Touch panel and method for fabricating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9727195-B2
Application number	US-201514971798-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2015
Priority date	Apr 12, 2011
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

A method for fabricating a touch panel includes forming a routing and pad pattern group on a substrate to include first and second routing lines, first pad electrodes connected to the first routing line, and second pad electrodes connected to the second routing line, by using a first mask, forming a sensor electrode pattern group on the substrate having the routing and pad pattern group formed thereon to include first sensor electrodes formed in a first direction, second sensor electrodes formed in a second direction, and connection portions that each connects adjacent first sensor electrodes, by using a second mask, forming a first insulating layer to include contact holes to expose portions of the second sensor electrodes, respectively, by using a third mask and forming bridges that each connects adjacent second sensor electrodes through the contact holes and a second insulating layer on the bridges, by using a fourth mask.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for fabricating a touch panel, comprising:
forming a routing and pad pattern group on a substrate to include first and second routing lines, first pad electrodes connected to the first routing line, and second pad electrodes connected to the second routing line, by using a first mask;
forming a sensor electrode pattern group on the substrate having the routing and pad pattern group formed thereon to include first sensor electrodes formed in a first direction, second sensor electrodes formed in a second direction, and connection portions that each connects adjacent first sensor electrodes, by using a second mask;
forming a first insulating layer to include contact holes to expose portions of the second sensor electrodes, by using a third mask; and
forming both bridges that each connects adjacent second sensor electrodes through the contact holes and a second insulating layer on the bridges, by using a fourth mask, wherein the forming both bridges and the second insulating layer on the bridges includes forming the second insulating layer only on a top surface and not on a side surface of the bridges.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of forming a first insulating layer includes removing the first insulating layer from a pad portion region to open the pad portion region having the first and second pad electrodes formed thereon.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of forming a sensor electrode pattern group includes:
forming a first transparent conductive layer on the substrate including the first and second routing lines, and the first and second pad electrodes;
crystallizing the first transparent conductive layer; and
patterning the first transparent conductive layer to form the first sensor electrodes, the second sensor electrodes, and the connection portions.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the patterning of the first transparent conductive layer further comprises forming a first transparent pad electrode on the first pad electrode, and a second transparent pad electrode on the second pad electrode.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of forming both bridges and a second insulating layer on the bridges includes:
forming a second transparent conductive layer on the first insulating layer;
forming the second insulating layer on the second transparent conductive layer; and
patterning the second insulating layer and the second transparent conductive layer by using the fourth mask to form the bridges.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the step of patterning includes:
selectively removing the second insulating layer by photolithography and dry etching with the fourth mask except a region where the bridges are to be formed thereon; and
patterning the second transparent conductive layer by wet etching by using the fourth mask to form the bridges.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the second transparent conductive layer is an amorphous layer.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising crystallizing the bridges after the patterning of the second transparent conductive layer.

Assignees

• Lg Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Seung-Hyun
• Kim Hyung-Chul
• Yoo Tae-Yeon

Classifications

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F2203/04103

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

• G06F3/0446

  using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes · CPC title

• G06F3/0443 Primary

  using a single layer of sensing electrodes · CPC title

• G02F1/13338

  Input devices, e.g. touch panels · CPC title