Method and apparatus for tuning a resonant circuit using a laser

• US 9,728,837 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2015
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Girlando, Giovanni, Pagani, Alberto, Finocchiaro, Alessandro
• Primary Examiner(s): Rushing, Mark
• Application Number:
  US14/817,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20150336207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• 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 electronic communications device includes a body of semiconductor material with an integrated electronic circuit, an inductive element, and a capacitive element. The capacitive element is formed by a first electrode and a second electrode positioned between the inductive element and the integrated electronic circuit. Tuning of the device circuitry is accomplished by energizing the inductive/capacitive elements, determining resonance frequency, and using a laser trimming operation to alter the structure of one or more of the first electrode, second electrode or inductive element and change the resonance frequency.

Claims

1. A system for tuning a resonant circuit comprised of an inductive circuit portion and a capacitive circuit portion of an integrated circuit communications device, comprising:

a transparent substrate separate from the integrated circuit communications device;

a test antenna supported by the transparent substrate;

an automated test equipment circuit coupled to the test antenna and configured to apply a variable signal to said test antenna for communication to said resonant circuit of the separate integrated circuit communications device to identify a resonant frequency of said resonant circuit; and

a trimming laser configured to emit a laser beam directed through said transparent substrate and towards said separate integrated circuit communications device to effectuate a trimming of a structure of at least one of the inductive circuit portion and the capacitive circuit portion for adjusting the resonant frequency of said resonant circuit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said test antenna is formed in a ring shape defining a central open region, and wherein said emitted laser beam passes through said central open region.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said inductive circuit portion includes one or more stub structures, said trimming laser configured to use said laser beam to sever a selected one or more of the stub structures in adjusting the resonant frequency.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said capacitive circuit portion includes one or more comb-fingered structures, said trimming laser configured to use said laser beam to sever a selected one or more of the comb-fingered structures in adjusting the resonant frequency.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said automated test equipment circuit applies the variable signal while the trimming laser emits the laser beam to trim the structure of the inductive circuit portion or capacitive circuit portion to adjust the resonant frequency.

6. A system for tuning a resonant circuit comprised of an inductive circuit portion and a capacitive circuit portion, wherein the capacitive circuit portion comprises a first plate and a second plate that are coplanar with each other and connected to a circuit element and said inductive circuit portion, with no portion of the first plate disposed over any portion of the second plate, comprising:

a transparent substrate;

a test antenna supported by the transparent substrate;

an automated test equipment circuit coupled to the test antenna and configured to apply a variable signal to said test antenna for communication to said resonant circuit to identify a resonant frequency of said resonant circuit; and

a trimming laser configured to emit a laser beam through said transparent substrate to effectuate a trimming of a structure of at least one of the inductive circuit portion and the capacitive circuit portion for adjusting the resonant frequency.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the inductive circuit portion comprises an antenna, and wherein the first and second plates are disposed between the circuit element and the antenna.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the antenna is formed in a ring shape defining a central open region, and wherein said emitted laser beam passes through said central open region.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein an extent of the first and second plates equals or exceeds an extent of the antenna.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the capacitive circuit portion comprises a third plate coplanar with antenna of the inductive circuit portion.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the antenna is formed in a ring shape defining a central open region, and wherein said third plate is provided in said central open region.

12. The system of claim 11, said trimming laser configured to use said laser beam on a structure of the third plate in adjusting the resonant frequency.

19. The system of claim 6, wherein said test antenna is formed in a ring shape defining a central open region, and wherein said emitted laser beam passes through said central open region.

20. The system of claim 6, wherein said inductive circuit portion includes one or more stub structures, said trimming laser configured to use said laser beam to sever a selected one or more of the stub structures in adjusting the resonant frequency.

21. The system of claim 6, wherein said capacitive circuit portion includes one or more comb-fingered structures, said trimming laser configured to use said laser beam to sever a selected one or more of the comb-fingered structures in adjusting the resonant frequency.

22. The system of claim 6, wherein said automated test equipment circuit applies the variable signal while the trimming laser emits the laser beam to trim the structure of the inductive circuit portion or capacitive circuit portion to adjust the resonant frequency.

13. A method, comprising:

energizing a resonant circuit comprised of an inductive circuit portion and a capacitive circuit portion of an integrated circuit communications device;

identifying a resonant frequency of said resonant circuit from said energizing; and

emitting a laser beam to effectuate a trimming of a structure of at least one of the inductive circuit portion and the capacitive circuit portion for adjusting the resonant frequency;

wherein energizing comprises applying a varying signal to a test antenna supported by a transparent substrate that is separate from the integrated circuit communications device but positioned in proximity to said resonant circuit.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein emitting comprises emitting the laser beam to pass through the transparent substrate supporting the test antenna.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the test antenna is formed in a ring shape defining a central open region, and wherein emitting further comprises emitting the laser beam to pass through the central open region.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein applying a varying signal and emitting the laser beam occur at a same time.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said inductive circuit portion includes one or more stub structures, and wherein emitting comprises using said laser beam to sever a selected one or more of the stub structures in adjusting the resonant frequency.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said capacitive circuit portion includes one or more comb-fingered structures, and wherein emitting comprises using said laser beam to sever a selected one or more of the comb-fingered structures in adjusting the resonant frequency.