Integrated circuit device including means for facilitating connection of antenna lead wires to an integrated circuit die

• US 5,281,855 A
• Filed: 06/05/1991
• Issued: 01/25/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ASSA Abloy East Europe AB (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: Trovan Ltd
• Inventors: Hadden, Leonard D., Zirbes, Glen L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hille, Rolf
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, PETER T
• Application Number:
  US07/710,786
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 324/326-329, 340/571, 340/572, 340/825.54, 340/825.34, 340/573, 357/67, 357/71, 357/72, 342/42, 342/51, 343/718, 343/719, 343/742, 343/744, 343/787, 343/788, 343/873, 606/116, 606/117, 437/189, 437/213, 437/219, 257/734, 257/784, 257/786
• US Class Current: 257/784
• 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 2924/01022 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 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• 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 lead wires to an integrated circuit 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.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit device comprising:

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

an insulative layer covering the circuit carrying surface of said die and having apertures therein exposing said first set of contact pads, said insulative layer having a thickness in excess of 10,000 angstroms;

a plurality of second contact pads disposed over discrete surface areas of said insulative layer, each such area surrounding one of said apertures, and each such second contact pad contacting one of said first set of pads through a corresponding aperture, said second pads being of a relatively soft metal and having a thickness in excess of 20 microns, said second pads being substantially larger than the corresponding first contact pads; and

means forming an electromagnetic antenna having wire leads bonded to said second pads, the size and thickness of said second pads combining with the thickness of said insulative layer to protect said integrated circuit during the bonding of each said wire lead to one of said second pads.

2. An integrated circuit device as recited in claim 1 wherein said integrated circuit and said electromagnetic antenna are configured to form a transponder device.

3. An integrated circuit device as recited in claim 2 and further comprising encapsulating means commonly encapsulating said die, said insulative layer, said second contact pads, and said antenna to form an implantable transponder device.

4. An integrated circuit device as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said wire leads is thermal compression bonded to its corresponding second pad.

5. An integrated circuit device as recited in claims 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein said silicon substrate is supported by said wire leads.

6. An integrated circuit device as recited in claims 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein said silicon substrate is supported by a support means attached to said electromagnetic antenna.

7. A miniature integrated circuit transponder device comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having an integrated signal processing circuit formed thereon, said integrated circuit including a plurality of discrete contact pads for facilitating electrical interconnection thereto;

an electrically insulative layer covering said integrated circuit and having apertures formed therein exposing said contact pads, said insulative layer having a thickness in excess of 10,000 angstroms;

a plurality of bonding pads disposed over said insulative layer, with each said bonding pad extending through one of said apertures to make electrical contact with one of said contact pads, each said bonding pad being of a relatively soft metal having a thickness of at least 20 microns and having a surface area overlying a portion of said insulative layer substantially larger than the area of its corresponding aperture; and

electromagnetic antenna means having lead wires bonded to corresponding ones of said bonding pads, the size and thickness of said bonding pads and said insulative layer being sufficient to protect said substrate and said integrated circuit during the bonding of said lead wires to said bonding pads.

8. A miniature integrated circuit transponder device as recited in claim 7 wherein said lead wires are thermal compression bonded to their corresponding bonding pads.

9. A miniature integrated circuit transponder device as recited in claims 7 or 8 wherein said substrate is supported by said lead wires.

10. A miniature integrated circuit transponder device as recited in claim 9 wherein said bonding pads have a width larger than the diameter of said lead wires and a length of more than twice their width.

11. A miniature integrated circuit transponder device as recited in claims 7 or 8 wherein said substrate is supported by support means attached to said electromagnetic antenna means.

12. A miniature integrated circuit transponder device as recited in claim 11 wherein said bonding pads have a width larger than the diameter of said lead wires and a length of more than twice their width.