Integrate metal mesh touch sensor and cover lens

1. A method of manufacturing a touch sensor with a conductive micro-mesh comprising:

applying the catalytic photoresist composition onto a transparent substrate of the touch sensor;

photo patterning the catalytic photoresist composition to have a layer of catalytic photoresist pattern;

plating a metal layer on the layer of catalytic photoresist pattern thereby forming the conductive micro-mesh;

applying a metal passivation layer over the metal layer;

applying a clear protective coating comprising mono or multifunctional acrylic monomers or oligomers over the metal passivation layer; and

curing the protective coating to generate cross-linked three-dimensional polymer structure.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying a protective coating comprises applying a solution comprising: 70%-80% monofunctional acrylic oligomers, 20%-30% solvent, and 1-6% photoinitiators.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the curing is performed by irradiating the protective coating with UV radiation at a wavelength of from 280 nm to 480 nm.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the UV radiation is performed at intensity in the range of from 0.5 to 20.0 J/cm.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein a solution comprises including 70%-80% functional group monomers and functionalized monomers, 20%-30% ketone-type or alcohol-type solvents and 1-6% photoinitiators.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the protective coating comprises applying a protective solution to a thickness of from 15 to 25 microns.

7. A method of manufacturing a touch screen, comprising:

fabricating a touch sensor by:

applying the catalytic photoresist composition onto a transparent substrate;

photo patterning the catalytic photoresist composition to have a layer of catalytic photoresist pattern;

plating a metal layer on the layer of catalytic photoresist pattern thereby forming a metallic micro-mesh;

applying a metal passivation layer over the metal layer;

applying a clear protective coating comprising mono or multifunctional acrylic monomers or oligomers over the metal passivation layer; and

curing the protective coating to generate cross-linked three-dimensional polymer structure; and,

attaching the touch sensor to a front surface of a display screen.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein attaching the touch sensor to the front surface of a display screen comprises applying an optically clear adhesive to a thickness of from 5 to 40 microns.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the transparent substrate comprises polyethylene terephthalate having a thickness of from 30 to 50 microns.

10. A conductive mesh touch sensor comprising:

a transparent substrate;

a layer of catalytic photoresist patterns made of a catalytic photoresist composition, the catalytic photoresist composition including a photoresist and catalytic nanoparticles;

a metal conductive layer with conductive patterns forming a conductive mesh over the layer of catalytic photoresist patterns;

a metal passivation layer over the metal layer; and

a clear protective coating having a cross-linked structure and formed over the metal passivation layer.

11. The touch sensor of claim 10 , wherein the metal conductive layer includes copper and the metal passivation layer includes palladium.

12. The touch sensor of claim 11 , wherein the clear protective coating comprises monomers that reacted simultaneously at different joint points to create a cross linked, three-dimensional polymer structure.

13. The touch sensor of claim 12 , wherein the clear protective coating covers the conductive mash and excludes a bond pad area of the touch sensor.

14. The touch sensor of claim 11 , wherein the clear protective coating has a thickness of from 25 to 50 micrometers.

15. The touch sensor of claim 14 , wherein the transparent substrate comprises polyethylene terephthalate having a thickness of from 30 to 50 microns.

16. A touchscreen, comprising:

a display device;

a touch sensor over the display device; and,

an optically clear adhesive between the display device and the touch sensor;

wherein the touch sensor comprises: a transparent substrate; a layer of catalytic photoresist patterns of a catalytic photoresist composition, the catalytic photoresist composition including a photoresist and catalytic nanoparticles; a metal conductive layer with conductive patterns over the layer of catalytic photoresist patterns; a metal passivation layer over the metal layer; and a transparent protective layer having a cross-linked structure and formed over the metal passivation layer.

17. The touchscreen of claim 16 , wherein the clear protective coating includes a cross-linked structure that does not originate from a polymer chain.

18. The touchscreen of claim 17 , wherein the clear protective coating comprises monomers that reacted simultaneously at different joint points to create a cross linked, three-dimensional polymer structure.

19. The touchscreen of claim 18 , wherein the clear protective coating comprises UV cured mono or multifunctional acrylic monomers or oligomers.

20. The touchscreen of claim 16 , wherein the optically clear adhesive has a thickness of from 5 to 40 microns.