DE19620242C2 - Method and device for contacting a wire conductor in the manufacture of a transponder unit - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for contacting a Wire conductor with the features of claim 1 and a device to carry out the method with the features of claim 15.

In particular in the production of arranged on a substrate Transponder units, the essential elements of a wire coil and have a chip unit contacted with the coil ends, proves contacting the coil ends with the pads of the chip as a special problem. This is essentially due to the very small ones Dimensions of the components to be connected together. They usually have a square or approximately square shape trained pads of a chip unit by default Edge length of approx. 100 to 150 µm. In particular, as coil wire re uses a copper wire to form low frequency coils, whose diameter is usually 50 microns.

As can be seen from WO 91/16718 A1, has been in the past means direct contacting of the coil wire ends with the connection bypassed areas of a chip unit in that as a coupling element one located on a coil substrate between the coil wire ends Neten wire coil and the pads of the chip unit an enlarged  Contact substrate having pads was used so that due to the very large dimensions compared to the coil wire diameter contact surfaces of the contact substrate without large contact Requirement for the accuracy of the relative positioning between the Coil wire ends and the contact surfaces could be done. Because with that known method the chip unit for contacting with the magn esser contact surfaces of the substrate with additional contact conductors is provided are in the manufacture known from WO 91/16718 A1 procedure requires a total of at least three contacting steps, to finally make an electrically conductive contact between the connector to produce surfaces of the chip unit and the wire coil.

WO 93/20537 A1 describes a method for contacting a Wire conductor of a coil with a chip unit is known, in which the wire ends of the coil produced independently of a substrate in front of the Contact with the chip unit on one side of the coil body arranged chip substrate can be fixed.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of a method ren and propose an associated device that the direct Kontaktie in the manufacture of a transponder unit tion without additional chip substrate from wire ends of a coil on the pads of a chip unit light.

This task is accomplished by a process with the characteristics of the An claim 1 or a device with the features of claim 15 solved.

In the method according to the invention, a a coil substrate, a wire coil and a chip unit having transponder unit in a first process step Coil wire over the assigned connection area of the chip unit or a space intended for receiving this connection surface and fixed on the coil substrate. This is after execution of the first Ver relative precise orientation of the coil wire given to the pad. The second step then takes place the connection of the wire conductor to the pad by means of a Connecting device.

Because of the method according to the invention, the need is eliminated for contacting the pads of the chip unit with the coils a separate contact substrate, on the enlarged pad  Chen are trained to provide. Rather, it serves as a contact Positioning aid for the relative positioning of the coils which compared to the pads of the chip unit anyway as Substrate used for the wire coil, the coil substrate, for example in the event that the transponder unit for producing a chip card should serve, by a corresponding to the chip card dimensions Plastic carrier sheet is formed. The chip unit can both in a recess of the coil substrate provided for this purpose can be arranged as also be provided on the surface of the coil substrate. The first alterna tive provides the option of pre-fixing the chip unit To arrange the wire conductor in the recess, or the Chip unit only after the wire conductors have been fixed in the recess to introduce the actual contacting of the Perform wire conductors on the connection surfaces.

The method according to the invention thus enables on the basis of Coil substrate fixed wire conductor a simplified contacting of the Wire conductor with the pads of the chip unit.

To ensure reliable and reliable contact between the Wire conductor and the standard formed by aluminum surfaces To achieve th pads of the chip unit, it is particularly in Using a copper wire conductor is beneficial to the aluminum surface to pretreat the pads. At a particularly advantageous embodiment of the inventive method The pretreatment of the aluminum surface is quasi in the actual connection process, that is, the contacting of the wire conductor with the pads, integrated, in that the connection of the Wire conductor with the pads by means of an ultrasound device device trained connecting device takes place. Here one is on oxide layer arranged on the aluminum surface by exposure the oxide layer with the ultrasonic vibrations of the ultrasonic device mechanically eliminated. This kind of essentially coincides with the actual connection process, cleaning the aluminum  nium surfaces from the oxide layer has the particular advantage that special measures regarding shielding of the verbin Development sites against environmental influences, for example through training an inert or reducing atmosphere that prevents the formation of a Prevent another oxide layer before performing the connection process should be dispensed with.

However, it is used as an alternative to the aforementioned ultrasound-induced Removal of the oxide layer in connection with an ultrasonic compound a decoupled from the actual connection process Pretreatment or cleaning methods selected, the Verbin process even in an inert or reducing atmosphere be performed.

