TWI459269B - Manufacturing method of touch panel - Google Patents

Description

Touch panel manufacturing method

The invention relates to a touch panel structure and a manufacturing method thereof, which are used for improving the complicated process of the conventional capacitive touch panel, and can improve the process yield of the capacitive touch panel and reduce the manufacturing process of the projected capacitive touch panel.

According to the current touch panel input mode, including resistive, capacitive, optical, electromagnetic induction, sonic induction, etc.; Touching the surface of the panel with a finger or a sensor pen, and generating a change in voltage and current inside the panel subjected to the touched position, thereby detecting the position at which the panel surface is touched to achieve the purpose of touch input.

Moreover, in order to detect that the user touches the position on the touch panel with a finger or a sensor pen, the manufacturer has developed various capacitive touch sensing structures. For example, a single-layer bridge type touch structure, wherein the bridge wire is made of metal material, in order to avoid affecting the appearance quality, an anti-reflection film layer is covered on the surface of the bridge wire to reduce the reflection effect of the metal, usually the light in the process The resistance remains on the surface of the bridge wire, but an additional step is required to remove the photoresist from the metal finger to the FPC. The general process is to form a bridge pattern after the photoresist is formed, to create a bridge, and then to remove the photoresist. Then, a layer of photoresist is formed, and after exposure and development, a patterned photoresist is formed to leave a photoresist on the bridge wire, and the above process is complicated.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a touch panel, which improves the process yield of the capacitive touch panel and reduces the manufacturing process of the projected capacitive touch panel.

To achieve the above object, a method of manufacturing a touch panel of the present invention includes: providing a transparent substrate. A transparent conductive layer is formed over the transparent substrate. A first metal layer is formed over the transparent conductive layer. Patterning the first metal layer and the transparent conductive layer to form a plurality of first sensing series, a plurality of second sensing pads, terminal lines and a plurality of contacts having the first metal layer thereon, the plurality of first sensing The serial array has a plurality of first sensing pads and a plurality of first bridge wires, the plurality of first sensing pads are arranged in an array manner, and the plurality of first bridge wires are electrically connected to each of the adjacent first sensing pads in the first direction The plurality of second sensing pads are arranged in an array manner, and the plurality of second sensing pads and the plurality of first sensing pads are interlaced, and each of the contacts is respectively connected to the plurality of first sensing series and the plurality of second sensing pads through the terminal lines connection. The first metal layer on the plurality of first sensing series and the plurality of second sensing pads is removed. An insulating layer is formed over the first metal layer and the transparent conductive layer. The insulating layer is patterned to form a plurality of insulating pads. A second metal layer is formed over the insulating layer. A patterned photoresist layer is formed over the second metal layer. Etching the second metal layer to form a plurality of second bridge lines having the photoresist layer thereon, and exposing the plurality of contacts, wherein the plurality of second bridge lines and the plurality of first sensing series are electrically insulated by the plurality of insulating pads And the plurality of second bridge wires are electrically connected with the plurality of second sensing pads adjacent to the second direction to form a plurality of second sensing series, and the plurality of contacts are respectively transmitted through the terminal lines and the plurality of first sensing series and the plurality The second sensing is connected in series, and the plurality of contacts are connected to the flexible circuit board.

In order to achieve the above object, a method for manufacturing a touch panel of the present invention, wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer are made of different materials, and the second metal layer on the first metal layer of the plurality of contacts is selectively etched. Alternatively, or may be selectively etched using different etching solutions; further, the first metal layer may also be multi-layered, and the ion beam surface is modified before the second metal layer is formed on the surface of the first metal layer. And forming a second metal layer.

In order to achieve the above object, a method for manufacturing a touch panel of the present invention, wherein a thickness of the second metal layer is thinner than that of the first metal layer, and selectively etching the second metal on the first metal layer of the plurality of contacts Layer removal.

To achieve the above object, a method of manufacturing a touch panel of the present invention, wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer are at least one conductive metal layer.

To achieve the above object, the method for manufacturing a touch panel of the present invention, wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer may be a conductive metal or a conductive alloy such as a copper alloy, an aluminum alloy, gold, silver, aluminum, copper, or molybdenum.

In order to achieve the above object, the method for manufacturing a touch panel of the present invention further comprises using an ion beam surface modification before forming the second metal layer.

