DE4337921A1 - Contactless chip card having an antenna coil and method for its production - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention is based on the object of specifying an arrangement and a method by means of which mechanical stresses can largely be avoided by arranging the chip as a central layer in a virtually ideally symmetrically layered laminated plastic card. According to the invention, this object is achieved by the antenna coil and its feedlines and/or its contact points being applied on a conductive film made of flexible electrically insulating carrier material, by the conductive film being located virtually as the central layer in the chip card laminate, by each semiconductor chip being located in a chip housing, by the chip housing being arranged in the centre of the chip card laminate and by a housing foil made of electrically insulating flexible material being arranged as a central layer in the chip housing, said housing foil projecting out of the housing and containing the external electric leads, leading out of the chip housing, with the external connection points. The invention relates to a contactless chip card having an antenna coil, consisting of a laminated plastic body made of several layers, which contains at least one semiconductor chip, and antenna coil and feedlines, and a method for its production. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a contactless chip card with antenna coil and a method for it Manufactured according to the preamble of Patentan saying 1.

The data and energy transfer between contact loose chip cards and the writing and reading stations is by means of inductive coupling, microwave or capacitive coupling realized. Broadcast or Receiving means are antennas or metallic ones Areas in the chip card. To the existing dimensions standards and the requirements for mechani meet the resilience of plastic cards, it is necessary that when using the Mechanical card occurring mechanical forces none Damage to the semiconductor chip or chips electrical connections or the transmission and emp catching means, which is called antenna in the following cause that.

In the prior art, for example, DE-OS 32 35 650 known, the chips on a flexible Fasten the conductor foil using the bonding process.  

It is also known from DE-OS 29 20 012, which Chips using direct contacting method to mon animals. In this process, the mechanical Protection of the chip and the contact lines between Chip and circuit board with a hardenable casting or Masking compound made. For mechanical protection of the chip and to simplify assembly according to DE 89 09 027 U1 or G 89 09 027.6, DE-OS 34 20 051 and according to EP 0 211 360 protection rings, Gewe platelets and similar materials or arrangement gene applied.

A disadvantage of these arrangements and methods is that the circuit board is unbalanced in the plastic card is laminated, causing increased Tension on the conductor tracks in case of bending leads. Another disadvantage is that the chip is not lies exactly in the middle of the laminate. The material layer the entire plastic card and especially in the chip area is asymmetrical with respect to the middle layer of the plastic card. In the bend and torsion of the plastic card occur conditionally through these material and orderly Inhomogeneities mechanical stress peaks, those for destroying certain materials and thus cause the entire plastic card to fail can. Another disadvantage is that a Layer and material asymmetrical structure Stikkarte tends to bend.

In the prior art, this has been attempted divide by using very flat miniature ge to bypass houses partially. Such solutions are  described in IEE, Nov. 1991, pp. 46-49, title: "Technology Eucourages Memory Card. Market Growth". The expensive tape car is unfavorable here matic bonding process and the relatively high casing costs. A similar geometry and manufacturing technology shows that from Siemens propa micro pack (Siemens publication B 1-83166) on.

The invention has for its object an order and specify a procedure by which me chanical tensions largely avoided be that the chip is almost in the middle of the layer ideally symmetrically layered, laminated pla Stikkarte is arranged.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by that the antenna coil and its leads and / or their contact points on a conductor foil flexible, electrically insulating material are brought up that the conductor track film almost that is in the middle of the layer in the chip card laminate each semiconductor chip is in a chip housing finds that the chip housing in the middle of the Chipkartenla minat is arranged and that in the middle of the layer in the chip electrically isolate a housing foil from the housing the, flexible material is arranged, which from the The housing protrudes and leads out of the chip housing outer electrical lines with the outer contains connection points.

Further embodiments of the invention are in the Claims 2 to 18 described.  

In the method according to the invention, a lei sheet of flexible, electrically insulating Backing material, preferably with a thickness of greater than or equal to 25 µm, with conductor tracks on one side for the antenna and for contacting Kon capacitors or resistors and chip packages ver see. The conductor track foil has at least one Breakthrough for one-sided mounting of the chip housing ses. The track foil consists of a mate rial, which is combined with the other laminate layers of the Plast card is not weldable, the conductor track film at least one along the future card peripheral edge greater than or equal to 2 mm wide Border zone formed smaller than the map area. The semiconductor chip is in one layer symmetrical chip housing, from which a Housing foil made of flexible, electrically insulating Material of the thickness of preferably less than or equal 100 µm protrudes. The housing film carries at least one sided conductors for contacting the chip where for the conductors in external connection points the.