As particularly advantageous for cleaning the aluminum surfaces of the The use of etchers has proven to be the connection surfaces of oxide layers drive that have a high selectivity. An example of Troc The etching process is ion beam etching. But also the use of processes that are easy to carry out, such as wet etching or an oxide layer removal by laser, in particular excimer laser exposure, is beneficial.

To prevent renewed oxidation of the aluminum surface there is also the possibility of using a more aluminum surface layered contact metallization with a on the aluminum surface zincate layer applied as an intermediate layer and a layer thereon ordered Ver intended for contacting the wire conductor to provide binding layer. The zincate layer serves primarily to remove the oxide layer on the aluminum surface, and the Connection layer, which is made of nickel or palladium or equivalent Alloys can exist to improve the adhesion to the copper wires usually used as wire conductors.

In the case of using an ultrasound device to manufacture the It proves the connection between the wire conductor and the pads  proved to be particularly advantageous if the ultrasound caused Vibration exposure of the wire conductor in a substantially Terminal plane parallel and transverse, approximately at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the wire conductor. By means of the transverse to the longitudinal axis of the wire ultrasound exposure of the wire conductor can be Lich due to the transverse flexibility of the The largest possible Relative movements between the wire conductor and the aluminum surface achieve.

Regardless of the type of pre-treatment and the choice the connection process, it is particularly advantageous if as Coil substrate a plastic backing sheet is used that together with the coil and the chip unit a card inlet for the production of a Credit card or the like forms. Alternatively, these are also different appropriate coil carrier training possible, which in any case, ie regardless of the training, only a secure bilateral fixie tion of the wire conductor relative to the pads of the chip unit must enable. This also creates a quasi hanging arrangement and thus a "floating recording" of the chip in the substrate is possible. For example, the use of a sheet of paper as coils possible substrate, the fixation of the wire conductor on the substrate via one provided on the paper sheet and adhering to the wire conductor Adhesive layer or one provided on the wire conductor itself Adhesive layer, such as a baking varnish layer, can be done.

Regardless of the type of coil substrate used, it proves to be as advantageous if the wire conductor is fixed on the substrate due to the coil-shaped arrangement of the wire conductor anyway the substrate used laying device is a continuous che or in places connection of the wire conductor with the substrate surface enables. It proves to be particularly useful when using Plastic substrates as advantageous if a Ultrasonic device is used, which is at least partially  Embedding the wire conductor cross section in the substrate surface and so that fixation with good adhesion is possible.

A particularly good fixation of the wire conductor on the substrate surface and the establishment of a particularly reliable connection of the wire conductor with the pads of the chip unit is possible if the Laying and fixing the wire conductor used on the coil substrate Ultrasonic device a vibration application of the wire conductor transverse to the longitudinal axis of the wire conductor and transverse to the surface of the Causes substrate, and that for connecting the wire conductor with the Pads used an ultrasonic device a Schwingungsbe opening of the wire conductor in an essentially to the coil substrate parallel plane and transversely to the longitudinal axis of the wire conductor.

One particularly for carrying out the method according to the invention suitable device has an ultrasound device with a Partially comprehensive wire cross section with a vibration stamp Ultrasonic oscillator on which a vibration application of the Vibration stamp transverse to the longitudinal axis of one through the vibration stamped wire conductor.

According to a preferred embodiment of the device Ultrasonic device coupled to a wire laying device.

A particularly simple design of the device is possible if the ultrasonic oscillator of the ultrasonic device at the same time Ultrasound exposure of the laying device serves, for example, that the ultrasonic oscillator is arranged such that the axis of it Direction of action is changeable.

In the following the method according to the invention and one for the through implementation of the method suitable device based on the drawings exemplified. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a Karteninlet a chip card having formed of a wire coil and a chip unit Tanspondereinheit;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the card inlet shown in Figure 1 according to section line II-II to explain the manufacturing process.

Fig. 3 is another sectional view of the card shown in Figure 1 inlets according to the section line III-III.

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to the view in FIG. 2 for explaining an alternative procedure with subsequent application of a chip unit;

. Fig. 5 according to the contacting of Fig 5 applied subsequently chip unit;

FIG. 6 shows a possible contact metallization of a chip pad when making contact according to the method shown in FIG. 5;

Fig. 7 circuit face, a further possibility of the contact of a Chipan;

Fig. 8 is a corresponding view in Fig. 2 showing a substrate disposed on a coil transponder unit.

Fig. 1 shows a chip card insert 10 , which is provided for the production of a chip card not shown here as an end product with double-sided cover layers, which are generally applied as laminate layers covering the chip card insert.

