Resonant compensating loop for shielding of metal for magnetically coupled NFC and/or RFID devices, and methods of making and using the same

• US 9,755,309 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2014
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ensurge Micropower ASA
• Original Assignee: Thin Film Electronics ASA
• Inventors: Mukherjee, Somnath
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M
• Application Number:
  US14/579,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20160181695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 235492, 235488, 235380
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/12 for structural parameters, e.g. thickness, line width, refractive index, temperature, warp, bond strength, defects, optical inspection, electrical measurement of structural dimensions, metallurgic measurement of diffusions electrical measurement of diffusions H01L22/14
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• 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

Abstract

A near field communication device, and methods of manufacturing and using the same. The near field communication device includes a receiver configured to convert a received near field signal to an electric signal, a transmitter configured to generate a transmittable near field signal, a dielectric substrate within a housing, an antenna on the dielectric substrate, and a compensating loop within the housing and coupled to the antenna. The antenna is configured to receive the received near field signal and to transmit or broadcast the transmittable near field signal. The compensating loop is electromagnetically coupled to the antenna and advantageously mitigates or counteracts an electromagnetic effect of metal on or near a surface of the dielectric substrate opposite from the antenna.

Claims

1. A near field communication device, comprising:

a) a receiver configured to convert a first near field signal to an electric signal;

b) a transmitter configured to generate a second near field signal;

c) a dielectric substrate within a housing;

d) an antenna on or over said dielectric substrate, said antenna receiving said first near field signal, transmitting or broadcasting said second near field signal, and generating a flux;

e) an insulating or dielectric layer on or over said antenna; and

f) a resonant compensating loop within said housing and coupled to said antenna, said resonant compensating loop (i) being on an opposite side of said insulating or dielectric layer from said antenna and (ii) having at least two turns or loops, wherein a current in the resonant compensating loop has a direction that aids the flux generated by the antenna.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said antenna is between said dielectric substrate and said resonant compensating loop.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said dielectric substrate comprises fiberglass, epoxy, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, aluminum oxide, tantalum oxide, zirconium oxide, a polysiloxane, parylene, polyethylene, polypropylene, an undoped polyimide, a polycarbonate, a polyamide, a polyether, a copolymer thereof, or a fluorinated derivative thereof.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said antenna comprises a radio frequency (RF) antenna, and said resonant compensating loop resonates at a frequency at or near that of the antenna.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein each of said antenna and said resonant compensating loop comprises an electrically conducting coil.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said resonant compensating loop is magnetically or inductively coupled to said antenna.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said resonant compensating loop mitigates or counteracts an electromagnetic effect of metal on or near a surface of said dielectric substrate opposite from said antenna.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said resonant compensating loop is between said dielectric substrate and said antenna.

9. The near field communication device of claim 1, wherein a distance between the antenna and the resonant compensating loop is from 0.5 to 20 mm.

10. The near field communication device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric substrate has a thickness of from 1 to 5 mm.

11. The near field communication device of claim 1, wherein said antenna has a first length, a first width and a first number of turns or loops, and said resonant compensating loop has a second length, a second width and a second number of turns or loops, said second length being from 0.5 to 2 times said first length, said second width being from 0.5 to 2 times said first width, and said second number of turns or loops being from 0.25 to 4 times the first number of turns or loops.

12. A method of manufacturing a near field communication device, comprising:

a) forming an antenna on a dielectric substrate or on an insulating or dielectric layer, said antenna receiving a first near field signal and transmitting or broadcasting a second near field signal, and coupled to a receiver and a transmitter, said antenna generating a flux;

b) forming a resonant compensating loop configured to be electromagnetically coupled to said antenna, that mitigates or counteracts an electromagnetic effect of metal on or near a surface of said dielectric substrate, said resonant compensating loop having at least two turns or loops, wherein a current in the resonant compensating loop has a direction that aids the flux generated by the antenna; and

c) placing and/or forming said antenna, said dielectric substrate, said insulating or dielectric layer, and said compensating loop in a housing of the near field communication device such that said resonant compensating loop is on an opposite side of said insulating or dielectric layer from said antenna.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said antenna is between said dielectric substrate and said resonant compensating loop.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising forming said dielectric substrate.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said dielectric substrate comprises fiberglass/epoxy, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, aluminum oxide, tantalum oxide, zirconium oxide, a polysiloxane, parylene, polyethylene, polypropylene, an undoped polyimide, a polycarbonate, a polyamide, a polyether, a copolymer thereof, or a fluorinated derivative thereof.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein forming said antenna comprises depositing a first metal layer on said first surface of said dielectric substrate, then patterning and etching said first metal layer.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein forming said antenna comprises printing a metal coil or ring on said dielectric substrate.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said metal coil or ring comprises a copper coil or ring.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising forming a dielectric layer on said antenna, before forming said resonant compensating loop.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein forming said resonant compensating loop comprises depositing a second metal layer on said dielectric layer, then patterning and etching said second metal layer.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein forming said resonant compensating loop comprises printing a metal coil or ring on said dielectric layer.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein forming said resonant compensating loop comprises (i) depositing a first metal layer on or over said dielectric substrate, then patterning and etching said first metal layer, or (ii) printing a metal coil or ring on said dielectric substrate.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising forming a dielectric layer on said resonant compensating loop, before forming said antenna.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said resonant compensating loop is magnetically or inductively coupled to said antenna.

25. The method of claim 12, wherein a distance between the antenna and the resonant compensating loop is from 0.5 to 20 mm.

26. The method of claim 12, wherein said antenna has a first length, a first width and a first number of turns or loops, and said resonant compensating loop has a second length, a second width and a second number of turns or loops, said second length being from 0.5 to 2 times said first length, said second width being from 0.5 to 2 times said first width, and said second number of turns or loops being from 0.25 to 4 times the first number of turns or loops.

27. A method of monitoring at least one parameter of a semiconductor manufacturing process, comprising:

a) conducting the semiconductor manufacturing process;

b) monitoring one or more physical parameters of the semiconductor process; and

c) transmitting data or information from a monitor configured to monitor the semiconductor process, and reading the data or information with a reader configured to receive the data or information from the monitor,

wherein the monitor and/or reader comprises a near field communication device comprising;

a receiver configured to convert a first near field signal to an electric signal;

a transmitter configured to generate a second near field signal;

a dielectric substrate within a housing;

an antenna on said dielectric substrate, said antenna receiving said first near field signal and transmitting or broadcasting said second near field signal; and

a compensating loop within said housing and coupled to said antenna.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the semiconductor process comprises a chemical-mechanical (CMP) polishing process.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the one or more parameters comprises a temperature of a semiconductor wafer and/or an amount of material removed during polishing.

30. A method of manufacturing a near field communication device, comprising:

a) forming an antenna on a dielectric substrate, said antenna receiving a first near field signal and transmitting or broadcasting a second near field signal, and coupled to a receiver and a transmitter; and

b) forming a compensating loop configured to be electromagnetically coupled to said antenna and that mitigates or counteracts an electromagnetic effect of metal on or near a surface of said dielectric substrate by a process that comprises (i) depositing a first metal layer on or over said dielectric substrate, then patterning and etching said first metal layer, or (ii) printing a metal coil or ring on said dielectric substrate;

wherein said dielectric layer is formed on said compensating loop before said antenna is formed, and said antenna, said dielectric substrate and said compensating loop are formed or placed in a housing of the near field communication device.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein forming said antenna comprises (i) depositing a second metal layer on said dielectric layer, then patterning and etching said second metal layer, or (ii) printing a metal coil or ring on said dielectric layer.