HYBRID SINGLE-SIDE TOUCH SCREEN METHOD
A method of making a single-side touch-screen device includes providing a substrate and forming a patterned arrangement of micro-wires on the substrate. A patterned dielectric insulator is formed over one or more middle portions of at least some of the micro-wires forming insulated micro-wire portions and exposed micro-wire portions. A plurality of patterned transparent conductors is conformally coated in an array over at least a part of the patterned dielectric insulator, at least a part of the insulated micro-wire portions, and at least a part of the exposed micro-wire portions. The at least a part of the exposed micro-wire portions are electrically connected to at least a portion of the patterned transparent conductors and form an array of electrically connected horizontal electrodes and an array of electrically connected vertical electrodes electrically isolated from the horizontal electrodes.
1 . A method of making a single-side touch-screen device, comprising:
providing a substrate;
forming a patterned arrangement of micro-wires on the substrate;
forming a patterned dielectric insulator over one or more middle portions of at least some of the micro-wires forming insulated micro-wire portions and exposed micro-wire portions;
conformally coating a plurality of patterned transparent conductors in an array over at least a part of the patterned dielectric insulator, at least a part of the insulated micro-wire portions, and at least a part of the exposed micro-wire portions; and
thereby electrically connecting the at least a part of the exposed micro-wire portions to at least a portion of the patterned transparent conductors and forming an array of electrically connected horizontal electrodes and an array of electrically connected vertical electrodes electrically isolated from the horizontal electrodes.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a patterned arrangement of micro-wires on the substrate includes:
forming a curable layer on the substrate;
embossing a patterned arrangement of micro-channels in the curable layer;
curing the curable layer to form the micro-channels;
locating a curable material in the micro-channels; and
curing the curable material in the micro-channels to form micro-wires in the micro-channels.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a patterned arrangement of micro-wires on the substrate includes:
coating a flexographic substrate with a conductive ink; and
applying the conductive ink coated on the flexographic substrate to the substrate to form the micro-wires.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the conductive ink is liquid and further including drying the liquid ink to form the micro-wires.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the conductive ink is dry when coated on the flexographic substrate.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein conformally coating the transparent conductor includes atomic layer deposition of a transparent conductive material.
7 . The method of claim 6 , further including patterning the substrate with a coating of inhibitor material and conformally coating the transparent conductor using atomic layer deposition.
8 . The method of claim 7 , further including removing the inhibitor material.