive layer 320. The insulating layer 300 may be formed by alternately repeating the low refractive layer 310 and the high refractive layer 320.

In FIG. 3, the insulating layer 300 is illustrated in a stacked structure in the order of the low refractive layer 311, the high refractive layer 321, the low refractive layer 312, and the high refractive layer 322, but is not limited thereto. The low refractive layer 310 and the high refractive layer 320 may be alternately stacked two to five times.

The low refractive layer 310 may be formed to include an organic material or an inorganic material having a refractive index of 1.3 or more and 1.5 or less. The low refractive layer 310 may be formed using MgF 2, NaF and CaF 2.

The high refractive index layer 320 may include an organic material or an inorganic material having a refractive index greater than 1.5 and less than 2.5. CeF3, Al2O3, ZrO2, TiO2 and Nb2Ox may be used as the high refractive layer.

As described above, the insulating layer 300 in which the low refractive index layer 310 and the high refractive index layer 320 are alternately stacked is electrically insulated from the first bridge 230 and the second bridge 240. At the same time anti-reflection can be achieved.

When external light is incident on the insulating layer 300, the external light incident at the boundary surface of each of the stacked thin films may be transmitted or absorbed without being reflected. As the difference in refractive index between the thin films stacked on the insulating layer 300 increases, the external light reflectance may decrease as the number of thin films stacked increases.

4 is a schematic plan view of a touch panel according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the touch panel shown in FIG. 4. Hereinafter, descriptions overlapping descriptions of the touch panel according to the exemplary embodiment will be omitted.

4 and 5, the touch panel 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate 110, a plurality of first sensor electrodes 210 disposed side by side in a first direction on the substrate, A plurality of second sensor electrodes 220 arranged side by side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a first connecting the first sensor electrodes adjacent to each other among the plurality of first sensor electrodes in the first direction; The bridge 230, the insulating layer 300 formed on the substrate having the plurality of first sensor electrodes, the second sensor electrode, and the first bridge, and the plurality of second sensor electrodes through via holes penetrating through the insulating layer. An anti-reflection layer disposed on a substrate on which the second bridge 240 and the plurality of

sensor electrodes

210 and 220 and the

bridges

230 and 240 which connect adjacent second sensor electrodes in the second direction are disposed ( 400).

The anti-reflection layer 400 may be formed in a multilayer structure including a film substrate 430, a low refractive layer 410 disposed on the film substrate 430, and a high refractive layer 420 disposed on the low refractive layer. Can be. The antireflection film 400 may be formed by alternately repeating the low refractive layer 410 and the high refractive layer 420.

In FIG. 5, the antireflection layer 400 has a structure in which a low refractive index layer 411, a high refractive index layer 421, a low refractive layer 412, and a high refractive layer 422 are stacked on the film base 430. Although not shown, the low refractive layer 410 and the high refractive layer 420 may be alternately stacked two to five times.

When external light is incident on the anti-reflection layer 400, the external light incident on the boundary surface of each of the stacked thin films may be transmitted or absorbed without being reflected. The amount of light transmitted or absorbed relative to the amount of incident light increases as the difference in refractive index between the thin films stacked on the antireflection layer 400 increases and the number of the high refractive index and the low refractive thin films stacked increases. Therefore, as the number of the high refractive index-low refractive thin films laminated increases, the external light reflectance may be lowered, thereby improving visibility.

In addition, ITO (n = 2.0), which may be used as a material such as the first sensor electrode 210, the second sensor electrode 220, the first bridge 230, and the second bridge 240, generally has a high refractive index. Since the material has a low refractive index layer 411 and one high refractive index-low refractive layer of the anti-reflection film 400 can be improved anti-reflection function.

The film substrate 430 may be formed using an insulating film of a transparent material. The film base material 430 can be appropriately selected from known transparent plastic films. Such plastic films include polyester films, polyethylene films, polypropylene films, triacetylcellulose films, polyvinyl chloride films, polyvinyl alcohol films, polyimide films, cycloolefin resin films, and acrylic resin films.

