METHOD FOR FORMING RADIO FREQUENCY ANTENNA

• US 20070273605A1
• Filed: 08/10/2007
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RCD Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: RCD Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Oberle, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,515,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/866
• 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 1/38 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 2203/0191 Using tape or non-metallic foil in a process, e.g. during filling of a hole with conductive paste
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0769 Dissolving insulating materials, e.g. coatings, not used for developing resist after exposure
• 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 2203/173 Adding connections between adjacent pads or conductors, e.g. for modifying or repairing programmable, customizable or modifiable circuits H05K1/0286
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/175 Configurations of connections suitable for easy deletion, e.g. modifiable circuits or temporary conductors for electroplating; Processes for deleting connections
• 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 3/245 Reinforcing conductive patterns made by printing techniques or by other techniques for applying conductive pastes, inks or powders; Reinforcing other conductive patterns by such techniques
• 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 RF antenna comprising:

a substrate layer;

a seed layer on top of the substrate layer in an antenna coil pattern, the seed layer including bond pads;

a conductive layer contacting the seed layer over portions of the antenna coil pattern, wherein the conductive layer does not cover at least a portion of the bond pads.

2. The RF antenna of claim 1 wherein the antenna has a removed short region across the coil pattern.

3. The RF antenna of claim 2 wherein the removed short region comprising a portion of the seed layer not covered by the conductive layer or comprising a portion of the seed layer wherein the conductive layer is thinner than the remaining portion of the conductive layer.

4. The RF antenna of claim 1 wherein the conductive layer does not cover the bond pads.

5. A system including the RF antenna of claim 1 further including an integrated circuit connected to the bond pads.

6. The RF antenna frequency antenna of claim 1 wherein the seed layer comprises a cured conductive ink layer.

7. An RF antenna comprising:

a substrate layer;

a seed layer on top of the substrate layer in an antenna pattern, the seed layer including bond pads;

a conductive layer contacting the seed layer over portions of the antenna pattern, wherein the conductive layer does not cover at least a portion of the bond pads.

8. The RF antenna of claim 7 wherein the antenna has a removed short region across the antenna pattern.

9. The RF antenna of claim 8 wherein the removed short region comprising a portion of the seed layer not covered by the conductive layer or comprising a portion of the seed layer wherein the conductive layer is thinner than the remaining portion of the conductive layer.

10. The RF antenna of claim 7 wherein the conductive layer does not cover the bond pads.

11. A system including the RF antenna of claim 7 further including an integrated circuit connected to the bond pads.

12. The RF antenna frequency antenna of claim 7 wherein the seed layer comprises a cured conductive ink layer.

13. The RF antenna frequency antenna of claim 7 wherein the antenna pattern is an antenna coil pattern.