Sensing film with an integrated structure
A flexible transparent sensing film with embedded electrodes is described in the present invention, which would greatly improve the optical transmittance, electrical conductivity and reliability. The present sensing film can also simultaneously enable multiple touches for distinct locations sensing and at least another set of electrical signal sensing. The present sensing film includes a top conductive electrode, a bottom conductive electrode and a dielectric substrate or a functional substrate that would generate electrical signal response due to a specific input such as motion, light, chemical, or temperature. The present sensing film apparatus could be configured to have the top and bottom conductive electrodes which are partially or fully embedded onto the surfaces of the dielectric and/or functional substrates.
1. A sensing film comprising:
a substrate selected from a transparent dielectric substrate or a functional substrate, the transparent dielectric substrate or the functional substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;
a first conductive network formed by a plurality of discrete electrically conductive electrodes being embedded into the first or second surface of the transparent dielectric substrate or the functional substrate;
a second conductive network formed by a plurality of discrete electrically conductive electrodes being embedded into the first or second surface of the transparent dielectric substrate or the functional substrate;
and the first conductive network and the second conductive network having at least a conductive surface exposed forming the contact to external,
wherein the first conductive network interconnects to the second conductive network.
2. The sensing film according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second conductive networks formed by the plurality of discrete electrically conductive electrodes are embedded into the same surface of the transparent dielectric substrate or the functional substrate such that the conductive electrodes of the first and second conductive networks are alternatively displaced from each other.
3. The sensing film according to claim 1 , wherein the sensing film is a capacitive sensing film and said substrate is the transparent dielectric substrate having a dielectric constant between 1.1 to 10.
4. The sensing film according to claim 3 , wherein said transparent dielectric substrate is deformable.
5. The sensing film according to claim 1 , wherein said discrete electrically conductive electrodes in one or both of the first conductive network and/or the second conductive network have a line width of 500 nm-10,000 nm.
6. The sensing film according to claim 1 , wherein said discrete electrically conductive electrodes in one or both of the first conductive network and/or the second conductive network are each 1 micron-5,000 microns apart from each other.
7. The sensing film according to claim 1 , wherein said discrete electrically conductive electrodes in one or both of the first conductive network and/or second conductive network have a line thickness of 0.1 microns-10 microns.
8. The sensing film according to claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first conductive network and the second conductive network is/are protruded above the transparent dielectric substrate or the functional substrate with a protrusion height from 0.1 micron to 10 microns.
9. The sensing film according to claim 4 , wherein said deformable transparent dielectric substrate is a light or thermal curable material.
10. The sensing film according to claim 1 , wherein the first conductive network and the second conductive network are formed by electrochemical processes, vacuum deposition process, printing process or solution deposition process.
11. The sensing film according to claim 1 , wherein the sensing film is an electrical sensing film and said substrate is the functional substrate capable of producing an electrical signal under an external trigger including a change in light, force, pressure, temperature, electricity, or magnetic field.
12. The sensing film according to claim 11 , wherein said functional substrate is a transparent or non-transparent film.
13. The sensing film according to claim 11 , wherein said functional substrate is deformable.