Flexible electronic card and method

• US 5,733,814 A
• Filed: 09/17/1996
• Issued: 03/31/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aptek Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aptek Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Flesher, H. Kelly, Youmans, Albert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zarneke, David A.
• Application Number:
  US08/715,013
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 257/679, 361/737, 235/380, 438/460, 438/464, 438/977
• US Class Current: 438/460
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/041 Constructional details G06K19/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07728 the record carrier comprising means for protection against impact or bending, e.g. protective shells or stress-absorbing layers around the integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07747 at least one of the integrated circuit chips being mounted as a module
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49855 for flat-cards, e.g. credit cards cards per se G06K19/00
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/977 Thinning or removal of substrate

Abstract

A flexible electronic card for use with an electronic card reader comprising a flexible substrate formed of plastic. The card has dimensions such that it can fit into a conventional billfold. A flexible semiconductor device is carried by the flexible substrate and is accessible electronically by the electronic card reader. The card and the semiconductor device carried thereby can withstand bending over a 2" radius without breaking or damaging the semiconductor device.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a flexible electronic card for use with an electronic card reader comprising providing a semiconductor wafer having front and back sides, forming a plurality of semiconductor devices in the front side of the semiconductor wafer in a pattern permitting dicing of the wafer, providing a mounting plate having a planar flat surface, placing lint-free tissue paper on the planar flat surface, placing a wax on the lint-free paper and spinning the mounting plate to cause a uniform distribution of the wax on the lint-free paper, placing the front side of the wafer against the lint-free paper, compressing the wafer against the lint-free paper while subjecting the mounting plate to heat in excess of 250°

C., grinding the back side of the wafer while it is supported by the mounting plate to reduce the thickness of the semiconductor wafer, polishing the back side after the grinding operation has been completed without removing the wafer from the mounting plate to further reduce the thickness of the wafer, heating the mounting plate, removing the wafer from the mounting plate, removing the wax from the front surface of the wafer, cleaning the wafer, die cutting the wafer to provide individual semiconductor die, providing a flexible substrate formed of plastic and having dimensions such that it can fit into a conventional billfold, mounting one of the semiconductor die on the flexible substrate so that the electronic card reader can communicate with the semiconductor device to provide an electronic card which can withstand bending over a 2" radius or less without breaking or damage to the semiconductor device.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the semiconductor device is reduced in thickness to a thickness of from 2 to 7 mils.