Methods for forming integrated circuits within substrates

• US RE40,137 E1
• Filed: 12/10/2003
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Tuttle, Mark E., Lake, Rickie C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Everhart; Caridad
• Application Number:
  US10/734,072
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 257/E21.7, 438/125, 438/42, 438/64, 438/126, 438/19, 298/40, 298/52, 298/37, 298/49, 298/46, 298/50, 264/272.17
• US Class Current: 438/19
• 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 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15153 the die mounting substrate comprising a recess for hosting the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15165 Monolayer substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

The invention includes methods for forming integrated circuits within substrates, and embedded circuits. In one aspect, the invention includes a method of forming an integrated circuit within a substrate comprising: a) providing a recess in a substrate; b) printing an antenna within the recess; and c) providing an integrated circuit chip and a battery in electrical connection with the antenna. In another aspect, the invention includes a method of forming an integrated circuit within a substrate comprising: a) providing a substrate having a first recess and a second recess formed therein; b) printing a conductive film between the first and second recesses and within the first and second recesses, the conductive film forming electrical interconnects between and within the first and second recesses; c) providing a first electrical component within the first recess and in electrical connection with the electrical interconnets therein; d) providing a second electrical component within the second recess and in electrical connection with the electrical interconnects therein; and e) covering the first electrical component, the second electrical component and the conductive film with at least one protective cover. In another aspect, the invention includes an embedded circuit comprising: a) a substrate having a recess therein, the recess having a bottom surface and a sidewall surface joined to the bottom surface; b) interconnect circuitry formed on the bottom and sidewall surfaces; and c) an integrated circuit chip within the recess and operatively connected to the interconnect circuitry.

Method of forming a radio frequency identification (RFID) device. In one embodiment, a recess is provided in a plastic substrate containing an integrated circuit comprising RFID circuitry. A conductive material extends over a sidewall of the recess and is coupled to the integrated circuit in a first region and to an antenna in a second region. A flexible film may be disposed over the recess, the integrated circuit, and the conductive material.

Claims

1. A method of forming a radio frequency communication device comprising:

providing a recess within a substrate;

providing at least a portion of an antenna within the recess;

providing an integrated circuit at least partially within the recess and in operative electrical connection with the antenna; and

wherein the antenna is a loop antenna which crosses itself at a bypass, said bypass comprising dielectric material between crossing portions of the loop antenna.

2. A method of forming an integrated circuit within a substrate comprising:

providing a recess in a substrate;

providing substantially an entirety of an antenna within the recess; and

providing an integrated circuit chip and a battery supported by the substrate and in operative electrical connection with the antenna.

3. A method of forming an integrated circuit within a substrate comprising:

providing a recess in a substrate;

providing at least a portion of an antenna within the recess;

providing an integrated circuit chip and a battery supported by the substrate and in operative electrical connection with the antenna; and

wherein the antenna is provided within the recess and on a portion of the substrate outside of the recess.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the antenna comprises a predominate portion within the recess.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the antenna comprises a predominate portion outside of the recess.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein at least one of the battery and the integrated circuit chip are provided at least partially within the recess.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the battery is bonded to the substrate within the recess.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of providing the antenna comprises printing a conductive film.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of providing the antenna comprises pad printing a conductive film.

6. A method of forming an integrated circuit within a substrate comprising:

providing a recess in a substrate;

providing at least a portion of an antenna within the recess;

providing an integrated circuit chip and a battery supported by the substrate and in operative electrical connection with the antenna; and

wherein the antenna is a loop antenna which crosses itself at a bypass, said bypass comprising dielectric material between crossing portions of the loop antenna.

11. A method of forming an integrated circuit within a substrate comprising:

providing a recess in a substrate;

providing at least a portion of a loop antenna within the recess, the loop antenna comprising a bypass where portions of the antenna cross one another, the bypass comprising a dielectric material between the crossing portions of the antenna; and

providing an integrated circuit chip in operative electrical connection with the antenna.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the portions of the antenna which cross one another are substantially perpendicular to one another.

13. A method of forming an integrated circuit within a substrate comprising:

providing a recess in a substrate;

pad printing a conductive material within the recess to form at least a portion of a conductive circuit within the recess and to form at least a portion of an antenna within the recess;

placing an integrated circuit chip within the recess and bonding the integrated circuit chip to the conductive circuit and the antenna; and

placing a battery within the recess and in electrical connection with the integrated circuit chip.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the substrate is a card configured for carrying on a person.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising, after the printing, providing an electroless metal within the recess to selectively plate the conductive circuit.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising, after bonding the chip to the conductive circuit, filling the recess with a liquid encapsulation material and curing the encapsulation material into a solid mass.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising, after bonding the chip to the conductive circuit, covering the recess with a protective cover.

