Method for forming radio frequency antenna

• US 20060028379A1
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RCD Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: RCD Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Oberle, Robert R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,298,331 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/700.MS
• 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 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/27 Spiral antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• 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 reinforcing the conductive pattern H05K3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1476 Same or similar kind of process performed in phases, e.g. coarse patterning followed by fine patterning
• 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 3/242 characterised by using temporary conductors on the printed circuit for electrically connecting areas which are to be electroplated
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/246 Reinforcing conductive paste, ink or powder patterns by other methods, e.g. by plating

Abstract

A metalized circuit suitable for application as a radio frequency antenna is produced by forming an antenna coil pattern on a flexible substrate. The antenna coil pattern is formed using a conductive ink which is patterned on the substrate. The conductive ink is cured and an electrical-short layer is formed across the coils of the conductive ink pattern. An insulating layer is formed over top of the electrical-short layer, a metal layer electroplated on top of the conductive layer, and then the electrical-short layer is removed. The use of the electrical-short layer during the electroplating allows for the voltage at the different points on the conductive ink layer to be relatively similar, so that a uniform electroplate layer is formed on top of the conductive ink layer. This results in a better quality radio frequency antenna at a reduced cost.

Claims

1. An antenna web comprising:

a substrate layer;

a seed layer on top of the substrate;

a conductive layer over portions of the seed layer, wherein the antenna web has multiple antennas including the seed layer and the conductive layer, the multiple antennas having a removed short region comprising a portion of the seed layer not covered by the conductive material or comprising a portion of the seed layer wherein the conductive layer is thinner than the remaining portions of the conductive layer.

2. The antenna web of claim 1 wherein the seed layer comprises a cured conductive ink layer.

3. The antenna web of claim 1 wherein the removed short region comprises a portion of the seed layer not covered by conductive material.

4. The antenna web of claim 1 wherein the removed short region comprises a portion of the seed layer wherein the conductive layer is thinner than the remaining portions of the electroplated conductive layer.

5. The antenna web of claim 4 wherein the removed short region includes a single electroplated layer while the remaining portions of the conductive layer comprises two electroplated layers.

6. The antenna web of claim 1 wherein antenna web includes connector regions electrically isolated from the antennas.

7. A method of forming antenna web, comprising:

providing a substrate layer;

forming a seed layer on top of the substrate, the seed layer including multiple antenna regions;

forming an electrical-short layer between antenna regions;

using the electrical-short layer to electroplate a conductive layer over multiple antenna regions;

removing the electrical-short layer.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the seed layer comprises a conductive ink layer.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the conductive ink layer is cured.

10. The method of claims 7 wherein a non-conductive layer is formed over top of the electrical-short layer before the electroplating step.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the removing step comprises using a solvent to remove the electrical-short layer.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the electrical-short layer is differentially removable from the seed layer.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the substrate layer is flexible.

14. A method of forming antenna web, comprising:

providing a substrate layer;

forming a seed layer on top of the substrate, the seed layer including multiple antennae regions;

forming an electrical-short layer between antenna regions;

using the electrical-short layer to electroplate a conductive layer over multiple antenna regions;

removing the electrical-short layer so as to form multiple antennas that are electrically isolated; and

testing the multiple antennas while they are still on the antenna web.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the seed layer comprises a conductive ink layer.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the conductive ink layer is cured.

17. The method of claims 14 wherein a non-conductive layer is formed over top of the electrical-short layer before the electroplating step.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the removing step comprises using a solvent to remove the electrical-short layer.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the electrical-short layer is differentially removable from the seed layer.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the substrate layer is flexible.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising separating the multiple antennas after testing.