The chip card insert 10 here consists of a coil substrate 11 made of plastic material, to which a wire coil 12 is applied in laying technology. For this purpose, a wire conductor 13 is laid on the surface of the coil substrate 11 by means of a laying device (not shown in more detail in FIG. 1) and partially embedded in the coil substrate 11 by an ultrasound application, as can be seen in FIG. 2.

As can further be seen from the illustration according to FIG. 1, a recess 14 is provided in the coil substrate 11 which serves to receive a chip unit formed here by a single chip 15 . As in the present case, the chip unit can only be formed by the chip 15 . In addition, however, it is possible for the chip unit to be formed from a so-called “chip module” which accommodates one or more packaged chips.

As can further be seen from FIG. 1, the wire conductor 13 laid to form the wire coil 12 on the coil substrate 11 is contacted with wire ends 16 , 17 on an associated connection area 18 and 19 of the chip 15 , respectively.

A method for carrying out the contacting of the wire ends 16 , 17 with the connection areas 18 , 19 of the chip 15 will be explained in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2. The process shown in more detail in FIG. 2 takes place in two successive phases, which are identified here by I and II for differentiation. In the phase designated I, the wire 16 shown here is fixed on the coil substrate 11 , at the same time as a result of the aforementioned laying method for applying the wire conductor 13 to the surface of the coil substrate 11 of the wire conductor 13 via the chip 15 accommodated in the recess 14 is led away. To carry out the method shown in FIG. 2, the coil substrate 11 is arranged on a table 20 together with the chip 15 received in the recess 14 .

As a laying device in the method shown in FIG. 2, an ultrasound device 21 is used, for example, which embeds the vibrating plunger 22, the wire conductor 13 continuously guided out of a wire guide 23 into the surface of the coil substrate 11 and at the same time a horizontal movement 24 on the surface of the Coil substrate 11 executes. This described with the term "relocate" ne application of the wire conductor 13 on the surface of the coil substrate 11 takes place first in the area labeled Ia on the left of the Ausneh tion 14 , then the wire conductor 13 with the wire guide 23 via the arranged in the recess 14 chip 15 , to finally continue on the right-hand side of the recess 14 in the area labeled Ib with the fixing of the wire conductor 13 by means of ultrasound exposure of the wire conductor via the vibration stamp 22 . Although when using the Ultraschallein above-described device 21 to the laying of the wire conductor 13 on the coil substrate 11 thereof, a substantially extending over the entire length of the wire conductor 13 fixing results on the coil substrate 11, it is sufficient for the realization of the process principle, when a fixing of the Wire conductor 13 on the coil substrate 11 takes place only in two points to the left and right of the recess 14 in order to achieve the linear alignment of the wire conductor 13 shown in FIG. 2 via the connection surfaces 18 , 19 of the chip 15 .

After the wire conductor 13 is in the position spanning the associated connection area 18 of the chip 15 , the connection of the wire conductor 13 to the connection area 18 takes place in the phase marked II. To this end, in the illustrated in Fig. 2 procedural rensbeispiel another ultrasonic device 25 is used, which, as can be seen especially from FIG. 3, 26 comprises a mung with a concave profile provided Ausneh end of a vibration punch 27.

The method described above with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 also offers the possibility of guiding the wire conductor diagonally over the connection surfaces by appropriately selecting the fixing points of the wire conductor on the substrate, in order to increase the overlap between the wire conductor and the connection surfaces. In the manner shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of chips or other elements arranged in series on or in a substrate can also be connected by the wire conductor.

Fig. 3 also clearly shows that, in contrast to the ultrasound-induced vibration application 28 , which takes place in the longitudinal direction of the vibration stamp 22 of the ultrasonic device 21 , the ultrasound-induced vibration application 29 of the vibration stamp 27 transversely to the longitudinal direction of the wire conductor 13 and parallel to the surface of the Coil substrate 11 takes place. This Schwingungsbeauf beat 28 is a slight contact pressure 30 superimposed so that the guided in the profile end 26 of the vibration stamp 27 received wire conductor 13 in the area of the pad 18 is oscillated under pressure back and forth over this. On the one hand, this results in tearing and removal of any oxide skins present on the connection surface 18 , and on the other hand, subsequently, with a correspondingly high or increased contact pressure 30 , the wire conductor 13 formed here from copper is welded to the aluminum connection surface 18 . If the wire conductor 13 is provided with external insulation, this can also be removed by the oscillating back and forth movement in the area of the connecting surface 18 , so that subsequently the above-described metallic connection between the wire conductor which was previously protected against oxidation by the insulation and the Connection surface is possible.

