Electronic communications device with antenna and electromagnetic shield

• US 9,112,263 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2011
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Pagani, Alberto, Finocchiaro, Alessandro, Girlando, Giovanni
• Primary Examiner(s): RUSHING, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US13/032,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20110205028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,637 Days
• Field of Search: 257/679
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/268 using electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67115 mainly by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/26 Acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection, in-situ thickness measurement endpoint detection arrangements in CMP apparatus B24B37/013, in discharge apparatus H01J37/32
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/34 Circuits for electrically characterising or monitoring manufacturing processes, e. g. whole test die, wafers filled with test structures, on-board-devices incorporated on each die, process control monitors or pad structures thereof, devices in scribe line switching, multiplexing, gating devices G01R19/25; process control with lithography, e.g. dose control, G03F7/20; structures for alignment control by optical means G03F7/70633
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6672 for integrated passive components, e.g. semiconductor device with passive components only integrated circuits with passive components only per se H01L27/01
• 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 23/5223 Capacitor integral with wiring layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5225 Shielding layers formed together with wiring layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5227 Inductive arrangements or effects of, or between, wiring layers other inductive arrangements H01L23/645
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/10 Inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/40 Capacitors
• 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: 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 1/526 Electromagnetic shields
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 : including measuring or testing of device or component part

Abstract

An embodiment of an electronic communications device, including: a body of semiconductor material defining at least one integrated electronic circuit and having a top surface; an electromagnetic shield; a radiant element; and a capacitive element formed by a first electrode and a second electrode, the radiant element being set on the top surface and being ohmically coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode by means of a first connection element and a second connection element, respectively, the electromagnetic shield being set between the radiant element and the top surface and forming at least the second electrode.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a circuit element;

an antenna disposed over the circuit element; and

a first capacitor having a first plate directly connected to a first terminal of the antenna and capacitively coupled to a second plate that is coplanar to the first plate, said second plate directly connected to a second terminal of the antenna;

wherein the first and second plates are disposed between the circuit element and the antenna;

wherein no portion of the first plate is disposed over any portion of the second plate; and

wherein an extent of the first and second plates equals or exceeds an extent of the antenna to form a shield.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuit element comprises a transistor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuit element is coupled to the antenna.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a circuit that includes the circuit element.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter that is coupled to the antenna and that includes the circuit element.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a receiver that is coupled to the antenna and that includes the circuit element.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the antenna comprises multiple turns of a conductor.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a level; and

wherein the antenna comprises multiple turns of a conductor disposed at the level.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of levels; and

wherein the antenna comprises multiple turns of a conductor disposed at multiple ones of the levels.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of levels;

wherein the antenna is disposed at one of the levels;

wherein the first and second plates are disposed at another of the levels.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of levels;

wherein antenna is disposed at one of the levels;

wherein first and second plates are disposed at another of the levels; and

further comprising a third capacitor plate, capacitively coupled to one of the first and second plates, and which is disposed at said one of the levels with the antenna.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein a portion of one of first and second plates has fingers; and

wherein a portion of the other of the first and second plates has fingers that are disposed between the fingers of said one of the first and second plates.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a a third plate capacitively coupled to one of the first and second plates and directly connected to the other one of the first and second plates.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a circuit element in a body of semiconductor material;

an antenna disposed over the circuit element; and

a first capacitor having a first plate coupled to the antenna and having a second plate that is capacitively coupled to and coplanar to the first plate, said second plate coupled to the antenna;

wherein both the first plate and second plate are disposed between the circuit element and the antenna;

wherein no portion of the first plate is disposed over any portion of the second plate; and

wherein an extent of the first and second plates equals or exceeds an extent of the antenna to provide an electromagnetic shield between the antenna and the body of semiconductor material.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the second plate of the capacitor includes fingers interdigitated with fingers of the first plate.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein:

the first plate includes an elongated element from which first fingers extend; and

the second plate includes second fingers that extend between the first fingers of the first plate; and

the elongated element substantially completely surrounds a periphery of the second plate.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first plate and second plate are directly connected to the antenna.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a second capacitor including the second plate and a third plate that is coplanar with the antenna.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a third capacitor including the second plate and a fourth plate that is coupled to the antenna.

20. An integrated circuit, comprising:

a circuit element in a body of semiconductor material;

an antenna disposed over the circuit element; and

a first capacitor having a first plate coupled to a first terminal of the antenna and having a second plate that is capacitively coupled to and coplanar to the first plate, said second plate coupled to a second terminal of the antenna;

wherein the first and second plates are disposed between the circuit element and the antenna to provide an electromagnetic shield protecting the antenna and circuit element in the body of semiconductor material by mutual interference;

wherein no portion of the first plate is disposed over any portion of the second plate.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

a circuit element;

an antenna disposed over the circuit element; and

a first capacitor having a first plate disposed in a plane coupled to the antenna and having a second plate disposed in the same plane coupled to the antenna,

wherein the first and second plates are disposed between the circuit element and the antenna, and

wherein said first plate includes an elongated element which extends to substantially completely surround the second plate.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising a third plate capacitively coupled to the first plate and electrically connected to the second plate, wherein third plate is provided coplanar with the antenna.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the circuit element is disposed in a semiconductor layer which supports, in overlying layers, the first and second electrodes and the antenna.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the first plate comprises a plurality of first fingers which extend from the elongated element and the second plate comprises a plurality of second fingers which are interdigitated with the first plurality of fingers.

25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the first and second plates disposed between the circuit element and the antenna provide an electromagnetic shield protecting the antenna and circuit element in the body of semiconductor material by mutual interference.

26. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein an extent of the first and second plates equals or exceeds an extent of the antenna to form an electromagnetic shield.