Conductive pattern and method of making

• US 7,477,194 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2005
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: Ferguson, Scott Wayne, Grunlan, Jaime C., Liu, Peikang, Forster, Ian J., Coleman, James P., Holman, Andrew W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; HoangAnh T
• Application Number:
  US11/294,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20060076422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/702, 343/718, 343/895, 343/795
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• 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 21/4846 Leads on or in insulating or insulated substrates, e.g. metallisation H01L21/4821 takes precedence; metallisation of ceramics in general C04B41/51; printed circuits H05K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/95085 being a liquid, e.g. for fluidic self-assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49855 for flat-cards, e.g. credit cards cards per se G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/95 at chip-level, i.e. with connecting carried out on a plurality of singulated devices, i.e. on diced chips
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/095 for polymer thick films, i.e. having a permanent organic polymeric binder
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0347 Overplating, e.g. for reinforcing conductors or bumps; Plating over filled vias
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1469 Circuit made after mounting or encapsulation of the components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1545 Continuous processing, i.e. involving rolls moving a band-like or solid carrier along a continuous production path
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/205 using a pattern electroplated or electroformed on a metallic carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/32 electrically connecting electric components or wires to printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/386 by the use of an organic polymeric bonding layer, e.g. adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1062 Prior to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

A method of forming an electrically-conductive pattern includes selectively electroplating the top portions of a substrate that corresponds to the pattern, and separating the conductive pattern from the substrate. The electroplating may also include electrically connecting the conductive pattern to an electrical component. Conductive ink, such as ink including carbon particles, may be selectively placed on the conductive substrate to facilitate plating of the desired pattern and/or to facilitate separation of the pattern from the substrate. An example of a conductive pattern is an antenna for a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device such as a label or a tag. One example of an electrical component that may be electrically connected to the antenna, is an RFID strap or chip.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) device comprising:

an RFID chip;

an RFID antenna; and

electroplated conductive links providing electrical coupling between the chip and the antenna;

wherein the antenna includes electroplated material that is substantially continuous with the conductive links;

wherein the chip is part of an RFID strap which includes conductive leads coupled to the chip;

wherein the conductive links are in contact with the conductive leads; and

wherein there is conductive ink between the conductive links and parts of the conductive leads.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna includes carbon.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the carbon is at least part of a carbon-containing ink.

4. The device of claim 1,

wherein the RFID strap includes an insulating strap substrate;

and

wherein the conductive links extend along sides of the insulating strap substrate.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the insulating strap substrate is between the conductive leads and the antenna.

6. A radio frequency identification (RFID) device comprising:

an RFID chip;

an RFID antenna; and

electroplated conductive links providing electrical coupling between the chip and the antenna;

wherein the chip is part of an RFID strap which includes conductive leads coupled to the chip;

wherein the strap includes an insulating strap substrate between the conductive leads and the antenna;

wherein the conductive links are in contact with the conductive leads; and

wherein the antenna includes electroplated material that is substantially continuous with the conductive links.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the antenna also includes a conductive ink layer.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the conductive ink layer includes a carbon-containing ink.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the electroplated conductive links and the electroplated material of the antenna, both include copper.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein the antenna and the conductive links include copper.

11. The device of claim 6, wherein the conductive links extend along sides of the insulating strap substrate.

12. A radio frequency identification (RFID) device comprising:

an RFID chip;

an RFID antenna;

electroplated conductive links providing electrical coupling between the chip and the antenna; and

an energy storage device electrically coupled to the chip;

wherein the antenna includes electroplated material that is substantially continuous with the conductive links; and

wherein the electroplated material includes connections with the energy storage device.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the energy storage device includes a battery.

14. The device of claim 12, further comprising a resonator electrically connected to the chip.

15. A radio frequency identification (RFID) device comprising:

an RFID chip;

an RFID antenna;

electroplated conductive links providing electrical coupling between the chip and the antenna; and

conductive leads that are electrically coupled to the chip;

wherein the conductive links are in contact with surfaces of the conductive leads that face away from the antenna;

wherein the chip and the conductive leads are parts of an RFID strap;

wherein the strap includes an insulating substrate between the conductive leads and the plane of the antenna;

wherein the antenna is a planar antenna;

wherein the conductive links extend out of a plane of the antenna; and

wherein the conductive links extend along the insulating strap substrate where the conductive links extend out of the plane of the antenna.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the planar antenna is a loop antenna.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the conductive links extend substantially perpendicular to the plane of the antenna.