In the coil substrate 11 shown in FIGS . 2 and 3, the recess 14 is provided so much larger than the corresponding dimensions of the chip 15 , so that there is a circumferential gap 30 between the chip 15 and the edges of the recess 14 . As a result, a "floating recording" of the chip 15 is possible in the recess 14 , which is defined in its relative position to the coil substrate 11 in wesent union, but can perform smaller relative movements. This results in the advantage that the lamination process described at the outset for applying the two-sided cover layers to the coil substrate 11 allows the chip to at least partially avoid the pressure loads associated with the lamination process and thus significantly reduces the risk of damage to the chip during the lamination process.

To be able to also perform the above-described "floating picture" of the chips in the recess 14 an exact positioning of Drahtlei ters 13 on the pad 18, the wire guide 13 via a corresponding cross-scan axis 31 of the Ultra can sonic device are tracked 25th

Although reference was made to two different ultrasonic devices 21 and 25 above with reference to the process example shown in FIGS . 2 and 3, there is also the possibility, with a corresponding design of the ultrasonic device 21, that both for laying or fixing the wire conductor to use the surface of the coil substrate 11 as well as for connecting the wire conductor 13 to the respectively assigned connection surface 18 or 19 .

In Figs. 4 and 5 is shown a comparison with FIGS. 2 and 3 slightly varied procedure, in which a chip 32 of the recess is introduced into these 14 after fixation of the wire conductor 13 on the surface of the coil substrate 11 on both sides. In order to enable a suitable positioning for the subsequent contacting of the wire conductor 13 with an associated connection surface 33 of the chip 32 at the same time as the introduction of the chip 32 into the recess 14 , the latter is arranged on its contact side 34 with adjacent one connection surface 33 , web-like Alignment aids 35 are provided, which ensure correct relative positioning via guide slopes 36 .

Fig. 5 also shows an alternative to the ultrasonic device 25 can be used as connecting device Thermodeneinrichtung 37 which allows connection of the wire conductor under pressure and temperature treatment with the associated connecting surface 33. Basically, there is also the possibility in both of the connection methods shown in FIGS . 2, 3 and 5, the connection between the wire conductor and the pads by superimposing ultrasound and tempera ture, for example, by a heatable ultrasonic device.

In order to enable a connection of the copper wire conductor 13 to the aluminum connection surfaces 33 of the chip 32 , the connection surfaces 33 are provided with a contact metallization 38 ( FIG. 6) or 39 ( FIG. 7). The contact metallizations 38 , 39 consistently have a zincate layer serving as an intermediate layer 40 , which serves as the basis for a nickel layer 41 applied thereon in the case of the contact metalization 38 or palladium layer 42 in the case of the contact metallization 39 . To improve the connection property or to increase the oxidation resistance, the nickel layer 41 is also provided with a gold coating 45 . In order to illustrate the size dimensions, the following is an example of the layer thicknesses of the layers applied to the approximately 1 to 2 μm thick aluminum coating of the connecting surface 33 :

Zincate layer: d = 150 nm;
Nickel layer: d = 1-5 µm
Palladium layer: d = 1-5 µm;
Gold plating: d = 100-150 nm.

Fig. 8 shows, finally, in a variant of the representation according to FIG. 1, the possibility of also using the above-described method for direct contacting of the wire conductor 13 with associated connecting surfaces 18 and 19 of the chip 15 when the chip 15 is not in a Recess, but rather is arranged on the surface of a substrate 43 . The substrate 43 shown in FIG. 8 can be, for example, a paper substrate or any other substrate. Corresponding to the method explained with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, here too, on both sides of a receiving or arrangement area 44 for the chip 15, a fixation of the wire conductor 13 is provided in the surface areas of the substrate 43 , which are simply referred to here as Ia and Ib .

The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 appears particularly suitable for use as a transponder arrangement in luggage identification, in particular because of the particularly thin substrate. Although reference is made in the above exemplary embodiments to explain the method to transponder units consisting of a coreless wire coil and a chip unit, ferrite core coils, of the kind used, for example, for producing transponders, can of course also be used.

In any case, the chip or the chip unit before or after the Application on or in the substrate to be thinned to the flexibility of the Increase chips and if necessary the bending behavior of the chip Adapt substrate.