In order to achieve the above object, a method of manufacturing a touch panel of the present invention, wherein the first metal layer may have a multi-layer structure, wherein the uppermost layer is a copper alloy or molybdenum.

To achieve the above object, a method of manufacturing a touch panel of the present invention, wherein the second metal layer is pure copper.

To achieve the above object, a method of manufacturing a touch panel of the present invention, wherein the transparent substrate can be a rollable transparent substrate, a transparent substrate, glass, or plastic.

To achieve the above object, a method of fabricating a touch panel of the present invention, wherein patterning the insulating layer further comprises forming an insulating layer over the terminal line.

To achieve the above object, the method for manufacturing a touch panel of the present invention, wherein the patterned insulating layer further comprises forming an insulating layer over the plurality of contacts, and the insulating layer covers the periphery of each contact to expose each connection. The center of the point section.

To achieve the above object, the method for manufacturing a touch panel of the present invention, wherein the patterning the transparent conductive layer comprises: forming a patterned photoresist layer on the transparent conductive layer; etching the transparent conductive layer to form a plurality of first sensing strings a column and a plurality of second sensing pads; and removing the patterned photoresist layer.

In order to achieve the above object, the method for manufacturing the touch panel of the present invention further comprises: forming an adhesive layer on the sensing structure after patterning the conductive layer, and then cutting the adhesive layer on the plurality of sensing structures; The flexible roll-type transparent substrate forms a plurality of sheet-shaped sensing substrates; and each of the sheet-shaped sensing substrates is adhered to the rigid transparent substrate by an adhesive layer.

In order to achieve the above object, the manufacturing method of the touch panel of the present invention further comprises forming an adhesive layer on the lower surface of the flexible roll transparent substrate; and then cutting the flexible roll covered with the adhesive layer below the lower surface. a transparent substrate forming a plurality of sheet-shaped sensing substrates; and an adhesive layer adhering each of the sheet-shaped sensing substrates to the rigid transparent substrate.

To achieve the above object, the method for manufacturing a touch panel of the present invention further comprises forming a transparent conductive layer on a lower surface of the flexible roll transparent substrate.

To achieve the above object, the method for manufacturing a touch panel of the present invention further comprises: forming a transparent insulating protective layer on the sensing structure.

To achieve the above object, the method for manufacturing a touch panel of the present invention further comprises: forming an anti-interference layer under the flexible roll transparent substrate.

To achieve the above object, the method for manufacturing a touch panel of the present invention further comprises: forming an anti-interference layer between the flexible roll transparent substrate and the transparent conductive layer.

Please refer to FIGS. 1a to 11l, which illustrate a method of manufacturing a touch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1a, a transparent substrate 100 is provided which may be a rollable transparent substrate, a transparent substrate, glass, or plastic. The transparent substrate 100 has an upper surface 101 and an edge 103, and the edge 103 is located on one side of the upper surface 101. The transparent substrate 100 is made of a flexible material and can be curled into a roll shape. The material of the flexible roll type transparent substrate 100 may be, for example, one of PEN, PET, PES, flexible glass, PMMA, PC or PI, or may be a multilayer composite material of the above materials, and the above materials may also be formed. A substrate having a plurality of transparent stacked structures, the multilayer transparent stack structure may be, for example, an anti-reflective layer. Forming the transparent conductive layer 110 on the upper surface 101, the material of the transparent conductive layer 110 may be, for example, indium tin oxide, indium oxide, zinc oxide, indium zinc oxide, zinc oxide doped with aluminum, and tin oxide doped with antimony. One of them or a mixture thereof. Then, at least one first metal layer 120 is formed on the transparent conductive layer 110. The first metal layer 120 may be at least one conductive metal layer or a plurality of conductive metal layers. The material of the conductive metal layer may be a conductive metal or a conductive alloy such as a copper alloy, an aluminum alloy, gold, silver, aluminum, copper or molybdenum. The structure of the multi-layer conductive metal layer may be, for example, a stacked structure of a molybdenum layer/aluminum layer/molybdenum layer, or may be a conductive metal or a conductive alloy selected from the group consisting of copper alloy, aluminum alloy, gold, silver, aluminum, copper, molybdenum, and the like. A multi-layer conductive metal layer structure stacked with a plurality of materials. Most of the conductive metal layers use physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and the deposition rate is fast and the process is stable.

