Conductive pattern and method of making

• US 20060076422A1
• Filed: 12/05/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Andrew W. Holman, Ian J. Forster, Jaime C. Grunlan, James P. Coleman, Peikang Liu, Scott Wayne Ferguson
• Inventors: Forster, Ian J., Ferguson, Scott Wayne, Coleman, James P., Grunlan, Jaime C., Holman, Andrew W., Liu, Peikang
• Granted Patent: US 7,477,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/492
• 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: H01L 21/4846 Leads on or in insulating or insulated substrates, e.g. metallisation H01L21/4821 takes precedence; metallisation of ceramics in general C04B41/51; printed circuits H05K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/95085 being a liquid, e.g. for fluidic self-assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49855 for flat-cards, e.g. credit cards cards per se G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/95 at chip-level, i.e. with connecting carried out on a plurality of singulated devices, i.e. on diced chips
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/095 for polymer thick films, i.e. having a permanent organic polymeric binder
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0347 Overplating, e.g. for reinforcing conductors or bumps; Plating over filled vias reinforcing the conductive pattern H05K3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1469 Circuit made after mounting or encapsulation of the components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1545 Continuous processing, i.e. involving rolls moving a band-like or solid carrier along a continuous production path
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/205 using a pattern electroplated or electroformed on a metallic carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/32 electrically connecting electric components or wires to printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/386 by the use of an organic polymeric bonding layer, e.g. adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1062 Prior to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

A method of forming an electrically-conductive pattern includes selectively electroplating the top portions of a substrate that corresponds to the pattern, and separating the conductive pattern from the substrate. The electroplating may also include electrically connecting the conductive pattern to an electrical component. Conductive ink, such as ink including carbon particles, may be selectively placed on the conductive substrate to facilitate plating of the desired pattern and/or to facilitate separation of the pattern from the substrate. An example of a conductive pattern is an antenna for a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device such as a label or a tag. One example of an electrical component that may be electrically connected to the antenna, is an RFID strap or chip.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) device comprising:

an RFID chip;

an RFID antenna; and

electroplated conductive links providing electrical coupling between the chip and the antenna.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna includes electroplated material that is substantially continuous with the conductive links.

3. The device of claim 1,

wherein the chip is part of an RFID strap which includes conductive leads coupled to the chip;

and

wherein the conductive links are in contact with the conductive leads.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the antenna includes electroplated material that is substantially continuous with the conductive links.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the antenna also includes a conductive ink layer.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the conductive ink layer includes a carbon-containing ink.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the electroplated conductive links and the electroplated material of the antenna, both include copper.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna and the conductive links include copper.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna includes carbon.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the carbon is at least part of a carbon-containing ink.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising an energy storage device electrically coupled to the chip.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the energy storage device includes a battery.

13. The device of claim 11, further comprising a resonator electrically connected to the chip.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the antenna includes electroplated material that is substantially continuous with the conductive links.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the electroplated material includes connections with the energy storage device.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna is formed by a process that includes electroplating the antenna atop a conductive substrate.