Method for connecting a chip to an antenna in a contactless smart card radio frequency identification device

• US 20020192856A1
• Filed: 06/14/2002
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ask S.A. (Paragon Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Ask S.A. (Paragon Group Limited)
• Inventors: Halope, Christophe, Zupanek, Fabien
• Granted Patent: US 6,770,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0775 arrangements for connecting the integrated circuit to the antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/563 Encapsulation of active face of flip-chip device, e.g. underfilling or underencapsulation of flip-chip, encapsulation preform on chip or mounting substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0401 Bonding areas specifically adapted for bump connectors, e.g. under bump metallisation [UBM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16238 the bump connector connecting to a bonding area protruding from the surface of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73103 Bump and layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73203 Bump and layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81191 wherein the bump connectors are disposed only on the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81801 Soldering or alloying
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83192 wherein the layer connectors are disposed only on another item or body to be connected to the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83194 Lateral distribution of the layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49855 for flat-cards, e.g. credit cards cards per se G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/645 Inductive arrangements H01L23/647, H01L23/66 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/16 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/29 of an individual layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/81 using a bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 : Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01004 : Beryllium [Be]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01023 : Vanadium [V]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01047 : Silver [Ag]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0105 : Tin [Sn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01057 : Lanthanum [La]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01058 : Cerium [Ce]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/07811 : Extrinsic, i.e. with electrical conductive fillers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3512 : Cracking
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2208 : associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns G06K7/00; record carrier for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 : Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for connecting a chip (10) to a contactless smart card antenna having deformable contacts (18), the antenna being printed using conductive ink on an antenna support (16) made of deformable material. This method includes the steps of:

positioning the chip (10) provided with contacts (12) made of a non-deformable material, on the antenna support so that the contacts (12) are facing the contacts (18) of the antenna, and

exerting a force on the chip (10) so that the contacts (12) deform the antenna support (16) and the contacts (18) of the antenna as a result of the pressure, the support (16) and the contacts (18) maintaining their deformation after the pressure is released, thus enabling a significant contact surface to be obtained between the contacts (12) of the chip (10) and the contacts (18) of the antenna.

Claims

1. A method for connecting a chip (10) to an antenna of a contactless smart card type radio-frequency identification device featuring a chip and an antenna placed on a support (16) made of deformable, non-elastic material, said antenna featuring contacts (18) which are also deformable and non-elastic and which are printed using conductive ink on said support, said method including the steps of:

positioning the chip (10) provided with contacts (12) made of a non-deformable material, on said antenna support so that said chip contacts are facing the contacts (18) of the antenna, and

exerting a pressure on said chip so that said contacts deform said support and said antenna contacts as a result of the pressure, the support and said antenna contacts maintaining their deformation after the pressure exerted is released, thus enabling a maximum contact surface to be obtained between the chip'"'"'s contacts and the antenna contacts.

2. The method according to claim 1 in which said support (16) is made of fibrous material.

3. The method according to claim 2 in which said fibrous material is paper.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, in which an adhesive dielectric material (20) is placed on said support (16) between the connections (18) of said antenna, before the chip is positioned, so as to maintain said chip (10) in a fixed position relative to the support.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the contacts of the chip (12) are obtained by metallization.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the contacts of the chip (12) are obtained by polymerization.

7. The method according to any of the previous claims, in which the contacts of the chip (12) are conical in shape.

8. The method according to any of the previous claims, in which said antenna is obtained by screen printing techniques using said conductive ink.

9. The method according to any of the previous claims in which the adhesive dielectric material (20) applied to the antenna support (16) is a cyanoacrylate glue.