The chip housing becomes one-sided in the breakthrough the track foil placed that the outer to closing points of the housing film and the assigned Contact points of the conductor foil lie on one another gen. Housing foil and trace foil are through Gluing or welding stapled together. On will be closing according to the intended Thickness and design of the plastic card laminate film layers according to the housing thickness  Breakthroughs and with laminate without Breakthroughs under or onto the stapled ladder sheet and housing foils layered and together mined. Preferably, ge is as follows layers:

Conductor foil with a thickness of preferably 50 µm; Housing film, preferably 70 µm thick; Edition a laminate film on the conductor track film preferably in the thickness of the upper half of the housing preferably 200 microns and with a breakthrough in the Size of the housing surface; Underlay of a laminate sheet lie in the thickness of the lower half of the case preferably 200 microns with a breakthrough preferred in the size of the housing surface and underlaying or overlaying the resulting laminate pa ketes with further, non-perforated foils.

The arrangement according to the invention and the fiction appropriate methods allow the layers to be opened construction of the chip card and the or in it closed chips, the electrical wires and additional layers of protection are completely symmetrical moved to the middle of the chip card men, and thus possible, through constructive and material-related asymmetries caused mechani stress peaks under mechanical load the chip card, especially with bending loads, to avoid.

The laminate consists of the same over all layers chem or similar material; the interconnect levels are almost in the ideal middle of the layer of the laminate composite, the chip housing is located  in the ideal middle of the layer composite, and all Layers are at least along the edges welded tightly to each other when the interconnect and Housing foil from not ver with the laminate foils weldable material. There is complete Layer symmetry of all materials at all points the plastic card.

Due to the possible large-scale execution of the outer connection points and the contact points so such as the mechanical adjustment and locking of the Half of the housing in the openings is a simple The foils can be brought together.

Another advantage is that double egg conductor tracks for the realization of crossings of the Conductor tracks in the intersection area or the partial Insulation of one-sided conductor runs on the right relatively small, therefore cheaper, housing foil can be attached and that the ladder track film only on one side with conductor tracks and without additional insulation performed inexpensively can be.

By separating the circuit board into conductor the chip contact tion process and the housing manufacture cost-effectively stig be executed on foil strips. So antenna sizes and chip types are arbitrary can be combined until shortly before the laminate assembly process.

It is also advantageous to use the housing film or in the openings in the housing film condensate  to attach gates or resistors. A preliminary check of the chip with elements of the external circuit possible, the assembly and testing process can well feasible, endless conductor strips become.

It is also cheap, with the exception of all laminate layers to arrange the housing film in multiple use to to achieve high productivity when laminating chen.

Will not be with the material of the laminate layers weldable carrier material for the conductor track If the film is used, the multiple use of the Lei openings are provided with openings, that the individual antenna coils with each other in the edge zones separated by breakthroughs and after on the outside only via narrow holding bars are connected.

Furthermore, it is appropriate to in the conductor film not from the antenna lines or the Ge areas covered by crosslinking order fractions. In these breakthroughs the material of the top and bottom welds Ren laminate layer and thus improves the overall strength card.

It is also advantageous to improve detention strength between the thermoplastic laminate layer and the housing surface, on the housing surface che a thermoplastic material, preferably in  Solvent dissolved thermoplastic material, to apply.

It is also advantageous for the housing surface with an electrostatically shielding material occupy.

After all, it is convenient to have multiple chips and theirs Arrange housing foils in a chip card; of the Functional scope and the memory area of chip cards can be flexibly installed on one fold way.

All of the above procedures and benefits can also be used con clocked chip cards as well as during production laminated products with laminated electro African circuits, the shape of a chip card differs and for similar products turn.

