Semiconductor chip having a radio-frequency identification transceiver

• US 6,424,315 B1
• Filed: 08/02/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amkor Technology Singapore Holding Pte., Ltd. (Amkor Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Amkor Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Webster, Steven, Glenn, Thomas P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wimer, Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US09/631,449
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q.138, 343/895, 343/873, 296/00, 235/491, 340/572.7, 257/673, 257/679
• US Class Current: 343/895
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07327 Passive means, e.g. Faraday cages Faraday-type protection of electric circuits in general H05K9/00
• 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: 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 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/526 Electromagnetic shields
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/27 Spiral antennas
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

A miniature radio-frequency identification (RFID) transceiver and a method for making the same are provided. The RFID transceiver is small in size and physically rugged. The RFID transceiver includes an integrated circuit and a radio-frequency antenna that is fixed to the integrated circuit and electrically connected to the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes an RFID transceiver circuit. The antenna may be a single thin-film layer over the top surface of the integrated circuit or multiple layers that form a larger antenna in a compact, folded structure. Multiple antenna layers may also be used to form a three-dimensional structure for improved antenna operation or may be used to form separate, independent antennas.

Claims

1. A miniature radio-frequency identification (RFID) transceiver, comprising:

an integrated circuit including an RFID transceiver circuit and a first contact area on a top surface of the integrated circuit, said contact area being in electrical communication with the RFID transceiver circuit;

a first electrically insulating layer deposited over said top surface of the integrated circuit, said first electrically insulating layer including a hole exposing said first contact area;

a first antenna layer formed on said first insulating layer, said first insulating layer providing electrical insulation between said top surface of said integrated circuit and said first antenna layer, said first antenna layer including a patterned layer of an electrically conductive material, wherein the electrically conductive material integrally fills said hole and makes electrical contact with said first contact area.

2. The RFID transceiver of claim 1, including:

a second electrically insulating layer deposited over said first antenna layer, said second electrically insulating layer including a first hole exposing a portion of the first antenna layer;

a second antenna layer formed over said second insulating layer, said second insulating layer providing electrical insulation between said first antenna layer and said second antenna layer, said second antenna layer including a patterned layer of a first electrically conductive material, said first electrically conductive material integrally filling said first hole and making electrical contact with the first antenna layer.

3. The RFID transceiver of claim 1, including:

a second contact area at said top surface of said integrated circuit;

a second electrically insulating layer provided over said first antenna layer, said first and second electrically insulating layers including a first hole through them exposing a portion of the second contact area;

a second antenna layer provided over said second insulating layer, said second insulating layer providing electrical insulation between said first antenna layer and said second antenna layer, said second antenna layer including a patterned layer of a first electrically conductive material, said first electrically conductive material integrally filling said first hole and making electrical contact with the second contact area.

4. The RFID transceiver of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive material of the first antenna layer is metal.

5. The RFID transceiver of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive material of the first antenna layer is selected from the group of electrically conductive ink and metal-filled epoxy.

6. The RFID transceiver of claim 2, wherein the electrically conductive material of at least one of the first and second antenna layers is metal.

7. The RFID transceiver of claim 2, wherein the electrically conductive material of at least one of the first and second antenna layers is selected from the group of electrically conductive ink and metal-filled epoxy.

8. The RFID transceiver of claim 2, wherein the first and second electrical conductors are transversely staggered.

9. The RFID transceiver of claim 1, wherein the first antenna layer has a spiral pattern.

10. A method for producing a miniature radio-frequency identification (RFID) transceiver, the method comprising:

providing an integrated circuit having a top surface, an internal RFID transceiver circuit and a first contact area at said top surface and in electrical communication with the RFID transceiver circuit;

depositing a first electrically insulating layer over the top surface of said integrated circuit;

forming a first hole through the first electrically insulating layer to expose the first contact area;

forming a patterned, electrically conductive first antenna layer of a first electrically conductive material over said first electrically insulating layer, said first electrically conductive material integrally filling said first hole and forming an electrical contact with the first contact area.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein forming a patterned first antenna layer includes screening the first electrically conductive material, in a pattern, over said first electrically insulating layer.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein providing a forming first antenna layer includes patterning the first electrically conductive material by at least one of etching or laser ablation.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first electrically conductive material of the first antenna layer is metal.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first electrically conductive material of the first antenna layer is selected from the group of electrically conductive ink and a metal-filled epoxy.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein forming a first electrical connection between said first antenna layer and said first contact area includes:

forming a first contact via through said first insulating layer; and

filling said first contact via with an electrically conductive material.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein filling said first contact via and providing a patterned electrically conductive first antenna layer over said first electrically insulating layer are performed in a single step.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

depositing a second electrically insulating layer over said first antenna layer;

forming a second hole through the second electrically insulating layer;

providing a patterned electrically conductive second antenna layer formed of a second electrically conductive material over said second electrically insulating layer, said second electrically conductive material integrally filling said second hole and making an electrical contact with at least one of said first antenna layer and said first contact area.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of said first and second electrically conductive materials is metal.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of said first and second electrically conductive materials is selected from the group of electrically conductive ink and a metal-filled epoxy.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein providing a patterned second antenna layer includes patterning the second electrically conductive material by at least one of etching or laser ablation.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said first and second holes are provided at transversely staggered locations.