ITO Touch Screen Technology
Diamond Coatings utilise the properties of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) in the production of touch screens. Obviously, touch screens are everywhere in day-to-day life, from smartphones, tablets and laptops to cash points and military and aviation technology.
Diamond Coatings manufacture both capacitive and resistive touch screens which can be produced in a variety of sizes. While similar, these two types of touch screens have different mechanics and are perfectly suited to differing applications and products.
Why is ITO the best option and How Does it Work?
Indium Tin Oxide coating is particularly important for nearly every smartphone and tablet because of its unique material properties that are ideal for touch screen applications:
- high conductivity
- easily mass produced as thin films
- optically transparent
In the majority of the latest smartphones and tablets – ITO forms a conductive layer which is used to monitor the changes in electrical state caused by your finger as you touch and swipe the screen.
In its thinnest form, ITO is both transparent and highly conductive which has resulted in ITO being one of the world’s most popular and widely used transparent conducting oxides.
It is also relatively easy to handle and deposit ITO as a thin film which makes it perfect for mass producing using techniques such as physical vapor deposition, sputtering or evaporation methods.
Diamond Coatings
Having positioned themselves as the leading indium tin oxide touch panel manufacturers in the US, Diamond Coatings can provide anything from development to production volumes in both resistive and capacitive touch screens. Available in sizes up to 1,000 mm x 1,000 mm, screens can be produced on plastic (flexible or rigid) or glass and provided with anti-glare and/or other required finishes.
Resistive Indium Tin Oxide Touch Screen
Resistive ITO touch panels enable completely variable X-Y detection of touch points, Diamond Coatings have the ability to provide ready-to-use, complete X-Y resistive touch screens including all bonding, connections and patterning, as well as offering fully shielded ITO touch screens.
Capacitive Indium Tin Oxide Touch Screen
Higher visible transmission, around 90%, can be found with capacitive ITO touch screens. This is around 20% higher than resistive ITO touch screens. Using index matching technology, Diamond Coatings can produce capacitive touch screens with a visible transmission equal to that of uncoated plastic or glass.
ITO Applications
ITO is not just used for touch screens, its properties have created a huge global demand in the following technologies:
- Liquid crystal displays (LCDs)
- Plasma Screens
- Electronic ink applications
- LEDs
- Organic LEDs
- Solar Cells / Photovoltaics
- Heated windscreens and mirrors
- Sensor coatings
- Strain gauges
- and many more…
Diamond Coatings are experienced and able to provide ITO coated touchscreens, to meet your specific requirements. If you would like to speak to an expert, do not hesitate to contact the team today for more information.