Capacitance touch panel with silver-inclusive transparent conductive layer(s) and dielectric layer(s)
View Patent ↗Certain example embodiments relate to capacitive touch panels. First and second glass substrates are substantially parallel and spaced apart from one another. At least one multi-layer transparent conductive coating (TCC) is patterned into electrodes and located between the first and second substrates. The TCC(s) include(s) at least one conductive layer including silver, a dielectric layer including zinc oxide under and directly contacting the conductive layer including silver, and a dielectric layer(s) including tin oxide or silicon nitride over the conductive layer including silver. Processing circuitry electrically connects to the electrodes and measures an aspect of the electrodes' capacitance. A laminate material is located between the first and second glass substrates. The TCC(s), when blanket deposited, may have a visible transmission of at least 88%, a sheet resistances of no more than 10 ohms per square, and a haze of no more than 0.5%. Mutual and self-capacitance designs are disclosed.
1. A capacitive touch panel, comprising:
first and second substrates that are spaced apart from one another;
at least one multi-layer transparent conductive coating patterned into a plurality of electrodes and located between the first and second substrates, the at least one multi-layer transparent conductive coating including at least one conductive layer comprising silver, a dielectric layer comprising zinc oxide under and directly contacting the conductive layer comprising silver, and a dielectric layer comprising silicon nitride over the conductive layer comprising silver;
processing circuitry electrically connected to the plurality of electrodes and configured to measure an aspect of capacitance; and
a laminate material located between the first and second substrates.
2. The capacitive touch panel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one transparent conductive coating comprises:
a first dielectric layer comprising silicon nitride;
the dielectric layer comprising zinc oxide;
the conductive layer comprising silver;
an upper contact layer over and contacting the conductive layer comprising silver; and
a second dielectric layer comprising the silicon nitride.
3. The capacitive touch panel of claim 2 , wherein the at least one transparent conductive coating further comprises a dielectric layer comprising titanium oxide located between at least the first dielectric layer comprising silicon nitride and the dielectric layer comprising zinc oxide.
4. The capacitive touch panel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one transparent conductive coating further comprises an overcoat comprising zirconium oxide.
5. The capacitive touch panel of claim 1 , further comprising:
a conductive layer, different from the at least one transparent conductive coating, supported by a major surface of the laminate material that faces the second substrate;
wherein the at least one transparent conductive coating is supported by a major surface of the first substrate that faces the second substrate, the capacitive touch panel being configured for use as a mutual capacitance touch panel.
6. The capacitive touch panel of claim 5 , wherein the conductive layer that is different from the at least one transparent conductive coating comprises ITO.
7. The capacitive touch panel of claim 1 , wherein the first and second substrates are glass substrates.
8. The capacitive touch panel of claim 1 , wherein the at least one multi-layer transparent conductive coating, when blanket deposited, has a visible transmission of at least 88% and a sheet resistance of no more than 10 ohms per square.
9. The capacitive touch panel of claim 8 , wherein the at least one multi-layer transparent conductive coating, when blanket deposited, has a haze of no more than 0.5%.
10. A capacitive touch panel, comprising:
first and second substrates that are spaced apart from one another;
at least one multi-layer transparent conductive coating patterned into a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of conductive traces and located between the first and second substrates, the at least one multi-layer transparent conductive coating including at least one conductive layer comprising silver, a dielectric layer comprising zinc oxide under and directly contacting the conductive layer comprising silver, and a dielectric layer comprising tin oxide over the conductive layer comprising silver;
processing circuitry electrically connected to the plurality of electrodes and the plurality of traces, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to measure an aspect of capacitance; and
a laminate material located between the first and second substrates.
11. The capacitive touch panel of claim 10 , wherein the at least one multi-layer transparent conductive coating, when blanket deposited, has a visible transmission of at least 88% and a sheet resistance of no more than 10 ohms per square.
12. The capacitive touch panel of claim 10 , wherein the at least one multi-layer transparent conductive coating, when blanket deposited, has a haze of no more than 0.5%.
13. The capacitive touch panel of claim 10 , wherein the at least one multi-layer transparent conductive coating further comprising a layer comprising Ni and Cr located over and directly contacting the conductive layer comprising silver.