Forming the sensing structure 10 on the upper surface 101 of the transparent substrate 100, as shown in FIG. 1b and FIG. 1e, including: performing a first yellow light process, patterning the first metal layer 120 and the transparent conductive layer 110, The first yellow light process includes forming a patterned photoresist layer (having a plurality of photoresist structures 11) on the first metal layer 120. The material of the photoresist layer may be a liquid photoresist or a dry film photoresist. Then performing an etching step of etching away the first metal layer 120 and the transparent conductive layer 110 not protected by the photoresist structure 11, and removing the patterned photoresist layer to form a plurality of first senses having the first metal layer 120 thereon The measurement serial array 111, the plurality of second sensing pads 1121, the terminal lines 121 and the plurality of contacts 122, the plurality of first sensing series 111 respectively have a plurality of first sensing pads 1111 and a plurality of first bridge wires 1112, plural A plurality of sensing pads 1111 are arranged in an array. The plurality of first bridge wires 1112 are electrically connected to the adjacent plurality of first sensing pads 1111 in the first direction D1, and the plurality of second sensing pads 1121 are arranged in an array manner. The sensing pad 1121 and the plurality of first sensing pads 1111 are interlaced and surrounded by each other. The terminal lines 121 and the contacts 122 are formed on the edge 103. The contacts 122 are respectively transmitted through the terminal lines 121 and the plurality of first sensing series 111. The plurality of second sensing pads 1121 are electrically connected.

Then, a second yellow light process is performed to remove the first metal layer 120 on the plurality of first sensing series 111 and the plurality of second sensing pads 1121, so that the terminal line 121 and the plurality of contacts 122 still have the first Metal layer 120.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1f, an insulating layer 130 is formed to uniformly cover the first metal layer 120 and the transparent conductive layer 110. Performing a third yellow light process, exposing and developing the insulating layer, and patterning the insulating layer 130. As shown in FIG. 1g and FIG. 1h, a plurality of insulating pads 131 are formed, and the insulating pads 131 are respectively located on the first bridge wires. Above 1112.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1i, at least one second metal layer 140 is formed over the insulating layer 130. Performing a fourth yellow light process, as shown in FIGS. 1j to 11 , forming a patterned photoresist layer on the second metal layer, wherein the patterned photoresist layer may be a black matrix (BM), or Reflective material. The second metal layer 140 is respectively covered with the photoresist structure 11 above the plurality of insulating pads 131; and the second metal layer 140 is etched to remove the plurality of first sensing pads 1111, the plurality of second sensing pads 1121, the terminal lines 121, and The second metal layer 140 on the plurality of contacts 122 forms a plurality of second bridges 141 on the photoresist structure 11 having the photoresist layer, and exposes a plurality of contacts 122, wherein the plurality of second bridge lines 141 and the plurality of The plurality of sensing pads 131 are electrically insulated from the plurality of insulating pads 131, and the second bridge wires 141 are electrically connected to the plurality of second sensing pads 1121 adjacent to the second direction D2 to form a plurality of second sensing series 112. Each of the contacts 122 is connected to the plurality of first sensing series 111 and the plurality of second sensing series 112 through the terminal line 121, and the plurality of contacts are provided with a heat-pressing flexible circuit board for forming the sensing structure and the flexible circuit board. Electrical connection (not shown).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the method for manufacturing the touch panel as described above further includes: the structure of the plurality of second bridge wires 141 may be at least one layer of conductive metal or a plurality of layers of conductive metal. The material of the conductive metal layer may be a conductive metal or a conductive alloy such as a copper alloy, an aluminum alloy, gold, silver, aluminum, copper or molybdenum. The structure of the multi-layer conductive metal layer may be, for example, a stacked structure of a molybdenum layer/aluminum layer/molybdenum layer, or may be a conductive metal or a conductive alloy selected from the group consisting of copper alloy, aluminum alloy, gold, silver, aluminum, copper, molybdenum, and the like. A multi-layer conductive metal layer structure stacked with a plurality of materials. Most of the conductive metal layers use physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and the deposition rate is fast and the process is stable. Or the structure of the plurality of second bridge wires 141 may be one of indium tin oxide, indium oxide, zinc oxide, indium zinc oxide, zinc oxide doped with aluminum, and tin oxide doped with antimony; or a mixture thereof; The photoresist layer used above may be a liquid photoresist or a dry film photoresist.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, in the manufacturing method of the touch panel as described above, the first metal layer 120 and the second metal layer 140 are made of different materials, and the plurality of contacts 121 are selectively etched. The second metal layer 140 on the first metal layer 120 is removed leaving only a plurality of contacts 121 such that the plurality of contacts 121 are not conductive. For example, the first metal layer may be a plurality of layers, wherein the uppermost layer may be a copper alloy, and the second metal layer may be pure copper, in which case different etching solutions may be selected for selective etching. For example, the first metal layer formed by the process may be a multi-layer structure, wherein the uppermost layer is a copper alloy, and an ion beam is used for surface modification before forming the second metal layer, and then a second metal layer is formed, wherein the second layer The metal layer may be a conductive metal or a conductive alloy of pure copper, copper alloy, aluminum alloy, gold, silver, aluminum, molybdenum, etc., preferably pure copper. In another embodiment, the first metal layer formed in the process may be a multi-layer structure, wherein the uppermost layer is molybdenum, and the surface is modified by using an ion beam before forming the second metal layer, and then the second metal layer is formed, wherein The two metal layers may be pure copper, copper alloy, aluminum alloy, gold, silver, aluminum, molybdenum or the like conductive metal or conductive alloy, preferably pure copper. Or the thickness of the second metal layer 140 is thinner than the first metal layer 120, for example, the thickness of the first metal layer: the thickness of the second metal layer is 3:1, and then the plurality of contacts are connected to the first metal layer 120 by selective etching. The second metal layer 140 is removed, leaving only a plurality of contacts 121 such that the plurality of contacts 121 are not conductive. Alternatively, it can be selectively etched using different etching solutions.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a touch panel as described above, further comprising: using an ion beam surface modification before forming the second metal layer. The surface modification of the ion beam can enhance the adhesion of the insulating layer to the second metal layer and enhance the adhesion of the transparent conductive layer to the second metal layer.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a touch panel as described above, wherein the patterned insulating layer 130 further comprises forming an insulating layer over the terminal line 121, as shown in FIG. 2a, the patterned insulating layer The insulating pad 131 covers and protects the terminal line 121. When the second metal layer is etched, the thin lines of the terminal lines 121 will be protected while remaining.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a touch panel as described above, wherein the patterned insulating layer 13 further comprises forming an insulating layer over the terminal line 121 and the plurality of contacts 122, as shown in FIG. 2b. The insulating pad 131 of the patterned insulating layer covers the periphery of each of the contacts 122 to form an opening 1221 exposing the center of each of the contacts 122. Since the insulating layer protects the periphery of the plurality of contacts, damage to the periphery of the plurality of contacts can be avoided during the etching of the second metal layer. Moreover, the center exposed by the plurality of contacts can be used for the thermal compression connection of the flexible circuit board.