The invention is based on an off management example explained in more detail. In the associated The following drawings show:

Fig. 1 is a plan view lie on a Leiterbahnfo,

FIG. 2a, the casing film in plan view with the short-circuited connecting lines,

FIG. 2b, the film housing in side view,

Fig. 3, the printed circuit film after placing the casing film,

Fig. 4 shows the location of the chip the housing with the housing foil in section,

Fig. 5 a row conductor film blanks on the plurality of conductor track pieces of film and are arranged in columns,

Fig. 6 shows a cross section through a laminate film arrangement immediately before the Lami kidneys.

Fig. 1 shows the top view of the Leiterbahnfo lie 6 for a contactless chip card. Along the chip card periphery, the antenna coil 7 with the feed line 8 and the contact points 10 is net angeord. The opening 11 has the size of the chip housing 1 increased by a tolerance tolerance. The breakthrough 11 lies outside of the most bend-loaded zones (central axes) of the chip card.

The housing film 4 is shown in a top view in FIG. 2a and in a side view in FIG. 2b. In the chip package 1 is in a central location, the semiconductor chip. 2 On all sides of the chip housing 1 protrudes the housing film 4 , which carries on the top the outer electrical lines 3 , which are already contacted by the manufacturing process of the film with the outer connection points 5 , which are on the underside of the housing film 4 . The sides of the chip housing 1.1 and 1.2 are each 200 µm thick in the example. The thickness of the housing film 4 is 80 µm, the size of the outer connection points and contact points each 1.0 × 1.0 mm². The casing film pieces 4 are arranged in the form of a casing film strip 19 in the manufacturing process.

Furthermore, the housing film 4 is shown, in which a short-circuit bridge 21 is attached to the connecting lines 3 . The disconnection of the short circuit bridge 21 from the external electrical lines 3 is advantageously carried out by the separating cut of the housing film 4 from the housing film band 19 ; which is represented by the cut lines 23 Darge. Housing film 4 and / or the connection points 5 can be connected during the assembly and testing operations with a transducer provided with electrical contacts. The connection is possible, for example, during separation and during placement on the conductor foil 6 . In addition, the electrically conductive transducer can be switched so that the outer electrical lines 3 are short-circuited and geer det. Sometimes it is also expedient that the housing film 4 after the separation and during handling and, if applicable, mounting is taken up by the sensor provided with electrical contacts so that during the handling of the housing film 4, the electrical testing and / or programming of the on Housing film 4 located semiconductor chips 2 can be performed.

It is furthermore possible that the antenna coil is grounded 7 on the printed circuit film 5 before and during the On setting the casing sheet 4 and / or that the electrical contacts of the transducer prior to and / or after the electrical test / or Pro and programming of the semiconductor chip 2 are switched so that the electrical lines 3 of the housing foil 4 are grounded.

In Fig. 3, the interconnect film 6 after the Posi tion and placing the housing film 4 Darge provides. A housing half 1.1 suitably lies in the opening 11 of the conductor foil 6 . The outer connection points 5 of the housing film 4 lie congruently directly on the contact points 10 of the conductor track film 6 . The housing foil 4 was thermally attached to the conductor foil 6 at the connection point 13 .

Fig. 4 shows a detail of the position of the Chipgehäu ses 1 and its housing film 4 after the positioning kidneys on the conductor foil 6 and tacking on the junctions 13th The outer connection point 5 of the housing film 4 lies directly on the contact point 10 of the conductor track film 6 . The outer connection point 5 and the outer electrical line 3 of the housing film 4 are electrically connected to one another via the contacting 22 through the housing film 4 . As a result, it is possible to conduct the outer electrical lines 3 of the housing film 4 in an electrically insulated manner via the windings they cross over the antenna coil 7 of the conductor track film 6 .

If a plurality of conductor film pieces arranged in rows and columns, the printed circuit film 18 shown benefit in Fi gure 5 is obtained. The panel 18 is separated into individual plastic cards after the panel 18 has been laminated.

Fig. 6 illustrates an example of a laminate film arrangement immediately before lamination. The top laminate film 17 and the bottom laminate film 16 are thermoplastic, clear laminate films with a thickness of 50. . . 80 µm. They are on laminated laminate 15 with a thickness of 100 µm. These foils 15 , 16 and 17 have no openings 11 . On the second laminate film 15 , seen from below, there is a 200 μm thick laminate film 15 , in the opening 11 of which a side 1.2 of the chip housing 1 is located. The conductor track film 6 lies on the housing film 4 , so that the contact points 10 of the conductor track film 6 and the connection points 5 of the housing film 4 touch. This is followed by a 200 μm thick laminate film 15 with an opening 11 the size of the area of one side 1.1 of the chip housing 1 . In the example, films 15 , 16 and 17 consist of polycarbonate and films 4 and 6 consist of polyester or epoxy glass fabric FR4. The surface of the chip housing 1 has a coating 20 to improve the adhesive strength of the polycarbonate layers on the housing 1 .

