Touch screen stack-ups

Abstract

A multi-touch sensor panel is disclosed that can include a glass subassembly having a plurality of column traces of substantially transparent conductive material that can be formed on the back side, wherein the glass subassembly can also act as a cover that can be touched on the front side. Row traces of the same or different substantially transparent conductive material can then be located near the column traces, and a layer of dielectric material can be coupled between the column traces and the row traces. The row and column traces can be oriented to cross over each other at crossover locations separated by the dielectric material, and the crossover locations can form mutual capacitance sensors for detecting one or more touches on the front side of the glass subassembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-touch sensor panel, comprising:
 a first subassembly having a front side capable of being touched, and a back side opposite the front side;   a plurality of first traces of a first substantially transparent conductive material formed on the back side of the first subassembly;   a dielectric material formed over the plurality of first traces on the back side of the first subassembly;   a plurality of second traces of a second substantially transparent conductive material formed over the dielectric material on the back side of the first subassembly, the plurality of first traces and the plurality of second traces forming capacitive sensors for detecting one or more touches on the front side of the first subassembly; and   a second subassembly coupled to the first subassembly, the second subassembly having a sheet of conductive material formed thereon for shielding the first subassembly.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-touch sensor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first traces and the plurality of second traces are oriented to cross over each other at crossover locations separated by the dielectric material, the crossover locations forming mutual capacitance sensors for detecting one or more touches on the front side of the first subassembly. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-touch sensor panel of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of third traces formed on the back side of the first subassembly. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-touch sensor panel of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of third traces are configured for being coupled to one or both of the plurality of first traces and the plurality of second traces for routing to an edge of the sensor panel. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-touch sensor panel of  claim 1 , further comprising a display module coupled to the second subassembly. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-touch sensor panel of  claim 5 , wherein an air gap is disposed between the second subassembly and the display module. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-touch sensor panel of  claim 6 , further comprising anti-reflective material formed over the second subassembly and over the display module, the anti-reflective material formulated to minimize reflections. 
     
     
         8 . The multi-touch sensor panel of  claim 1 , further comprising a passivation layer formed over the plurality of second traces. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-touch panel of  claim 1 , the second subassembly configured to provide a low capacitance spacer between the sheet of conductive material and the plurality of second traces. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-touch sensor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the first substantially transparent conductive material is different from the second substantially transparent conductive material. 
     
     
         11 . The multi-touch sensor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric material is configured as a planarization layer. 
     
     
         12 . The multi-touch sensor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet of conductive material is held at a fixed potential. 
     
     
         13 . A touch sensor panel, comprising:
 a cover material having a front side capable of being touched, and a back side opposite the front side;   a plurality of first traces of a first substantially transparent conductive material formed on the back side of the cover material;   a dielectric material formed over the plurality of first traces on the back side of the cover material;   a plurality of second traces of a second substantially transparent conductive material formed over the dielectric material on the back side of the cover material, the plurality of first traces and the plurality of second traces forming capacitive sensors for detecting a touch on the front side of the cover material; and   a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) subassembly coupled to the cover material, the PET subassembly having a sheet of conductive material formed thereon for shielding the plurality of first traces.   
     
     
         14 . The touch sensor panel of  claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of third traces formed on the back side of the cover material. 
     
     
         15 . The touch sensor panel of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of third traces are configured for being coupled to one or both of the plurality of first traces and the plurality of second traces for routing to an edge of the sensor panel. 
     
     
         16 . The touch sensor panel of  claim 13 , further comprising a display module coupled to the PET subassembly. 
     
     
         17 . The touch sensor panel of  claim 16 , wherein an air gap is disposed between the PET subassembly and the display module. 
     
     
         18 . The touch sensor panel of  claim 17 , further comprising anti-reflective material formed over the PET subassembly and also over the display module, the anti-reflective material formulated to minimize reflections. 
     
     
         19 . The touch sensor panel of  claim 13 , wherein the dielectric material is configured as a planarization layer. 
     
     
         20 . The touch sensor panel of  claim 13 , wherein the sheet of conductive material is held at a fixed potential.