18. A method of forming an integrated circuit within a substrate comprising:

providing a substrate having a recess formed therein, said recess having a bottom surface and a sidewall surface joined to the bottom surface;

pad printing a conductive film within the recess to form electrical interconnects within the recess and to form at least a portion of an antenna, the electrical interconnects extending along the bottom surface and the sidewall surface of the recess;

placing an integrated circuit chip within the recess and in electrical connection with the electrical interconnects;

covering the integrated circuit and the conductive film within the recess with a protective cover; and

wherein the integrated circuit comprises radio frequency identification device circuitry, and further comprising placing a battery within the recess and in electrical connection with the radio frequency identification device circuitry through the electrical interconnects.

19. A method of forming a device comprising:

providing a recess within a substrate;

providing at least a portion of an antenna within the recess;

providing an integrated circuit at least partially within the recess and in operative electrical connection with the antenna;

wherein the antenna crosses itself at a bypass, said bypass comprising dielectric material between crossing portions of the antenna; and

wherein the antenna includes a connection between the integrated circuit and a first antenna portion, the first antenna portion extending from at least partially within the recess to outside the recess, a second connection between the integrated circuit and a second antenna portion, the second antenna portion extending from at least partially within the recess to outside the recess, and a third antenna portion outside of the recess and coupled to the first and second antenna portions.

20. A method comprising:

forming a recess in a plastic substrate, the recess having an approximately planar bottom surface and four sidewall surfaces that slope outward from the bottom surface toward an upper surface of the substrate; and

subsequently performing the steps of;

providing a monolithic integrated circuit chip within the recess, the chip comprising RFID circuitry coupled to first and second antenna ports to provide memory and processing functions, the first and second antenna ports configured to be electrically coupled together via an antenna and, subsequent to the forming of the recess;

providing a first conductive layer coupled to the first antenna port of the chip and extending over at least a portion of a first of the sidewall surfaces; and

providing a second conductive layer coupled to the second antenna port of the chip and extending over at least a portion of a second of the sidewall surfaces.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein providing the first and second conductive layers comprises printing.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising forming a conductive adhesive between the first conductive layer and the first antenna port and forming a conductive adhesive between the second conductive layer and the second antenna port.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

providing at least a portion of an antenna over the upper surface of the substrate and coupling the antenna to the first and second conductive layers; and

providing a flexible plastic film over the recess, the chip, and the antenna, the flexible plastic film being bonded to the portion of the antenna.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

providing at least a portion of an antenna formed using a first process over the upper surface of the substrate;

coupling the antenna to the first and second conductive layers, the first and second conductive layers having been formed using a second process; and

providing a flexible plastic film over the recess, the chip, and the antenna.

25. A method comprising:

providing a plastic substrate comprising a plurality of recesses, each of the recesses having a bottom surface and four sidewall surfaces that extend non-perpendicularly from the bottom surface toward an upper surface of the substrate; and

subsequently performing the steps of;

disposing a plurality of integrated circuits within the plurality of recesses such that each of the recesses contains an integrated circuit, each of the integrated circuits comprising RFID circuitry coupled to first and second antenna ports to provide memory and processing functions, the first and second antenna ports configured to be electrically coupled together via an antenna; and

providing a plurality of continuous conductive films, each of the continuous conductive films having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being coupled to respective ones of the integrated circuits disposed within the recesses and the second portions extending above the upper surface of the substrate.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the substrate comprises a plurality of rows of recesses and a plurality of columns of recesses.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising covering the plurality of integrated circuits and the plurality of continuous conductive films with an insulting material initially provided as a liquid material that is subsequently cured into a non-liquid material, and wherein each of the continuous conductive films is disposed over at least one respective sidewall surface between the first and second portions.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the continuous conductive films comprise printed films.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the first portion of each of the continuous conductive films is coupled to respective ones of the integrated circuits using a conductive adhesive.

30. A method comprising:

forming a recess in a plastic substrate, the recess having a bottom surface and four sidewall surfaces that extend non-perpendicularly from the bottom surface toward an upper surface of the substrate; and

subsequently performing the steps of;

providing an antenna portion disposed outside of the recess;

disposing an integrated circuit within the recess, the integrated circuit comprising RFID circuitry coupled to first and second antenna ports to provide memory and processing functions;

disposing a conductive material layer over at least one of the four sidewall surfaces to couple the integrated circuit to the antenna portion outside the recess, wherein the antenna portion is configured to electrically couple the first antenna port to the second antenna port; and

providing a flexible film over the recess, the integrated circuit, and the conductive material layer.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein depositing the conductive material layer comprises printing a film.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising coupling the integrated circuit to the conductive material layer using a conductive adhesive.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the conductive material layer is disposed over the bottom surface at a first end and over the upper surface at a second end.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising covering the conductive material layer with an insulating material and bonding the flexible film directly on at least a portion of the insulating material.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the antenna comprises a material layer that is different from the conductive material layer.

