Integrated circuit package including miniature antenna

• US 9,761,948 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2015
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fractus SA
• Original Assignee: Fractus SA
• Inventors: Soler Castany, Jordi, Anguera Pros, Jaume, Puente Baliarda, Carles, Borja Borau, Carmen
• Primary Examiner(s): MANCUSO, HUEDUNG XUAN CAO
• Application Number:
  US14/733,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20150303575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 343700 MS, 343702, 343720, 343741, 343767, 343793, 343895, 343803-806, 343809
• 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 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45015 being circular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48265 the item being a discrete passive component
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48464 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area also being a ball bond, i.e. ball-to-ball
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49175 Parallel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85203 Thermocompression bonding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85399 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/49 of a plurality of wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/73 Means for bonding being of different types provided for in two or more of groups H01L24/10, H01L24/18, H01L24/26, H01L24/34, H01L24/42, H01L24/50, H01L24/63, H01L24/71
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/165 Containers
• 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 2924/00012 : Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01004 : Beryllium [Be]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01019 : Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 : Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/09701 : Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1423 : Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit [MMIC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15311 : being a ball array, e.g. BGA
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 : Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 : being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/207 : Diameter ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 : Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 : Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30111 : matching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 : Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 : by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 : mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 : Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• 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 1/40 : Radiating elements coated with or embedded in protective material
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 : Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/045 : with particular feeding means for circular polarisation H01Q9/0428
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/26 : with folded element or elements, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of operating wavelength resonant loop antennas H01Q7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/30 : with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/40 : Element having extended radiating surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 : with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength

Abstract

The present invention relates to an integrated circuit package comprising at least one substrate, each substrate including at least one layer, at least one semiconductor die, at least one terminal, and an antenna located in the integrated circuit package, but not on said at least one semiconductor die. The conducting pattern comprises a curve having at least five sections or segments, at least three of the sections or segments being shorter than one-tenth of the longest free-space operating wavelength of the antenna, each of the five sections or segments forming a pair of angles with each adjacent segment or section, wherein the smaller angle of each of the four pairs of angles between sections or segments is less than 180° (i.e., no pair of sections or segments define a longer straight segment), wherein at least two of the angles are less than 115°, wherein at least two of the angles are not equal, and wherein the curve fits inside a rectangular area the longest edge of which is shorter than one-fifth of the longest free-space operating wavelength of the antenna.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a substrate;

a chip mounted in a first area of the substrate;

a first antenna disposed in a second area of the substrate, wherein the first antenna fits inside a first rectangular area having a longest side shorter than one-fifth of a longest free-space operating wavelength of the first antenna; and

a second antenna disposed in a third area of the substrate, the first area being located between the second and third areas, wherein the second antenna fits inside a second rectangular area having a longest side shorter than one-fifth of a longest free-space operating wavelength of the second antenna.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the perimeter of the first antenna defines a curve comprising at least five segments, wherein at least three of the five segments are smaller than a tenth of the longest free-space operating wavelength of the first antenna.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the perimeter of the second antenna defines a curve comprising at least five segments, wherein at least three of the five segments are smaller than a tenth of the longest free-space operating wavelength of the second antenna.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a third antenna that fits inside a third rectangular area having a longest side shorter than one-fifth of a longest free-space operating wavelength of the third antenna.

5. The device of claim 4, further comprising a fourth antenna that fits inside a fourth rectangular area having a longest side shorter than one-fifth of a longest free-space operating wavelength of the forth antenna.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the third and fourth antennas are disposed in the first area of the substrate on opposite sides of the chip.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first antenna is a slot antenna printed on the substrate.

8. A sensor node comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate disposed on top of the first substrate;

at least one die mounted in a first area of the second substrate;

a sensing system connected to the first substrate;

a first antenna disposed in a second area of the second substrate and configured to transmit electromagnetic signals, wherein the first antenna fits inside a first rectangular area, the longest side of the first rectangular area being shorter than one-fifth of a longest free-space operating wavelength of the first antenna.

9. The sensor node of claim 8, wherein the perimeter of the first antenna comprises at least five segments that are shorter than one-tenth of the longest free-space operating wavelength of the first antenna.

10. The sensor node of claim 8, further comprising a second antenna disposed in a third area of the second substrate, wherein the second antenna fits inside a second rectangular area, the longest side of the second rectangular area being shorter than one-fifth of a longest free-space operating wavelength of the second antenna.

11. The sensor node of claim 10, wherein the perimeter of the second antenna comprises at least five segments that are shorter than one-tenth of the longest free-space operating wavelength of the second antenna.

12. The sensor node of claim 8, further comprising a second antenna disposed on a third substrate, wherein the second antenna fits inside a second rectangular area, the longest side of the second rectangular area being shorter than one-fifth of a longest free-space operating wavelength of the second antenna.

13. The sensor node of claim 12, wherein the perimeter of the second antenna comprises at least five segments that are shorter than one-tenth of the longest free-space operating wavelength of the second antenna.

14. The sensor node of claim 12, wherein the third substrate is disposed on top of the first substrate.

15. A wireless module comprising:

a substrate;

at least one chip mounted in a first area of the substrate;

an antenna disposed in a second area of the substrate, wherein the perimeter of the antenna defines a curve comprising at least five segments, each of the at least five segments forming an angle with each adjacent segment in the curve, each of the five segments being shorter than one-tenth of a longest free-space operating wavelength of the antenna, wherein the smaller angle of each angle between adjacent segments is less than 180° and

at least two of the angles between adjacent sections are less than 115°

, and at least two of the angles are not equal.

16. The wireless module of claim 15, wherein the curve is arranged such that two of the angles are defined respectively in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions at opposite sides of the curve.

17. The wireless module of claim 15, wherein the curve fits inside a rectangular area having a longest side shorter than one-fifth of the longest free-space operating wavelength of the antenna.

18. The wireless module of claim 15, wherein the rectangular area that encloses the antenna does not encloses the chip.

19. The wireless module of claim 15, wherein the antenna is printed on the substrate.

20. The wireless module of claim 15, wherein the antenna is arranged along the shortest side of the substrate.