Reference list

10th

Chip card inlet

11

Coil substrate

12th

Wire spool

13

Wire conductor

14

Recess

15

chip

16

Wire end

17th

Wire end

18th

Pad

19th

Pad

20th

table

21

Ultrasound device

22

Vibration stamp

23

Wire guide

24th

Horizontal motion

25th

Ultrasound device

26

End of profile

27

Vibration stamp

28

Vibration application

29

Vibration application

30th

gap

31

Transverse axis of movement

32

chip

33

Pad

34

Contact page

35

Alignment aid

36

Leading slope

37

Thermode device

38

Contact metallization

39

Contact metallization

40

Intermediate layer

41

Nickel layer

42

Palladium layer

43

Substrate

44

Arrangement area

45

Gold plating

Claims (18)

1. A method for contacting a wire conductor ( 13 ) in the manufacture of a formed on a coil substrate ( 11 ), a wire coil ( 12 ) and a chip unit ( 15 ) having transponder unit, in which in a first phase the wire conductor ( 13 ) the connection surface ( 18 , 19 ) or a region receiving the connection surface is guided away and fixed on the coil substrate ( 11 ) relative to the connection surface ( 18 , 19 ) or the region assigned to the connection surface, and in a second phase the connection of the wire conductor ( 13 ) with the connecting surface ( 18 , 19 ) by means of a connecting device ( 25 , 37 ). 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that before the connection of the wire conductor ( 13 ) with the Anschlussflä surface ( 18 , 19 ), a pretreatment of the aluminum surface of the connection surface ( 18 , 19 ) is carried out. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an ultrasonic device ( 25 ) is used as the connecting device. 4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that for the pretreatment mechanical removal of an oxide layer arranged on the aluminum surface by means of exposure of the connection surface ( 18 , 19 ) by the ultrasonic device ( 25 ). 5. The method according to claim 2, characterized, that the aluminum surface for pretreatment with a Reini is applied. 6. The method according to claim 5, characterized, that as a cleaning process a dry etching process, a wet etching process or laser exposure of the aluminum surface is used. 7. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the aluminum surface for pretreatment with a multi-layer contact metallization ( 38 , 39 ) with an aluminum surface as an intermediate layer ( 40 ) applied zincate layer and one for contacting the wire conductor ( 13 ) the connecting layer ( 41 , 42 ) is provided. 8. The method according to claim 7, characterized, that the tie layer has a nickel or palladium transmitting layer is formed.   9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vibration caused by ultrasound of the wire conductor ( 13 ) in a substantially to the pad ( 18 , 19 ) parallel plane and transverse to the longitudinal axis of the wire conductor ( 13 ). 10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the vibration caused by ultrasound of the wire conductor ( 13 ) serves for the area-wise removal of a wire wire insulation. 11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fixing of the wire conductor ( 13 ) is carried out on a plastic carrier which, together with the wire conductor ( 13 ) and the chip ( 15 ), a card inlet ( 10 ) for producing a chip card bil det. 12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the fixing of the wire conductor ( 13 ) on the Kunststoffträgerbo gene and the connection of the wire conductor with the connection surfaces of the chip ( 15 ) is used to form a mechanical suspension of the chip on the plastic carrier sheet. 13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fixing of the wire conductor ( 13 ) by laying with an ultrasonic device having a laying device, it follows. 14. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the ultrasonic device ( 21 ) for laying the wire conductor ( 13 ) on the support sheet causes vibration of the wire guide ( 13 ) transversely to the longitudinal axis of the wire guide ( 13 ) and transversely to the surface of the support sheet, and the ultrasonic device ( 25 ) for connecting the wire conductor ( 13 ) to the connection surface ( 18 , 19 ) causes vibrations of the wire conductor ( 13 ) in a plane parallel to the carrier arch and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wire conductor ( 13 ). 15. An apparatus for performing the method according to one of claims 1 to 14 with an ultrasonic device (25) lator with a wire cross-section of the wire conductor (13) partially surrounding the vibration punch (27) and a Ultraschalloszil transversely a vibrational loading of the Schwingungsstem pels (27) to the longitudinal axis of the wire conductor ( 13 ) guided in a profile end ( 26 ) of the vibration stamp ( 27 ). 16. The apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that the ultrasonic device ( 25 ) is coupled to a laying device. 17. The apparatus of claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the ultrasonic oscillator of the ultrasonic device ( 25 ) serves simultaneously for ultrasound exposure of the laying device. 18. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized, that the ultrasonic oscillator is arranged such that the axis its direction of action is changeable.