RF IDENTIFICATION DEVICE WITH NEAR-FIELD-COUPLED ANTENNA

• US 20090033467A1
• Filed: 07/30/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Ferla, Giuseppe, Finocchiaro, Alessandro, Pagani, Alberto, Palmisano, Giuseppe, Girlando, Giovanni
• Granted Patent: US 9,154,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06531 Non-galvanic coupling, e.g. capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/73 Means for bonding being of different types provided for in two or more of groups H01L24/10, H01L24/18, H01L24/26, H01L24/34, H01L24/42, H01L24/50, H01L24/63, H01L24/71
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0655 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0657 Stacked arrangements of devices
• 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 2924/10253 Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1305 Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 : for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 : for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

An embodiment of a RF identification device is formed by a tag and by a reader. The tag is formed by a processing circuit and a first antenna, which has the function both of transmitting and of receiving data. The reader is formed by a control circuit and by a second antenna, which has the function both of transmitting and of receiving data. The processing circuit is formed by a resonance capacitor, a modulator, a rectifier circuit, a charge-pump circuit and a detection circuit. The antenna of the tag and the processing circuit are integrated in a single structure in completely monolithic form. The first antenna has terminals connected to the input of the rectifier circuit, the output of which is connected to the charge-pump circuit. The charge-pump circuit has an output connected to the detection circuit.

Claims

1. An RF identification device comprising a processing circuit and a first antenna, wherein said first antenna and said processing circuit are integrated in a single chip in completely monolithic form.

2. The RF identification device according to claim 1, wherein said processing circuit further comprises a detection circuit, a modulator and a rectifier stage, said modulator being arranged between said first antenna and said rectifier stage, said rectifier stage being connected to said detection circuit, wherein said rectifier stage comprises a positive rectifier and a negative rectifier.

3. The RF identification device according to claim 2, wherein said processing circuit further comprises a booster stage including a first booster circuit and a second booster circuit, wherein an input of said first booster circuit is electrically connected to an output of said positive rectifier and an input of said second booster circuit is electrically connected to an output of said negative rectifier.

4. The RF identification device according to claim 3, wherein said processing circuit further comprises a first filter capacitor and a second filter capacitor;

said first filter capacitor having a first terminal connected to the output of the positive rectifier and a second terminal connected to a first terminal of said second filter capacitor;

said second filter capacitor having a second terminal connected to the output of the negative rectifier.

5. The RF identification device according to claim 1, wherein said chip comprises a substrate of semiconductor material overlaid by a dielectric layer, said transmitting antenna being formed in a metallization layer formed inside said dielectric layer.

6. The RF identification device according to claim 5, wherein said first antenna has a structure chosen between planar and stacked.

7. The RF identification device according to claim 6, wherein said dielectric layer comprises a plurality of insulating layers separated by a plurality of mutually alternated metallization layers, said first antenna being formed in a top metallization layer, and said metallization layers being connected together and to said antenna through vias.

8. The RF identification device according to claim 5, wherein said dielectric layer comprises a ground shield of semiconductor material arranged in contact with said substrate.

9. The RF identification device according to claim 5, wherein said first antenna has a planar structure and is formed by one or more turns of conductive material typically arranged at a minimum technological distance.

10. An RF device comprising a processing circuit, a first antenna and an electromagnetic expansion, said electromagnetic expansion comprising a third antenna, a fourth antenna and an electrical network connected to said third and fourth antennas;

wherein said first antenna is configured to be magnetically or electromagnetically coupled to said fourth antenna and said third antenna is configured to be magnetically or electromagnetically coupled with a second antenna, the electromagnetic expansion being configured to generate a replica of each electromagnetic signal received by said third antenna.

11. The RF device according to claim 10, wherein said electromagnetic expansion is configured to resonate in response to said each electromagnetic signal received by said third antenna.

12. The RF device according to claim 10, wherein said electrical network comprises a reactive element or a power matching network matching the impedances of said third and fourth antenna at a given operating frequency.

13. The RF device according to claim 12, wherein said first antenna and said fourth antenna are loop antennas, one of said first and fourth antennas surrounding another of said first and fourth antennas.

14. The RF device according to claim 13, wherein said first antenna and said fourth antenna are arranged in a stacked geometry.

