PERSONAL DOCUMENT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING IT

• US 20100051702A1
• Filed: 12/11/2007
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bundesdruckerei GmbH (Government of Germany)
• Original Assignee: Bundesdruckerei GmbH (Government of Germany)
• Inventors: Pflughoefft, Malte, Paeschke, Manfred, Muth, Oliver, Fischer, Joerg, Beyer-Meklenburg, Guenter
• Granted Patent: US 8,302,870 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/025 the material being flexible or adapted for folding, e.g. paper or paper-like materials used in luggage labels, identification tags, forms or identification documents carrying RFIDs methods for testing the genuineness of valuable papers, e.g. banknotes or passports G07D7/00; constructional features of booklets and the like B42D
• 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: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

The invention relates to a personal document comprising an integrated chip which can be read contactlessly and which comprises a laminate composed of a chip film, a substrate covering the chip film on the structure side of the chip and a covering layer covering the chip film on the rear side, wherein the chip film comprises a chip with integrated circuit, said chip being thinned to a thickness d≦50 μm, preferably d≦30 μm, particularly preferably d≦20 μm, and a polymeric carrier film, which, apart from contact connections, is applied both on the structure side and on the rear side of the chip. The chip is connected to the carrier film on both sides by in each case a coupling reagent whose molecules have a first chemically functional group, which preferably reacts with the semiconductor material of the chip surface and forms a covalent bond there, and have a second functional group, which preferably reacts with the polymer matrix of the carrier film, wherein the carrier film, the substrate and the covering layer each have compatible polymers which are miscible with one another, in particular soluble in one another, and the chip is connected to an antenna provided on the substrate

Claims

1. Personal document having an integrated readable chip that can be read in a contactless manner, wherein

said personal document (1) comprises a laminate that comprises at least one chip film (2), a substrate (10) covering said chip film (2) on the structural side (3a) of the chip, and a cover layer (14) covering said chip film (2) on the back side;

said chip film (2) comprises a chip (3) that has been thinned to a thickness of d≦

50 μ

m, preferably ≦

30 μ

m, particularly preferred d≦

20 μ

m, and that has an integrated circuit and has a polymer carrier film (6, 7) that, apart from contact connectors, is applied both to said structural side (3a) and to the back side (3b) of said chip (3);

said chip (3) being joined on both sides to said carrier film (6, 7) by a coupling reagent, the molecules of which have a first chemically functional group that preferably reacts with the semiconductor material of the chip surface and forms a covalent bond there, and possess a second functional group that preferably reacts with the polymer matrix of said carrier film (6, 7);

said carrier film (6, 7), said substrate (10), and said cover layer (14) each having compatible polymers that are miscible with one another, in particular are soluble in one another;

and said chip (3) being joined to an antenna (9) provided on said substrate (10).

2. Personal document in accordance with claim 1 in which an additional layer that protects against light is incorporated above and below said chip (3).

3. Personal document in accordance with claim 1 in which at least one of the compatible polymers is selected from the group of thermoplastics, in particular polycarbonates (PC) and polyethylene terephthalates (PET), including their derivatives.

4. Personal document in accordance with claim 1, in which said carrier film (6, 7) of said chip film (3), said substrate (10), and said cover layer (14) each comprise the same polymer.

5. Personal document in accordance with claim 1, in which contractions of the polymer layers that are caused by the molecule orientation are mutually compensating.

6. Personal document in accordance with claim 1, in which thermal expansions of the polymer layers are mutually compensating.

7. Personal document in accordance with claim 1, in which the polymers layers include biaxially oriented polymer films.

8. Personal document in accordance with claim 1, in which the ends (9a) of conductors for said antenna (9), which are printed on said substrate (10), are joined to said chip (3) and at least one conductor runs in a plane below said chip (3).

9. Personal document in accordance with claim 1, in which said ends (9a) of conductors for said antenna (9), which are printed on the substrate, are joined to said chip (3) and at least one conductor has an interruption (13) at the location of said chip, the interruption being connected internally by said chip.

