Method for manufacturing a chip antenna

• US 7,571,534 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2007
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
• Inventors: Lin, Shun-Tian, Yang, Chang-Fa, Li, Jen-Hsun, Lin, Jun-Hong, Chen, Jing-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): TRINH, MINH N
• Application Number:
  US11/733,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20070240297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 298/30, 298/31, 298/32, 29846-847, 296/00, 296/012, 343/700.MS, 343/873, 343/803, 343/795, 343/806, 455/562.1, 455/525.7
• US Class Current: 29/600
• 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: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a chip antenna is invented, which comprises forming multiple meandered lines, folding the meandered line set, and forming a package to encapsulate a three-dimensional antenna structure. The material of the package is a dielectric composite formed with polymers and ceramic powders, which has a dielectric constant designed for the antenna. The characteristics of the chip antenna are determined by the structures of the antenna body and the dielectric constant of the package. Thus, a requirement for miniature structures in antenna applications can be satisfied.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a chip antenna, comprising:

forming multiple meandered lines, wherein the meandered lines are arranged in a first direction to form a meandered line set, wherein the meandered line set includes at least three parts, a first meandered line set, a second meandered line set and a third meandered line set;

folding the second meandered line set and the third meandered line set in a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction are reserved;

folding the third meandered line set in the first direction to form a three-dimensional antenna structure, wherein the third meandered line set overlaps the second meandered line set and the second meandered line set overlaps the first meandered line set; and

forming a package to encapsulate the three-dimensional antenna structure, wherein the packaging material comprises a polymer, and has a designed dielectric constant;

wherein the three-dimensional antenna structure and the designed dielectric constant determine characteristics of the chip antenna.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the packaging material further comprises ceramic powders.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming of the meandered lines comprises:

providing an electrically conductive sheet; and

punching the sheet to form the meandered lines, wherein the meandered lines are formed integrally.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the meandered lines comprises:

providing an electrically conductive sheet; and

etching the sheet to form the meandered lines, wherein the meandered lines are formed integrally.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the package is formed by infiltration, or injection molding.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the chip antenna comprises multiple meandered line sets, and the meandered line sets are electrically connected in series, or in parallel, or partially in series and partially in parallel.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first direction is parallel to or perpendicular to the second direction.

8. A method for manufacturing a chip antenna, comprising:

forming multiple meandered lines, wherein the meandered lines are arranged in a first direction to form a meandered line set, wherein the meandered line set includes four parts, a first meandered line set, a second meandered line set, a third meandered line set and a fourth meandered line set;

folding the second meandered line set, the third meandered line set and the fourth meandered line set in a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction are reserved;

folding the third meandered line set and the fourth meandered line set in the first direction;

folding the fourth meandered line set in the second direction to form a three-dimensional antenna structure, wherein the fourth meandered line set overlaps the third meandered line set, the third meandered line set overlaps the second meandered line set and the second meandered line set overlaps the first meandered line set;

connecting the meandered lines with a trunk to form a three-dimensional antenna structure; and

forming a package to encapsulate the three-dimensional antenna structure, wherein the packaging material has a designed dielectric constant;

wherein the three-dimensional antenna structure and the designed dielectric constant determine characteristics of the chip antenna.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the packaging material comprises polymer and ceramic powders.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the forming of the meandered lines comprises:

providing an electrically conductive sheet; and

punching the sheet to form the meandered lines, wherein the meandered lines are formed integrally.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the forming of the meandered lines comprises:

providing an electrically conductive sheet; and

etching the sheet to form the meandered lines, wherein the meandered lines are formed integrally.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the package is formed by infiltration, or injection molding.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

when the meandered lines are formed integrally, connections between the meandered lines besides the trunk are cut off after packaging, thus forming multiple individual meandered line sets.