The above process steps form the complex sensing structure 10 on the upper surface 101 of the flexible roll transparent substrate 100, and then form an adhesive layer 150 on the plurality of sensing structures 10, as shown in FIG. 3a, and then cut and covered. The transparent substrate 100 having the adhesive layer 150 on the plurality of sensing structures 10 forms a plurality of sheet-shaped sensing substrates 170 as shown in FIG. 3b. Each of the sheet-like sensing substrates 170 is then adhered to the rigid transparent substrate 160 with an adhesive layer 150 as shown in FIG. 3c.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a touch panel as described above, comprising forming another transparent conductive layer on a lower surface of the flexible roll transparent substrate to prevent electromagnetic interference (EMI) of the touch panel. And the setting of another transparent conductive layer can be completed at any time in the above process steps, and is not limited thereto.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method of fabricating a touch panel as described above, comprising forming a transparent insulating protective layer overlying a plurality of sensing structures and a flexible transparent substrate having no sensing structure, only In the area where the terminal line and the contact are electrically connected to the flexible circuit board (not shown) Covered with a transparent insulating cover. The transparent insulating protective layer may be made of cerium oxide (SiO2), an organic insulating material, an inorganic insulating material or a photoresist. The photoresist may be, for example, a liquid photoresist or a dry film photoresist, to prevent moisture intrusion of the sensing structure. Or the protection of oxidation is quite excellent.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method of fabricating a touch panel as described above, comprising forming an interference-resistant layer on a lower surface of the flexible roll-type transparent substrate. Or forming an anti-interference layer on the upper surface to form a transparent insulating layer on the anti-interference layer. And forming a complex sensing structure over the transparent insulating layer. The anti-interference layer can be used to protect the touch panel from electromagnetic interference (EMI). The material of the anti-interference layer may be one of indium tin oxide, indium oxide, zinc oxide, indium zinc oxide, zinc oxide doped with aluminum, and tin oxide doped with antimony or a mixture thereof.