10. Personal document in accordance with claim 1, in which said carrier film (6, 7) encloses said chip (3) completely except for its contact locations.

11. Personal document in accordance with claim 1, in which a passivation layer is provided between at least one side of said chip (3) and said polymer carrier film (6, 7).

12. Personal document in accordance with claim 1, in which an electrically conductive layer (8), in particular up to the thickness of said polymer carrier film (6, 7), is applied to the contact connectors.

13. Personal document in accordance with claim 1, in which said electrically conductive layer (8) is formed from an intrinsically conductive polymer.

14. Personal document in accordance with claim 1, in which said electrically conductive layer (8) comprises a sinterable nanoscale metal powder.

15. Personal document in accordance with claim 1, in which said electrically conductive layer (8) comprises an adhesive with carbon nanotubes.

16. Personal document in accordance with claim 1, in which a filler structure is provided on said substrate (10) between said antenna connector surfaces (9a) and can be joined to said carrier film (6) of the chip using lamination.

17. Method for producing a personal document that has as an integral component a chip (3) that has been thinned to a thickness d≦

50 μ

m, preferably d≦

30 μ

m, particularly preferred d≦

20 μ

m, having the following method steps;

a) producing a chip film (2) by joining the structural side (3a) and the back side (3b) of said thinned chip (3) to a polymer carrier film (6, 7) by means of a coupling reagent, the molecules of which have a first chemically functional group that preferably reacts with the semiconductor material of the chip surface and forms a covalent bond there and possess a second functional group that preferably reacts with the polymer matrix of the carrier film;

b) applying said chip film (2) to a substrate (10) that is provided with an antenna structure (9) and that is provided with a polymer compatible with said chip film (2);

c) joining said chip film (2) to said substrate (10), with the antenna connectors (9a) contacting using pressure and temperature by means of lamination;

d) laminating a cover layer (14) that is provided with a polymer compatible with said chip film (2).

18. Method in accordance with claim 17, in which the joining of said chip (3) to said carrier film (6, 7) results from the coupling reagent reacting with the semiconductor material of the chip surface on the one hand and the polymer matrix on the other hand together with the lamination of said chip film (2) to said substrate (10) and the contacting of the antenna connectors.

19. Method in accordance with claim 17, in which lamination of the cover layer (14) occurs together with the lamination of chip film (2) and substrate (10).

20. Method in accordance with claim 17, in which, prior to said chip film (2) being applied, a polymer filler structure (12) is arranged on said substrate (10) in intermediate spaces between said antenna connector surfaces (9a).

21. Method in accordance with claim 17, in which, prior to said chip film (2) being applied, a stamp or pressing process is performed on the area of said substrate (10) in which said chip (3) is to be positioned.

22. Method in accordance with claim 17, in which a passivation layer (5) is applied to said chip (3) prior to said chip film (2) being produced.

23. Method in accordance with claim 17, in which, prior to said chip film (2) being joined to said substrate (10), electrically conductive material (8) is arranged on the electrical connectors of said chip.

24. Method for producing a personal document that has as an integral component a chip (3) that has been thinned to a thickness d≦

50 μ

m, preferably d≦

30 μ

m, particularly preferred d≦

20 μ

m, having the following method steps;

a) producing a chip film (2) by joining the structural side (3a) and the back side (3b) of said thinned chip (3) to a polymer carrier film (6, 7) by means of a coupling reagent, the molecules of which have a first chemically functional group that preferably reacts with the semiconductor material of the chip surface and forms a covalent bond there and possess a second functional group that preferably reacts with the polymer matrix of said carrier film (6, 7);

b) applying said chip film (2) to a substrate (10) that is provided with a polymer compatible with said chip film (2);

c) joining said chip film (2) to said substrate (10) using pressure and temperature by means of lamination;

d) applying an antenna (9) to the laminate thus produced, in particular by means of printing;

e) laminating a cover layer (14) that is provided with polymer compatible with the chip film.