36. The method of claim 30, further comprising covering the conductive material layer with an insulating material and bonding the flexible film over the insulating material.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein covering the conductive material layer with the insulating material comprises forming the insulting material directly on the conductive material layer and over the upper surface of the substrate.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein covering the conductive material layer with the insulating material includes depositing a liquid material and curing the liquid material to form the insulting material.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein depositing the conductive material layer comprises printing a film.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the film is less than about one mil in thickness.

41. A method comprising:

providing a plastic substrate comprising a recess, the recess having a bottom surface and sidewall surfaces that extend non-perpendicularly from the bottom surface toward an upper surface of the substrate, each of the sidewall surfaces sloping outward from the bottom surface toward the upper surface;

providing an antenna, at least a portion of which is a first conductive film disposed above the upper surface;

providing an integrated circuit within the recess, the integrated circuit comprising RFID circuitry coupled to first and second antenna ports to provide memory and processing functions;

providing a second conductive film, separate from the first conductive film, having a first region coupled to the integrated circuit and a second region coupled to the portion of the antenna; and

disposing a flexible film above the recess, the antenna, the integrated circuit, and the second conductive film, and electrically coupling the first and second antenna ports together via the antenna.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the second conductive film comprises a printed film.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the first region of the second conductive film is disposed above the bottom surface.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the second conductive film is disposed above at least one of the sidewall surfaces between the first and second regions.

45. The method of claim 41, further comprising bonding a conductive adhesive to the integrated circuit and to the first region of the first conductive film.

46. The method of claim 41, further comprising covering the second conductive film with an insulating material and disposing the flexible film over the insulating material.

47. The method of claim 41, wherein at least one of the sidewall surfaces slopes in at least a generally linear manner from the bottom surface.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising covering the second conductive film with an insulating material and disposing the flexible film over the insulating material.

49. A method comprising:

providing a plastic substrate comprising a plurality of recesses, each of the recesses having a bottom surface and four sidewall surfaces that extend non-perpendicularly from the bottom surface toward an upper surface of the substrate; and

subsequently performing the steps of;

disposing a plurality of integrated circuits within the plurality of recesses such that each of the recesses contains no more than a single respective integrated circuit, each respective integrated circuit comprising respective RFID circuitry to provide memory and processing functions, the respective RFID circuitry coupled to respective first and second antenna ports configured to be coupled together via a respective antenna; and

forming a plurality of continuous conductive films, each of the continuous conductive films having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being coupled to respective ones of the integrated circuits disposed within the recesses and the second portion extending above the upper surface of the substrate.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the substrate comprises a plurality of rows of recesses and a plurality of columns of recesses, and further comprising dividing the substrate into a plurality of singular substrates after forming the plurality of conductive films, each of the singular substrates comprising a single recess.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein each of the continuous conductive films is disposed above at least one respective sidewall surface between the first and second portions, and each of the singular substrates comprises two continuous conductive films.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein forming the plurality of continuous conductive films comprises printing a conductive material.

53. The method or claim 52, wherein the first portion of each of the continuous conductive films is coupled to respective ones of the integrated circuits using a conductive adhesive.

54. A method comprising:

providing a substrate comprising a recess, the recess having a bottom surface and four sidewall surfaces that extend non-perpendicularly from the bottom surface toward an upper surface of the substrate, each of the sidewall surfaces sloping outward from the bottom surface toward the upper surface;

providing an antenna, at least a portion of which is a first conductive material disposed above the upper surface;

providing an integrated circuit within the recess, the integrated circuit comprising RFID circuitry to provide memory and processing functions and coupled to first and second antenna ports of the integrated circuit;

providing a second conductive material, separated from the first conductive material, having a first region coupled to the integrated circuit and disposed above the bottom surface, having a second region coupled to the portion of the antenna and disposed above the upper surface, and having a third region between the first and second regions and disposed above one of the sidewall surfaces; and

disposing a flexible film over the recess, the integrated circuit, the antenna, and the second conductive material, wherein the first and second antenna ports are electrically coupled together via the antenna.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising bonding a conductive adhesive to the integrated circuit and to the first region of the second conductive material.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein providing the second conductive material comprises printing the second conductive material.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising the second conductive material with an insulating material and disposing the flexible film over the insulating material.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein at least one of the sidewall surfaces slopes in at least a generally linear manner from the bottom surface.