Latest advances in silver nanowire based touch module reliability

Capacitive touch screens have become an integral component of our everyday lives, from smartphones and tablets to wearable devices, smart-home devices, smart automobiles, entertainment on airplanes, and even in public places such as hotels or shopping malls. As alternative transparent conductive materials to traditional Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) are considered, silver nanowires are among the nanomaterials that offer improved flexibility and performance. However, for wide-scale adoption of these alternative materials in the touch panel marketplace, high manufacturing yields are required, along with performance and reliability in representative environments. This paper summarizes recent work testing capacitive touch modules in rigorous environments, including high temperature at high humidity with bias, high temperature storage, low temperature storage, thermal shock, salt spray (fog), and electrostatic discharge. It is shown that through appropriate selection of design, materials, and process that silver nanowire-based touch screens can pass such environmental challenges and are suitable for use in consumer electronics. An overview of the fabrication process is provided in addition to reliability test methods and results.