Touch screen panel and fabricating method therof

Abstract

A touch screen panel includes a film substrate defined by a touch active area and a non-touch active area and the touch area is arranged outside the touch active area. The touch screen panel includes a plurality of sensing electrodes arranged in the touch active area on an upper surface and a lower surface of the film substrate, and outer lines arranged in the non-touch active area on the upper and the lower surfaces of the film substrate. The outer lines are connected to the sensing electrodes along one of a first direction and a second direction, and the outer lines include a transparent electrode layer and a plating layer on the transparent electrode layer.

1 . A touch screen panel, comprising:
 a film substrate defined by a touch active area and a non-touch active area, the non-touch active area being arranged outside the touch active area;   a plurality of sensing electrodes arranged in the touch active area on an upper surface and a lower surface of the film substrate; and   outer lines arranged in the non-touch active area on the upper and the lower surfaces of the film substrate, the outer lines being connected to the sensing electrodes along one of a first direction and a second direction, and the outer lines including a transparent electrode layer and a plating layer on the transparent electrode layer.   
     
     
         2 . The touch screen panel as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sensing electrodes include a transparent electrode layer having a same material and being formed in a same layer as the transparent electrode layer of the outer lines. 
     
     
         3 . The touch screen panel as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plating layer includes at least one of copper, nickel, gold, silver, palladium, and an alloy thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The touch screen panel as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the film substrate includes a plurality of via holes on one side of the film substrate, the via holes connecting the upper and the lower surfaces of the film substrate to each other by a conductive material grown on inner walls of the via holes. 
     
     
         5 . The touch screen panel as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein each of the outer lines formed on one of the upper and lower surfaces of the film substrate are connected to a pad portion formed on the other of the upper and lower surfaces through the via hole. 
     
     
         6 . The touch screen panel as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outer lines include a metal thin-film layer positioned between the transparent electrode layer and the plating layer. 
     
     
         7 . The touch screen panel as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein a thickness of the metal thin-film layer is greater than a minimum thickness at which light is shielded. 
     
     
         8 . The touch screen panel as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the film substrate is a cyclo olefin polymer (COP) substrate. 
     
     
         9 . A fabricating method of a touch screen panel, the method comprising:
 preparing a film substrate defined by a touch active area and a non-touch active area, the non-touch active area being formed outside of the touch active area;   forming a transparent electrode layer substantially entirely on both surfaces of the film substrate; and   forming a plurality of sensing electrodes in the touch active area and forming outer lines connected to the sensing electrodes by simultaneously patterning the transparent electrode layer on both the surfaces of the film substrate, the outer lines being formed along one of a first direction and a second direction in the non-touch active area,   wherein, in the forming of the sensing electrodes and forming the outer lines, a plating layer is formed on the transparent electrode layer that constitutes lower electrodes of the outer lines before or after the transparent electrode layer is patterned.   
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the forming of the sensing electrodes and the forming of the outer lines includes:
 coating a photoresist on both the surfaces of the film substrate having the transparent electrode layer substantially entirely formed thereon, and then patterning the photoresist;   forming a mask for plating on both the surfaces of the film substrate that covers the touch active area;   forming the plating layer on the transparent electrode layer exposed in the non-touch active area on both the surfaces of the film substrate;   removing the photoresist formed in the non-touch active area on both the surfaces of the film substrate and the mask for plating formed in the touch active area on both the surfaces of the film substrate;   simultaneously patterning the transparent electrode layer on both the surfaces of the film substrate; and   removing the photoresist formed in the touch active area on both the surfaces of the film substrate.   
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the forming of the sensing electrodes and the forming of the outer lines includes:
 coating a photoresist on both the surfaces of the film substrate, on which the transparent electrode layer is substantially entirely formed, patterning the photoresist, and then patterning the transparent electrode layer using the patterned photoresist as a mask;   removing the photoresist on both the surfaces of the film substrate; and   forming the plating layer on the transparent electrode layer patterned in the non-touch active layer on both the surfaces of the film substrate.   
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein, in the forming of the sensing electrodes and the forming of the outer lines, the transparent electrode layer on both the surfaces of the film substrate are simultaneously patterned using a photolithography or printing technique. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising substantially entirely forming a metal thin-film layer on the transparent electrode layer prior to the patterning of the transparent electrode layer, and after the transparent electrode layer is substantially entirely formed on both the surfaces of the film substrate. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the forming of the sensing electrodes and the forming of the outer lines includes simultaneously patterning the transparent electrode layer on both the surfaces of the film substrate and patterning the metal thin-film layer. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the patterning of the metal thin-film layer includes removing the metal thin-film layer on the sensing electrodes, after the transparent electrode layer and the metal thin-film layer are patterned. 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising forming a plurality of via holes that pass through the film substrate at one side of the film substrate corresponding to the non-touch active area. 
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein in one or more of the forming of the transparent electrode layer and the forming of the plating layer, one or more of the transparent electrode layer and the plating layer are grown on inner walls of the via holes such that both the surfaces of the film substrate are connected to each other through the via holes.