The film substrate 430 may be transparent, translucent, or colored. In addition, the thickness of the film substrate 430 is not particularly limited, but generally has a thickness range of 30 to 200μm. In addition, in order to improve adhesion to the layer formed on the film substrate 430, one or both surfaces of the film substrate 430 may be subjected to surface treatment by an oxidation method, an unevenness method, or the like. Examples of the oxidation method include a corona discharge treatment, a plasma treatment, a chromic acid treatment, a flame treatment, a hot air treatment, and an ultraviolet irradiation treatment. Examples of the uneven treatment include a sand blasting method and a solvent treatment method.

An adhesive layer 440 may be provided on the rear surface of the film substrate 430. The pressure-sensitive adhesive constituting the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 440 may be used a pressure-sensitive adhesive suitable for optical purposes, such a pressure-sensitive adhesive may be a urethane-based adhesive and a silicone-based adhesive. The thickness of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer may have a range value of 10 to 60μm.

The low refractive layer 410 may be formed to include an organic material or an inorganic material having a refractive index of 1.3 or more and less than 1.5. The low refractive layer 410 may be formed using MgF 2, NaF, CaF 2, or the like.

The high refractive layer 420 may be formed to include an organic material or an inorganic material having a refractive index of 1.5 or more and 2.5 or less. The high refractive layer 420 may use CeF 3, Al 2 O 3, ZrO 2, TiO 2, Nb 2 O x, or the like.

The low refractive layer 410 and the high refractive layer 420 is any one of a spin coating process, a printing process, a sputtering process, a chemical vapor deposition process, an atomic layer deposition process and a vacuum deposition process on the film substrate 430 It can be formed using.

When external light is incident on the anti-reflection layer 400, the external light incident on the boundary surface of each of the stacked thin films may be transmitted or absorbed without being reflected. As the difference in refractive index between the thin films stacked on the anti-reflection layer 400 increases, the external light reflectance may decrease as the number of stacked thin films increases.

According to one or more exemplary embodiments, a method of manufacturing a touch panel includes: (a) patterning a plurality of first sensor electrodes, a second sensor electrode, and a first bridge on a substrate; (b) the first sensor electrode and a second; Forming an insulating layer on the substrate on which the sensor electrode and the first bridge are patterned, (c) forming a via hole through the insulating layer covering the second sensor electrode to expose a portion of the second sensor electrode, (d) forming a second bridge layer on the insulating layer while filling a via hole exposing a portion of the second sensor electrode, (e) patterning the second bridge layer to form a second bridge Include.

Referring to FIG. 6A, a first sensor electrode 210, a second sensor electrode (not shown), and a first bridge 230 are formed on the substrate 110.

The first sensor electrode (not shown), the second sensor electrode 220 and the first bridge 230 to form a material for coating on the substrate 110, and then patterned to the first sensor on the substrate 110 An electrode (not shown), a second sensor electrode 220, and a first bridge 230 may be formed.

The first sensor electrode (not shown), the second sensor electrode 220 and the first bridge may be formed using a transparent conductive oxide (TCO). As the transparent conductive oxide (TCO), ITO, IZO, ZnO, or the like may be used.

The first sensor electrode (not shown), the second sensor electrode 220 and the method for forming the material for forming the first bridge 230 may be a spin coating process, printing process, sputtering process, chemical vapor deposition process, atomic layer Any one of a lamination process and a vacuum deposition process may be used.

Referring to FIG. 6B, an insulating layer 300 is formed on the substrate 110 on which the first sensor electrode (not shown), the second sensor electrode 220, and the first bridge 230 are formed.

The forming of the insulating layer 300 includes forming a low refractive layer 310 and forming a high refractive layer 320.

The forming of the low refractive layer 310 and the forming of the high refractive layer 320 may be repeated two to five times, respectively.

The low refractive layer 310 may be formed using at least one of MgFx, SiOx, NaF, and CaFx, and the high refractive layer 320 may be formed using at least one of CeFx, Al2Ox, ZrOx, TiOx, and Nb2Ox. Can be.

The low refractive layer 310 and the high refractive layer 320 may be formed using any one of a spin coating process, a printing process, a sputtering process, a chemical vapor deposition process, an atomic layer deposition process and a vacuum deposition process.

Referring to FIG. 6C, a via hole is formed through the insulating layer 300 to expose a portion of the second sensor electrode 220.

