Heraeus, the world leader in polymer material innovations, and SigmaSense, the global leader in touch sensing performance, have jointly developed a breakthrough fully functional 65-inch PEDOT polymer touch sensor.
This game-changing development – a world first – is poised to disrupt the touch sensor market providing superior optical clarity, reliable flexibility, reduced costs and SigmaDrive performance and functional advantages. This paves the way for affordable interactive displays of all sizes – even over 100 inches.
The solution is based on Clevios, a flexible and robust conductive PEDOT polymer, and enabled by SigmaDrive, SigmaSense’s current-mode sensing technology which supports super high resistance sensors at ultra-low voltages.
The new sensor technology powered by a SigmaSense controller will be publicly demonstrated for the first time at the trade fair C-Touch & Display in Shenzhen, China from November 19 – 21, 2020.
Heraeus Clevios Technology
Clevios PEDOT/PSS, the class leader in the field of conductive polymer chemistry, was formulated and coated via roll-to-roll process by Elite Optoelectronic Co., Ltd. (EOC). The sensor was then structured by laser patterning, processed, and assembled by Shenzhen Touchworks Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. (TWS). TWS laminated the sensor onto a flat panel display incorporating SigmaSense’s disruptive SigmaDrive™ touch controller.
Clevios PEDOT:PSS coatings do not add haze to the films, even under off-angle viewing, and thus provide superior optical clarity to the touch sensor regardless of the viewing angle or lighting conditions. Ultra-low light reflection is another advantage of Clevios that benefits the touch sensor optics due to its low refractive index, which matches with the refractive indices of the plastic or glass substrates. This intrinsic optical property facilitates invisible patterning by laser.
PEDOT:PSS has mechanical flexibility that is ideal for a range of narrow bezel and flexible computing applications. Flexibility eliminates costly crack-yield losses due to bending or flexing the films. A sufficiently thin sensor can be wrapped around the edges of the display to hide the bezel electrodes for narrow bezel designs – a feat that is risky today.
“SigmaSense delivers an unparalleled new sensing technology that can drive our higher resistance conductive polymers in touch sensors at sizes over 65 inches,” said Dr. Armin Sautter, Head of Technical Service Display at Heraeus GmbH. “The SigmaSense touch controller unleashes our optically superior sensor technology for use in markets that were not possible in the past.”
SigmaSense touch controller technology
SigmaSense has developed a new, innovative current mode analog to digital converter (ADC) technology. When this technology is applied to touch sensing, a hundred to over a thousand times better signal-to-noise is achieved compared to existing solutions. Large high resistance conductive polymer sensors are now possible for the industry. In addition, the entire display surface is sensed concurrently providing high speed human interface reports and high-fidelity information of all objects touching or in near proximity to the sensor surface. High speed, high-fidelity data necessary for machine learning object categorization bring a new generation of user experiences. High performance with low latency enables action-intensive gaming applications and gaming controllers to achieve new levels of capability.
“Large, flexible, PEDOT touch sensors will provide a new generation of user experiences at price points that enable broad adoption,” said Steve Sedaker, SigmaSense’s CMO. “Our SigmaDrive™ technology touch controllers are the world’s only controller that can drive these high resistance sensors at these large sizes.”
About SigmaSense
SigmaSense, the global leader in touch sensing performance, is bringing the best user experiences to products ranging from mobile phones and laptops to large monitors and digital signage. We are pioneering a comprehensive sensing technology that delivers 100 to 1000 times improved signal-to-noise performance that was previously not possible. SigmaVision™ capacitive imaging technology provides touch, pressure and object detection to the sensing surface, enabling a new generation of perceptive devices that are interactive and engaging. SigmaHover™ provides a superior touchless experience for public displays as well as any other device that uses touch sensors. Headquartered in Austin, TX, SigmaSense provides semiconductor products with development tools and support.
About Heraeus
Heraeus, the technology group headquartered in Hanau, Germany, is a leading international family-owned portfolio company. The company’s roots go back to a family pharmacy started in 1660. Today, the Heraeus group includes businesses in the environmental, electronics, health and industrial applications sectors. Customers benefit from innovative technologies and solutions based on broad materials expertise and technological leadership.
In the 2019 financial year, Heraeus generated revenues of €22.4 billion with approximately 14,900 employees in 40 countries. Heraeus is now one of the top 10 family-owned companies in Germany and holds a leading position in its global markets.
Heraeus Epurio is the technology and market leader in essential materials for capacitor, display, and photoresist applications, producing Clevios, the pioneering standard for conductive polymers with over 30 years of demonstrated success; and ultra-pure specialty chemicals, which are a critical component in the semiconductor industry.
