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US 12,515,278 B2Granted
Sheet processing method and sheet processing apparatus
AssigneeToppan Inc.
InventorsMasaaki Yoshino, Tomomi Hiraoka, Sawa Minami
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sheet processing method including irradiating a transparent conductive layer covered with a transparent sheet with a pulsed laser beam such that the pulsed laser beam is applied to a portion of the transparent conductive layer through the transparent sheet, and that the portion irradiated has an insulating property. The pulsed laser beam has a top-hat intensity distribution and has a transmittance through the transparent sheet being higher than a transmittance through the transparent conductive layer.
Claims20
A sheet processing method, comprising:
- irradiating a transparent conductive layer covered with a transparent sheet with a pulsed laser beam such that the pulsed laser beam is applied to a portion of the transparent conductive layer through the transparent sheet, wherein the pulsed laser beam has a top-hat intensity distribution and a pulse width of 1000 femtoseconds or less, and wherein the pulsed laser beam has a transmittance through the transparent sheet that is higher than a transmittance through the transparent conductive layer;
- applying an AC voltage to the transparent conductive layer simultaneously with irradiation by the pulsed laser beam such that the AC voltage is applied to an entire layer of the transparent conductive layer during the irradiation;
- and
- forming a modified portion in the transparent conductive layer at the portion irradiated with the pulsed laser beam,
- wherein the modified portion has no electrical conductivity and has a width in a range of 10 micrometers to 100 micrometers.
2 more elements
A sheet processing apparatus, comprising:
- an irradiation unit comprising a laser source and an optical system and configured to irradiate a transparent conductive layer covered with a transparent sheet with a pulsed laser beam through the transparent sheet, wherein the pulsed laser beam has a top-hat intensity distribution and a pulse width of 1000 femtoseconds or less, and wherein the pulsed laser beam has a transmittance through the transparent sheet that is higher than a transmittance through the transparent conductive layer;
- an application unit comprising an AC power source and a plurality of probes and configured to apply an AC voltage to the transparent conductive layer such that the plurality of probes apply the AC voltage to an entire layer of the transparent conductive layer, wherein the plurality of probes are configured to contact a same surface of the transparent conductive layer;
- and
- a control unit comprising circuitry configured to simultaneously control the irradiation unit and the application unit such that the application unit applies the AC voltage to the entire layer of the transparent conductive layer during irradiation of a portion of the transparent conductive layer by the pulsed laser beam.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.