Method for making a contactless chip card

• US 6,617,676 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2001
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gemalto SA (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Gemplus (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Ayala, Stéphane, Zafrany, Michael, Oddou, Laurent
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANDALA, VICTOR A
• Application Number:
  US09/868,570
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 257/679, 257/922, 257/276, 257/275, 257/277, 257/528, 257/531, 257/725, 257/728, 257/724
• US Class Current: 257/679
• 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 19/0775 arrangements for connecting the integrated circuit to the antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83192 wherein the layer connectors are disposed only on another item or body to be connected to the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/24 of an individual high density interconnect 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 2924/01006 Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01047 Silver [Ag]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01057 Lanthanum [La]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01058 Cerium [Ce]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01087 Francium [Fr]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09772 Conductors directly under a component but not electrically connected to the component cooling of mounted components by printed thermal vias H05K1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10727 Leadless chip carrier [LCC], e.g. chip-modules for cards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/28 Applying non-metallic protective coatings H05K3/0091 takes precedence; methods for intermediate insulating layers for build-up multilayer circuits H05K3/4673
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/284 : for encapsulating mounted components H05K1/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/305 : Affixing by adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 257/922 : with means to prevent inspection of or tampering with an integrated circuit, e.g. "smart card", anti-tamper

Abstract

A method for making a contactless chip card of the type having an electronic module, and an antenna connected to the module, includes the following steps: producing, on a first support sheet, the antenna with connection terminals provided at its ends; producing an insulating bridge partly covering the antenna coils except for the connection terminals; depositing a drop of filling material on the insulating bridge; transferring the electronic module, with its connection pads being oriented towards the insulating bridge; and providing an electric connection between the module contact pads and the antenna connection terminals.

Claims

1. A method for making a contactless chip support comprising an electronic assembly having an antenna and at least one microcircuit connected to the antenna, said electronic assembly being embedded in a support body composed of laminated sheets, comprising the following steps:

producing the antenna on a first support sheet, said antenna forming a spiral at the ends of which are provided connection terminals,

producing an insulating bridge partly covering the antenna turns with the exception of at least part of the connection terminals,

depositing a drop of filling material on the insulating bridge, the filling material driving out residual air between the insulating bridge and the microcircuit,

attaching the microcircuit against the insulating bridge and the filling material, to thereby establish an electrical connection from the microcircuit to the connection terminals of the antenna, and

attaching a second sheet against the electronic assembly and performing a lamination of said first and second sheets.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the filling material is a cyanoacrylate-based glue.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the insulating bridge is produced by silk screen printing of a liquid resin, and subsequent polymerization under ultraviolet radiation.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the insulating bridge has a thickness between 15 and 60 μ

m.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connection between the module and the antenna is implemented by means of an electrically conductive glue which is deposited on the connection terminals of the antenna.

6. A method according claim 1, wherein the antenna has a thickness between 10 and 40 μ

m.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the microcircuit is disposed in an electronic module so that metallic contact areas of the microcircuit are disposed against the insulating bridge and the filling material.

8. A method for making a contactless chip support comprising an electronic assembly having an antenna and at least one microcircuit a connected to the antenna, said electronic assembly being embedded in a support body composed of laminated sheets, comprising:

producing the antenna on a first support sheet, said antenna forming a spiral at the ends of which are provided connection terminals,

producing an insulating bridge partly covering the antenna turns with the exception of at least part of the connection terminals,

depositing a drop of filling material on the insulating bridge, the filling material driving out residual air between the insulating bridge and the microcircuit,

attaching the microcircuit against the insulating bridge and the filling material, to thereby establish an electrical connection from the microcircuit to the connection terminals of the antenna, and

attaching a second sheet against the electronic assembly and performing a lamination of said first and second sheets,

wherein the insulating bridge has a substantially rectangular form and has two notches at two given locations to allow exposure of the connection terminals of the antenna.

9. A method for making a contactless chip support comprising an electronic assembly having an antenna and at least one electronic module connected to the antenna, said electronic assembly being embedded in a support body composed of laminated sheets, comprising the following steps:

producing the antenna on a first support sheet, said antenna forming a spiral at the ends of which are provided connection terminals,

producing an insulating bridge partly covering the antenna turns with the exception of at least part of the connection terminals,

depositing a drop of filling material on the insulating bridge, the filling material driving out the residual air between the insulating bridge and the electronic module,

attaching the microcircuit against the insulating bridge and the filling material, to thereby establish an electrical connection from the integrated circuit chip to the connection terminals of the antenna, and

attaching a second sheet against the electronic assembly and performing a lamination of said first and second sheets,

wherein the electronic module comprises an integrated circuit chip.

10. A contactless chip card, having an electronic assembly constituted by an electronic module and an antenna connected to said module, said electronic assembly being embedded in the body of the card, such that the electronic assembly is fixed on a first support sheet on which the antenna is mounted, and the module has metallic contact areas that are disposed facing the antenna;

and an insulating bridge covered with a filling material and disposed between the module and the antenna, wherein said filling material fills any space between the insulating bridge and the module and the filled space is devoid of residual air, said insulating bridge having a geometry such that the insulating bridge does not cover the connection terminals of the antenna to allow the establishment of an electrical connection with the electronic module.

11. A contactless chip card according to claim 10, wherein said filling material is a glue.

12. A contactless chip card according to claim 10, wherein said filling material is a cyanoacrylate glue.

13. A contactless chip card according to claim 10, wherein said insulating bridge has a plurality of notches to allow exposure of the connection terminals of the antenna.

14. A contactless chip card according to claim 10, wherein the insulating bridge has a substantially rectangular form and has two notches to allow exposure of the connection terminals of the antenna.

15. A contactless chip support comprising an electronic assembly having an antenna and at least one microcircuit connected to the antenna, the contactless chip support formed by:

producing the antenna on a first support sheet, said antenna forming a spiral at the ends of which are provided connection terminals,

producing an insulating bridge partly covering the antenna turns with the exception of at least part of the connection terminals,

depositing a drop of filling material on the insulating bridge, wherein the filling material drives out residual air between the insulating bridge and the microcircuit,

transferring the microcircuit against the insulating bridge and the filling material, to thereby establish an electrical connection from the microcircuit to the connection terminals of the antenna, and

attaching a second sheet against the electronic assembly and performing a lamination of the first and second sheets.

16. A method for making a contactless chip support comprising an electronic assembly having an antenna and at least one microcircuit connected to the antenna, said electronic assembly being embedded in a support body composed of laminated sheets, comprising:

producing the antenna on a first support sheet, said antenna forming a spiral at the ends of which are provided connection terminals,

partly covering the antenna turns with an insulating bridge with the exception of at least part of the connection terminals,

thereafter depositing a drop of filling material on the insulating bridge, the filling material driving out residual air between the insulating bridge and the microcircuit,

thereafter attaching the microcircuit against the insulating bridge and the filling material, to thereby establish an electrical connection from the microcircuit to the connection terminals of the antenna, thereby forming an electronic assembly comprising the microcircuit and the antenna, and

attaching a second sheet against the electronic assembly and performing a lamination of said first and second sheets.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the attaching a second sheet against the electronic assembly is performed after attaching the microcircuit against the insulating bridge and the filling material.