Nanostructure, method of preparing the same, and panel units comprising the nanostructure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10438715-B2
Application number	US-201514808360-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2015
Priority date	Nov 12, 2014
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

Example embodiments relate to a nanostructure including a conductive region and a nonconductive region, wherein the conductive region includes at least one first nanowire, and the nonconductive region includes at least one second nanowire that is at least partially sectioned, a method of preparing the nanostructure, and a panel unit including the nanostructure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nanostructure comprising;
a conductive region; and
a nonconductive region, the conductive region and the nonconductive region not overlapping in a planar direction;
wherein the conductive region includes at least one first nanowire, and
the nonconductive region includes at least one second nanowire that is at least partially disconnected.

2. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein an average diameter of the second nanowire is lower than an average diameter of the first nanowire, and a difference in the average diameters between the first nanowire and the second nanowire is about 5% or less.

3. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein an average length of the second nanowire is lower than an average length of the first nanowire, and a difference in the average lengths between the first nanowire and the second nanowire is about 10% or less.

4. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein a difference in sheet resistances between the nonconductive region and the conductive region is about 10 9 Ω/cm or greater.

5. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein a deviation of an average diameter of the second nanowire is in a range of about 5 nm to about 10 nm.

6. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein a deviation of an average length of the second nanowire is in a range of about 2 μm to about 10 μm.

7. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein an aspect ratio of the second nanowire is in a range of about 1 to about 500.

8. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein an aspect uniformity of the second nanowire is about 90% or greater.

9. The nanostructure of claim 1 , further comprising:
an insulating film on at least one portion of a surface of the second nanowire.

10. The nanostructure of claim 9 , wherein the insulating film comprises at least one of silver chloride (AgCl) and silver oxide.

11. The nanostructure of claim 1 , further comprising:
a polymer film on at least one portion of surfaces of the first nanowire and the second nanowire.

12. The nanostructure of claim 11 , wherein the polymer film comprises at least one of polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyacetylene, polypyrrole, polythiophene, polyaniline, polyfluorolene, poly(3-alkylthiophene), poly(3,4-ethyleneoxythiophene), polynaphthalene, poly(p-phenylene), and poly(p-phenylene vinylene).

13. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein an average diameter of the second nanowire is in a range of about 9.5 nm to about 95 nm, and an average length of the second nanowire is in a range of about 2.4 μm to about 80 μm.

14. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein a haze of the nonconductive region is less than a haze of the conductive region, and a difference between the haze of the nonconductive region and the haze of the conductive region is about 0.2% or less.

15. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein an average diameter of the first nanowire is in a range of about 10 nm to about 100 nm, and an average length of the first nanowire is in a range of about 3 μm to about 200 μm.

16. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein an average diameter of the at least one second nanowire is substantially smaller than an average diameter of the at least one first nanowire.

17. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein the nonconductive region further comprises an insulating portion between a plurality of second nanowire sections.

18. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein the first nanowire and the second nanowire respectively comprise at least one of iron (Fe), platinum (Pt), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), gold (Au), copper (Cu), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), cadmium sulfide (CdS), cadmium selenide (CdSe), cadmium telluride (CdTe), zinc sulfide (ZnS), zinc selenide (ZnSe), zinc tellurid (ZnTe), gallium nitride (GaN), gallium phosphide (GaP), gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium antimonide (GaSb), aluminum nitride (AlN), aluminum phosphide (AlP), aluminum arsenide (AlAs), aluminum antimonide (AlSb), indium phosphide (InP), indium arsenide (InAs), indium antimonide (InSb), silicon carbide (SiC), iron-platinum (FePt), ferric oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ), and ferrous oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ).

19. The nanostructure of claim 1 , wherein a transmittance of the nonconductive region is greater than a transmittance of the conductive region, and a difference between the transmittance of the nonconductive region and the transmittance of the conductive region is about 0.1% or less.

20. The nanostructure of claim 1 , further comprising a matrix.

21. The nanostructure of claim 20 , wherein the matrix comprises at least one of a polyurethane-based resin, a polyester-based resin, an acrylic resin, a polyether-based resin, a cellulose-based resin, a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin, an epoxy-based resin, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, a polystyrene-based resin, and polyethylene glycol.

22. A panel unit comprising the nanostructure according to claim 1 .

23. The panel unit of claim 22 , wherein the panel unit is a flat panel display (FPD), a touchscreen panel (TSP) display, a flexible display, or a foldable display.

24. A method of preparing a nanostructure having a conductive region and a nonconductive region, the method comprising:
forming a first nanowire layer comprising at least one first nanowire;
preparing a conductive film including the first nanowire and a matrix by coating a matrix-forming material on the first nanowire layer; and
etching one region of the conductive film by bringing an etching solution including at least one of alkali metal hypochlorite and alkali earth metal hypochlorite into contact with the one region under weak acidic conditions or under alkaline conditions to form at least one second nanowire, the at least one second nanowire being at least partially disconnected; and
the conductive region and the nonconductive region not overlapping in a planar direction of the conductive film.

25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising:
forming a photoresist film on the conductive film before the etching of the one region, and
bringing the etching solution into contact with the one region of the conductive film by using the photoresist film as an etching mask.

26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the at least one of the alkali metal hypochlorite and alkali earth metal hypochlorite comprises sodium hypochlorite, potassium hypochlorite, lithium hypochlorite, magnesium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite or a mixture thereof.

27. The method of claim 24 , wherein a pH of the weak acidic conditions is in a range of about 3 to about 6, and a pH of the alkaline conditions is about 10 or greater.

28. The method of claim 24 , wherein the etching solution comprises at least one of a pH adjusting agent, a reaction retardant, an oxidant, and an etching agent.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the oxidant comprises at least one of a peroxide, a persulfide, a peroxo compound, a metal oxide salt, an organic oxidant, and a gas oxidant.

30. The method of claim 28 , wherein the etching agent comprises at least one of nitric acid, phosphoric acid, acetic acid, sodium nitrate (NaNO 3 ), and a halide.

31. The method of claim 24 , wherein an amount of the at least one of the alkali metal hypochlorite and the alkali earth metal hypochlorite is in a range of about 1% to about 30% by weight in the etching solution.

32. The method of claim 24 , wherein the etching solution is

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cho Eunhyoung
• Song Inyong
• Lee Changseung
• Kwak Chan
• Kim Jaekwan
• Lee Jooho
• Hwang Jinyoung

Classifications

• C23F1/02

  Local etching · CPC title

• G06F3/041

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title

• C23F1/14

  Aqueous compositions · CPC title

• H01B1/22 Primary

  the conductive material comprising metals or alloys · CPC title

• G06F2203/04103

  Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices · CPC title