15. The RF device according to claim 14, wherein said fourth antenna is formed on a substrate bonded to said die through an insulating layer, said first and fourth antenna facing each other and being electrically insulated by said insulating layer.

16. The RF device according to claim 13, further comprising a substrate having a surface, wherein said first antenna and said fourth antenna are bonded to said surface.

17. The RF device according to claim 13, wherein said third antenna is a λ

/2 dipole or a loop antenna.

18. The RF device according to claim 13, wherein said third antenna and said fourth antenna are multi-loop antennas, each loop comprising a conductive line, at least a first and a second conductive lines having reciprocal crossing points.

19. The RF device according to claim 18, wherein, at each crossing point, said first conductive line has an interruption point defining two facing ends, said facing ends being capacitively coupled, and said second line has a connection portion extending between said facing ends of the said first conductive line.

20. The RF device according to claim 19, wherein each of said facing ends have a comb-like shape including a plurality of tines, and said connection portion of said second line has stubs protruding from said connection portion and interleaved with said tines.

21. A system-in-package comprising a plurality of RF devices and a plurality of electromagnetic expansions, each RF device comprising a processing circuit and a first antenna, said first antenna and said processing circuit being integrated in a single chip in completely monolithic form;

each electromagnetic expansion comprising a third antenna, a fourth antenna and an electrical network connected to said third and fourth antenna, wherein said third antennas are configured to be magnetically or electromagnetically coupled with at least one second antenna, the electromagnetic expansion being configured to generate a replica of each electromagnetic signal received by said third antenna, said second antenna comprising an external antenna or a first antenna of a different RF device of said plurality of RF devices.

22. The system-in-package according to claim 21, further comprising a magnetic core, magnetically coupled to said electromagnetic expansions.

23. An electronic system comprising a plurality of systems-in-package according to claim 22, said systems-in-package sharing said single magnetic core.

24. An RF system comprising an external system, including a control circuit and a second antenna, a plurality of RF devices and a plurality of electromagnetic expansions, each RF device comprising a processing circuit and a first antenna, said first antenna and said processing circuit being integrated in a single chip in completely monolithic form;

each electromagnetic expansion comprising a third antenna, a fourth antenna and an electrical network connected to said third and fourth antenna, wherein each third antenna is configured to be magnetically or electromagnetically coupled with said second antenna, each electromagnetic expansion being configured to generate a replica of each electromagnetic signal received by the corresponding third antenna and generated by the second antenna.

28. Probe card for use in a testing system according to claim 24.

25. A testing system for electronic devices, comprising an automatic testing equipment and a probe card, wherein said automatic testing equipment comprises a first array of wireless coupling means, and said probe card comprises a second and a third arrays of wireless coupling means, said second array of wireless coupling means being configured to be coupled with said first array of wireless coupling means, and said third array of wireless coupling means is configured to be coupled with external wireless coupling means.

26. The testing system for electronic devices according to claim 25, wherein the wireless coupling means of the first and second arrays are coupled so as to form at least one electromagnetic expansion, each wireless coupling means being configured to work at a respective frequency.

27. The testing system for electronic devices according to claim 26, wherein the wireless coupling means of at least one of the first and second arrays are coupled so as to form a plurality of electromagnetic expansions, each electromagnetic expansion being configured to work at a respective frequency.

29. An RF identification system, comprising a tag and a reader, wherein said tag is formed by an RF identification device comprising a processing circuit and a first antenna, said processing circuit comprising a detection circuit, said first antenna and said processing circuit being integrated in a single chip in completely monolithic form, and said reader comprises a control circuit and a second antenna;

said first antenna being configured to be magnetically coupled to said second antenna in near-field conditions.

30. Method for testing electronic devices, comprising:

providing an electronic device with first wireless coupling means;

providing a testing system comprising an automatic testing equipment and a probe card, the testing system comprising second wireless coupling means, the probe card comprising third and fourth wireless coupling means;

bringing said probe card between the automatic testing equipment and the electronic device, thereby magnetically or electromagnetically coupling said third wireless coupling means with said second wireless coupling means and magnetically or electromagnetically coupling said fourth wireless coupling means with said first wireless coupling means;

generating, by the second wireless coupling means, an electromagnetic signal;

receiving, by said third wireless coupling means, said electromagnetic signal, thereby said probe card generates a replica of said electromagnetic signal;

transmitting said replica from said fourth wireless coupling means to said first wireless coupling means.