On-chip antenna, and systems utilizing same

• US 6,373,447 B1
• Filed: 12/28/1998
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kawasaki MicroElectronics (Megachips Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kawasaki Steel Corporation (JFE Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Muthukumaraswamy, Kumaraguru, Rostoker, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinh, Trinh Vo
• Application Number:
  US09/221,258
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q.136, 343/895, 343/795, 343/793, 343/873, 343/700.MS, 340/572.7, 340/825, 257/531, 257/666, 257/679, 257/790, 257/491, 257/777
• US Class Current: 343/895
• 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: G06K 19/07775 the antenna being on-chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07779 the inductive antenna being a coil
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device antennas per se H01Q
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05554 being square
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• 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 2924/01019 Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1433 Application-specific integrated circuit [ASIC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19104 on the semiconductor or solid-state device, i.e. passive-on-chip
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 : Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence

Abstract

One or more antennas are formed on an integrated circuit (IC) chip and connected to other circuitry on the IC chip. Antenna configurations include loop, multi-turn loop, square spiral, long wire, or dipole. The antenna may be formed to have two or more segments which can selectively be connected to one another to alter an effective length of the antenna. Two antennas may be formed in two different metallization layers separated by an insulating layer. Additionally, an antenna may be incorporated in a heat sink structure that is joined to the IC chip. IC chips having antennas are suitably included in a system or subsystem having electrical functionality, such as general purpose computers, telecommunications devices, and the like.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

an integrated circuit (IC) chip having a surface;

the surface having a peripheral area;

the surface having a central area within the peripheral area, the central area comprising a first portion and a second portion;

a circuitry of the IC chip disposed within the first portion of the central area; and

an antenna disposed within the second portion of the central area.

2. The device, according to claim 1, further comprising:

bond pads disposed within the peripheral area.

3. The device according to claim 2 wherein:

an entire of the central area is bounded by the bond pads.

4. The device, according to claim 1, wherein:

the antenna is selected from the group consisting of loop, multi-turn loop, square spiral, long wire, and dipole.

5. The A device, according to claim 1, wherein:

the antenna is formed of one or more conductive traces in a metallization layer on the IC chip.

6. The device, according to claim 1, wherein:

the antenna comprises a long wire following a serpentine path on the surface of the IC chip.

7. A device comprising:

an integrated circuit (IC) chip having a surface;

a circuitry disposed on the surface of the IC chip; and

an antenna disposed on the surface of the IC chip;

wherein;

the antenna comprises a long wire with only one of two ends thereof connected to the circuitry.

8. The device, according to claim 7, wherein:

the antenna is formed of one or more conductive traces in a metallization layer on the IC chip.

9. The device, according to claim 7, wherein:

the antenna extends to within a peripheral area of the IC chip.

10. A device comprising:

an integrated circuit (IC) chip having a surface;

a circuitry disposed on the surface of the IC chip; and

an antenna disposed on the surface of the IC chip;

wherein;

the antenna comprises a long wire with only one of two ends thereof connected to the circuitry and having two or more segments which can selectively be connected to one another to alter an effective length of the antenna.

11. The device, according to claim 10, wherein:

the antenna is formed of two or more collinear conductive traces in a metallization layer on the IC chip.

12. A device comprising:

an integrated circuit (IC) chip having a surface;

a circuitry disposed on the surface of the IC chip; and

two or more antennas disposed on the surface of the IC chip;

wherein;

the surface has a peripheral area;

the surface has a central area within the peripheral area;

one of the antennas is disposed within the peripheral area; and

another of the antennas is disposed within the central area.

13. The device, according to claim 12, wherein:

at least one of the antennas is selected from the group consisting of loop, multi-turn loop, square spiral, long wire, and dipole.

14. The device, according to claim 12, wherein:

the two antennas are formed in two different metallization layers separated by an insulating layer.

15. A device comprising:

an integrated circuit (IC) chip having a surface;

a circuitry disposed on the surface of the IC chip; and

two or more antennas disposed on the surface of the IC chip;

wherein;

the surface has a peripheral area;

the surface has a central area within the peripheral area;

the central area comprises a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion;

one of the antennas is disposed within the second portion of the central area; and

another of the antennas is disposed within the third portion of the central area.

16. The device, according to claim 15, wherein:

the antennas is formed of one or more conductive traces in a metallization layer on the IC chip.

17. The device, according to claim 15, wherein:

at least one of the antennas extends to within a peripheral area of the IC chip.

18. The device, according to claim 15, wherein:

a one of the two or more antennas functions as a transmitting antenna; and

an other of the two or more antennas functions as a receiving antenna.

19. The device, according to claim 15, wherein:

two of the two or more antennas are connected to function as a two-part antenna.

20. The device, according to claim 15, further comprising:

bond pads disposed within the peripheral area.

21. The device, according to claim 20, wherein:

an entire of the central area is bounded by the bond pads.

22. An electronic system incorporating at least one device, said device comprising:

an integrated circuit (IC) chip having a surface;

the surface having a peripheral area;

the surface having a central area within the peripheral area, the central area comprising a first portion and a second portion;

a circuitry of the disposed within the first portion of the central area; and

an antenna disposed within the second portion of the central area.

23. The electronic system, according to claim 22, wherein:

the electronic system is selected from the group consisting of general-purpose computer, telecommunication device, network device, consumer device, audio device, video device, receiver, recorder, display device, transportation system, electromechanical device, and smart card.