The via hole is for electrically connecting the plurality of second sensor electrodes 220 to the second bridge 240. The via hole may be formed through the insulating layer 300 disposed on the second sensor electrode 220.

6D and 6E, a second bridge layer is formed on the insulating layer 300. After forming a second bridge layer on the insulating layer 300 while filling a via hole exposing a portion of the second sensor electrode, the second bridge layer is patterned to form a second bridge 240.

Embodiments of the touch panel described above are merely exemplary, and the protection scope of the present invention may include various modifications and equivalents from those skilled in the art.

Claims

Board;

A plurality of first sensor electrodes arranged side by side in a first direction on the substrate;

A plurality of second sensor electrodes spaced apart from the first sensor electrode on the substrate and disposed side by side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;

A first bridge connecting the first sensor electrodes adjacent to each other among the plurality of first sensor electrodes in the first direction;

An insulating layer formed on the substrate on which the plurality of first sensor electrodes, the second sensor electrodes, and the first bridge are formed; And

A second bridge connecting second sensor electrodes adjacent to each other among the plurality of second sensor electrodes in the second direction through a via hole penetrating through the insulating layer,

And the first bridge and the second bridge cross each other.
The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the insulating layer comprises at least one low refractive index layer and a high refractive index layer.
The touch panel of claim 2, wherein the low refractive index layer comprises at least one of MgF 2, NaF, and CaF 2.
The touch panel of claim 2, wherein the high refractive index layer comprises at least one of CeF 3, Al 2 O 3, ZrO 2, TiO 2, and Nb 2 Ox.
Board;

A plurality of first sensor electrodes arranged side by side in a first direction on the substrate;

A plurality of second sensor electrodes spaced apart from the first sensor electrode on the substrate and disposed side by side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;

A first bridge connecting the first sensor electrodes adjacent to each other among the plurality of first sensor electrodes in the first direction;

An insulating layer formed on the substrate on which the plurality of first sensor electrodes, the second sensor electrodes, and the first bridge are formed;

A second bridge connecting second sensor electrodes adjacent to each other of the plurality of second sensor electrodes in the second direction through a via hole penetrating through the insulating layer; And

And an anti-reflection layer disposed on a substrate on which the plurality of sensor electrodes and the bridge are disposed.
The method of claim 5, wherein the antireflection layer,

Film substrates;

A low refractive layer disposed on the film substrate; And

And a high refractive layer disposed on the low refractive layer.
The touch panel of claim 6, wherein the low refractive layer and the high refractive layer are alternately provided.
The touch panel of claim 6, wherein the low refractive layer and the high refractive layer are alternately provided two to five times.
The touch panel of claim 6, wherein the low refractive index layer has a refractive index of about 1.3 to about 1.5.
The touch panel of claim 6, wherein the high refractive index layer has a refractive index of about 1.5 to about 2.5.
The touch panel of claim 6, wherein the low refractive index layer comprises at least one of MgF 2, NaF, and CaF 2.
The touch panel of claim 6, wherein the high refractive index layer comprises at least one of CeF 3, Al 2 O 3, ZrO 2, TiO 2, and Nb 2 Ox.
Forming a plurality of first sensor electrodes, second sensor electrodes, and first bridges on the substrate;

Forming an insulating layer on a substrate on which the first sensor electrode, the second sensor electrode, and the first bridge are formed;

Forming a via hole through the insulating layer covering the second sensor electrode to expose a portion of the second sensor electrode;

Forming a second bridge layer on the insulating layer while filling a via hole exposing a portion of the second sensor electrode; And

And patterning the second bridge layer to form a second bridge.
The method of claim 13, wherein the forming of the insulating layer,

Forming a low refractive layer; And

Forming a high refractive layer; Touch panel manufacturing method comprising a.
The method of claim 13, wherein the forming of the low refractive layer and the forming of the high refractive layer are performed two to five times, respectively.
The method of claim 13, wherein the forming of the low refractive layer and the forming of the high refractive layer are performed by any one of a spin coating process, a printing process, a sputtering process, a chemical vapor deposition process, an atomic layer deposition process, and a vacuum deposition process. Touch panel manufacturing method formed using.