Apparatus and methods for constructing antennas using wire bonds as radiating elements

• US 7,295,161 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globalfoundries US Incorporated (GlobalFoundries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Zwick, Thomas Martin, Gaucher, Brian Paul, Liu, Duixian, Pfeiffer, Ullrich Richard Rudolf
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US10/912,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20060028378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/872, 343/895, 343/866, 343/867, 340/572.7, 235/487, 235/492
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• 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 2224/0603 Bonding areas having different sizes, e.g. different heights or widths
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0612 Layout
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45015 being circular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45124 Aluminium (Al) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45147 Copper (Cu) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4813 Connecting within a semiconductor or solid-state body, i.e. fly wire, bridge wire
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48472 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area also being a wedge bond, i.e. wedge-to-wedge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48599 Principal constituent of the connecting portion of the wire connector being Gold (Au)
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48699 Principal constituent of the connecting portion of the wire connector being Aluminium (Al)
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49 of a plurality of wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85205 Ultrasonic bonding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85399 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/45 of an individual wire connector
• 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 24/80 : Methods for connecting semiconductor or other solid state bodies using means for bonding being attached to, or being formed on, the surface to be connected
• 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 2924/00014 : 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 2924/01005 : Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01014 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01015 : Phosphorus [P]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01047 : Silver [Ag]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0105 : Tin [Sn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 : Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01204 : 4N purity grades, i.e. 99.99%
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10329 : Gallium arsenide [GaAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20751 : larger or equal to 10 microns less than 20 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20752 : larger or equal to 20 microns less than 30 microns
• 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 1/2283 : 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 1/38 : 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 23/00 : Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• 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 9/16 : with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/30 : with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence

Abstract

Antennas are provided which are constructed using one or more wires as radiating elements attached to a substrate or chip, wherein wire bonding methods can be used to attach and form loop profiles for the wires. The antennas can be integrally packaged with IC chips (e.g., IC transceivers, receivers, transmitters, etc.) to build integrated wireless or RF (radio frequency) communications systems.

Claims

1. An antenna device, comprising:

a substrate having first and second bond pads formed on a surface of the substrate;

an antenna comprising at least one bond wire as a radiating element, wherein the at least one bond wire has a first end bonded to the first bond pad and a second end bonded to the second bond pad on the surface of the substrate; and

a metallic shield formed on the surface of the substrate, wherein the metallic shield is disposed between the first and second bond pads on the surface of the substrate and wherein the metallic shield is interposed between the surface of the substrate and at least a portion of the bond wire between the first and second ends thereof.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a dielectric material formed on the surface of the substrate, which encapsulates the at least one bond wire.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a cover formed over the substrate and antenna.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises a monopole antenna.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises a dipole antenna.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises a loop antenna.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises an end-fire antenna.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises an antenna array.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one bond wire comprises a looped portion above the surface of the substrate.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the metallic shield is disposed under at least a portion of the looped portion of the bond wire.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate further comprises a feed network connected to the antenna.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the feed network comprises an impedance matching network.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the feed network connects the at least one wire to an integrated circuit of an integrated circuit chip.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the integrated circuit comprises a receiver, transmitter or transceiver circuit.

15. An integrated communications device, comprising:

a IC (integrated circuit) chip having first and second bond pads formed on an active surface of the chip;

an antenna comprising at least one bond wire as a radiating element, wherein the at least one bond wire has a first end bonded to the first bond pad and a second end bonded to the second bond pad on the active surface of the IC chip; and

a metallic shield formed on the active surface of the IC chip, wherein the metallic shield is disposed between the first and second bond pads on the active surface of the chip and wherein the metallic shield is interposed between the active surface of the chip and at least a portion of the bond wire between the first and second ends thereof.

16. The device of claim 15, further comprising a cover that encapsulates the IC chip and antenna.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the IC chip comprises an integrated circuit comprising a transceiver, a receiver, or a transmitter.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the IC chip comprises an antenna feed network that connects the at least one bond wire to the integrated circuit.

19. An IC (integrated circuit) package apparatus, comprising:

a carrier substrate;

an IC chip having first and second bond pads formed on an active surface of the chip and having a non-active surface mounted to the carrier substrate;

an antenna comprising at least one bond wire as a radiating element, wherein the at least one bond wire has a first end bonded to the first bond pad and a second end bonded to the second bond pad on the active surface of the IC chip;

a metallic shield formed on the active surface of the IC, wherein the metallic shield is disposed between the first and second bond pads on the active surface of the chip and wherein the metallic shield is interposed between the active surface of the chip and at least a portion of the bond wire between the first and second ends thereof; and

a package cover that encapsulates the IC chip and antenna.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the antenna comprises a monopole antenna.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the antenna comprises a dipole antenna.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the antenna comprises a loop antenna.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the antenna comprises an end-fire antenna array.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the antenna comprises an antenna array.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the IC chip comprises an integrated circuit comprising a transceiver, a receiver, or a transmitter.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the IC chip comprises an antenna feed network that connects the at least one bond wire to the integrated circuit.

27. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the antenna comprises at least a second bond wire having a first end bonded on the active surface of the chip and a second end bonded to the carrier substrate.

28. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the second end of the at least second bond wire is connected to a lead frame of the carrier substrate.