Although the present invention has been disclosed above by way of example, it is not intended to limit the invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the scope of the claims, and the scope of the invention is intended to be limited by the scope of the invention.

D1. . . First direction

D2. . . Second direction

100. . . Transparent substrate

10. . . Sensing structure

11. . . Photoresist structure

101. . . Upper surface

103. . . edge

110. . . Transparent conductive layer

111. . . First sensing series

1111. . . First sensing pad

1112. . . First bridge wiring

112. . . Second sensing series

1121. . . Second sensing pad

120. . . First metal layer

121. . . Terminal line

122. . . contact

1221. . . Opening

130. . . Insulation

131. . . Insulation pad

140. . . Second metal layer

141. . . Second bridge wiring

150. . . Adhesive layer

160. . . Hard transparent substrate

170. . . Sheet sensing substrate

1a to 11l are schematic views showing a method of manufacturing a touch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2a to 2b are schematic views showing a method of manufacturing a touch panel according to another embodiment of the present invention.

3a to 3c are schematic views showing a method of manufacturing a touch panel according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

100‧‧‧Flexible roll transparent substrate

11‧‧‧Light-resistance structure

1112‧‧‧First bridge wiring

1121‧‧‧Second sensing pad

121‧‧‧Terminal lines

122‧‧‧Contacts

131‧‧‧Insulation mat

141‧‧‧Second bridge wiring

Claims (10)

A method for manufacturing a touch panel, comprising: providing a transparent substrate; forming a transparent conductive layer on the transparent substrate; forming a first metal layer on the transparent conductive layer; and patterning the first metal layer And the transparent conductive layer, forming a plurality of first sensing series, a plurality of second sensing pads, a terminal line and a plurality of contacts having the first metal layer thereon, and the first sensing series Each of the first sensing pads and the plurality of first bridges are arranged in an array, and the first bridges are electrically connected in a first direction adjacent to each of the first sensings. The second sensing pads are arranged in an array, and the second sensing pads are interlaced with the first sensing pads, and the contacts are respectively connected to the first sensing series through the terminal lines. Connecting the second sensing pads; removing the first metal layer on the first sensing series and the second sensing pads; forming an insulating layer on the first metal layer and the transparent conductive layer Patterning the insulating layer to form a plurality of insulating pads; forming a second metal Forming a patterned photoresist layer on the second metal layer; etching the second metal layer to form a plurality of second bridge lines having a photoresist layer thereon, and using selective etching Removing the second metal layer on the first metal layer of the contacts, and exposing the contacts, wherein the second bridge wires and the first sensing series are respectively insulated by the wires Padded electrically insulated, and the second bridge wires are electrically connected to the second sensing pads adjacent to a second direction A plurality of second sensing series are formed, and the contacts are respectively connected to the first sensing series and the second sensing series through the terminal lines, and the contacts are connected to a flexible circuit board. The method of manufacturing a touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer are different in material. The method of manufacturing a touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the second metal layer is thinner than the first metal layer. The method for manufacturing a touch panel according to claim 1, further comprising modifying the surface of the ion beam before forming the second metal layer. The method for manufacturing a touch panel according to claim 4, wherein the first metal layer may have a multi-layer structure, and the uppermost layer may be a copper alloy or molybdenum. The method of manufacturing a touch panel according to claim 4, wherein the second metal layer is pure copper. The method of manufacturing a touch panel according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer are at least one layer of a conductive metal layer. The method for manufacturing a touch panel according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the transparent substrate is a rollable transparent substrate, a transparent substrate, glass, or plastic. The method of manufacturing a touch panel according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the patterning the insulating layer further comprises forming the insulating layer over the terminal line. The method of manufacturing a touch panel according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the insulating layer is patterned, and further comprising forming the insulating layer Above the contacts, the insulating layer covers the periphery of each of the contacts to form an opening exposing the center of each of the contact portions.