Apparatus for facilitating interconnection of antenna lead wires to an integrated circuit and encapsulating the assembly to form an improved miniature transponder device

• US 5,223,851 A
• Filed: 11/05/1991
• Issued: 06/29/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Algernon Promotions Inc, Kamyr, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trovan Ltd
• Inventors: Hadden, Leonard D., Zirbes, Glen L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hille, Rolf
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, PETER T
• Application Number:
  US07/787,828
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.54, 340/825.34, 340/572, 340/573, 342/42, 342/51, 343/702, 343/787, 343/788, 343/873, 357/71, 357/74, 437/189, 437/213, 437/219, 606/116, 606/117, 257/678, 257/701, 257/702
• US Class Current: 343/873
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/767 Responders; Transponders teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying using reflecting targets or active targets F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 15/00 Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object record carriers for use with machines having a detectable tag or marker G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0773 the record carrier comprising means to protect itself against external heat sources
• 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 2224/04042 Bonding areas specifically adapted for wire connectors, e.g. wirebond pads
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05644 Gold [Au] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05647 Copper [Cu] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45015 being circular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45147 Copper (Cu) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48092 Helix
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4813 Connecting within a semiconductor or solid-state body, i.e. fly wire, bridge wire
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/02 Bonding areas on insulating substrates, e.g. chip carriers, H01L23/49816, H01L23/49838, H01L23/5389; Manufacturing methods related thereto
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/45 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 of an individual wire 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 2924/00014 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 2924/01014 Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01015 Phosphorus [P]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01018 Argon [Ar]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01022 : Titanium [Ti]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 : Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 : Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/05042 : Si3N4
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10253 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1306 : Field-effect transistor [FET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 : Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20752 : larger or equal to 20 microns less than 30 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/08 : Ferrite rod or like elongated core

Abstract

A method and apparatus for facilitating interconnection of antenna lead wires to an integrated circuit and encapsulating the assembly to form an improved miniature transponder device including the provision of an additional protective layer of insulation to the top of an integrated circuit chip or die and the provision of enlarged plated electrodes to the surface of the additional insulation to form enhanced bonding pads, such pads being electrically connected through the protective layers to the normal bonding pads of the integrated circuit device. The enhanced bonding pads are made of a soft conductive metal such that external wires to be attached thereto can be bonded to the pads using a thermal compression bonding technique, This invention also extends to a method of encapsulating a transponder in heat shrunk plastics material.

Claims

1. An encapsulated miniature transponder device, comprising:

an integrated circuit device, including;

a silicon substrate forming a die having an integrated circuit formed in a surface thereof and including a metallization layer forming a first set of contact pads;

an insulative layer covering the surface of said die including said metallization layer and having apertures therein exposing said first contact pads; and

a plurality of second contact pads disposed over said insulative layer and contacting said first pads through said apertures;

an antenna connected to said second contact pads;

encapsulating means including a glass capsule hermetically enclosing said integrated circuit device and said antenna and a plastic container heat-shrunk about said capsule, the plastic container being of inert material suitable for use in a live body.

2. An integrated circuit device as recited in claim 1 wherein said insulative layer has a thickness in excess of 10,000 angstroms.

3. An integrated circuit device as recited in claim 2 wherein the thickness of said second pads is in excess of 20 microns.

4. An integrated circuit device as recited in claim 3 wherein said integrated circuit device forms the signal generating circuitry of the transponder device.

5. An integrated circuit device as recited in claim 4, wherein said antenna comprises wire leads bonded to said second pads.

6. A leadless passive transponder comprising:

a signal generator, a signal transmitter, and a coupling means adapted to inductively couple to a force field so that variation of the force field relative to the coupling means generates an electronic current within at least the generator, said generator, transmitter and coupling means being encapsulated in a glass capsule which is in turn encapsulated in a heat shrunk material.

7. A transponder as recited in claim 6 wherein the heat shrunk material is, before being applied to encapsulate the transponder, in the form of a hollow tube which is closed at one end.

8. A transponder as recited in claim 7 wherein the tube includes a thermal plastic which when heat is applied to the tube flows to seal the open end of the tube.