Reference list

1 chip housing 1.1 , 1.2 sides of the chip housing
2 semiconductor chips
3 outer electrical wire
4 housing foil
5 connection points
6 conductor track foil
7 antenna coil
8 leads of the antenna coil
9 edge zone
10 contact points
11 breakthrough
12 resistance
13 networking breakthroughs
14 connection
15 laminate film
16 lowest laminate film
17 top laminate film
18 benefits
19 housing foil tape
20 Housing surface coating
21 shorting bar
22 plated-through holes
23 dividing line
24 holding bars.

Claims (20)

1. Contactless chip card with antenna coil, consisting of a laminated from several layers of thermoplastic materials plastic body containing at least a semiconductor chip, an antenna coil and leads, the antenna coil and leads being applied to a layer of an electrically insulating material prior to lamination and in which the semiconductor chip and the contact lines leading to it are completely surrounded by a protective layer, characterized in that

• - The antenna coil ( 7 ) and its supply lines ( 8 ) and / or their contact points ( 10 ) on a printed conductor foil ( 6 ) made of flexible, electrically insulating material are applied,
• - The conductor track film ( 6 ) is almost in the middle of the layer in the chip card laminate,
• - Each semiconductor chip ( 2 ) in a chip housing ( 1 ),
• - The chip housing ( 1 ) is arranged centrally in the chip card laminate and
• - In the middle of the chip housing ( 1 ) a housing film ( 4 ) made of flexible, electrically insulating material is arranged, which protrudes out of the housing and the outer electrical lines ( 3 ) leading from the chip housing ( 1 ) to the external connection points ( 5 ) contains.

2. Contactless chip card according to claim 1, characterized in that on the conductor foil ( 6 ) single layer a conductor layer for the antenna coil ( 7 ) and their contact points ( 8 , 10 ) is brought up and that on the housing film ( 4 ) outer electrical lines ( 3 ) with connections ( 5 ) for realizing the necessary electrically insulated th interconnection junctions are arranged in two layers. 3. Contactless chip card according to claim 1, characterized in that on the conductor foil ( 6 ) single layer a conductor layer for the antenna coil ( 7 ) and their contact points ( 8 , 10 ) is brought up and that on the housing film ( 4 ) outer electrical lines ( 3 ) with connections ( 5 ) for realizing the required electrically insulated interconnect crossings, the housing foil ( 4 ) has single-layer interconnects and to ensure the electrically insulated intersections with the interconnect foil ( 6 ), the outer electrical lines ( 3 ) of the housing conductor foil ( 4 ) are partially coated in the crossing area with an electrical insulating material that is resistant to lamination temperature and pressure. 4. Contactless chip card according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the conductor foil ( 6 ) has openings ( 11 ) in the size of the chip housing to be taken ( 1 ). 5. Contactless chip card according to claim 4, characterized in that the chip housing ( 1 ) and the protruding conductor track-carrying housing film ( 4 ) is positioned on the conductor track film ( 6 ) such that one contact point ( 10 ) of the conductor track film ( 6 ) and An outer connection point ( 5 ) of the housing film ( 4 ) lie one above the other and that one side ( 1.1 , 1.2 ) of the chip housing ( 1 ) is located in one of the openings ( 11 ) of the conductor track film ( 6 ). 6. Contactless chip card according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the housing film ( 4 ) and the conductor track film ( 6 ) are at least partially connected to one another by gluing or thermal processes at their connection points ( 13 ). 7. Contactless chip card according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that on the housing film ( 4 ) or in openings ( 11 ) of the housing film ( 4 ) and with their outer electrical conductors ( 3 ) electrically connected resistors ( 12 ) or capacitors are arranged. 8. Contactless chip card according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that on the conductor track film ( 6 ) or in openings ( 11 ) of the supply lines ( 8 ) and with their outer electrical conductor tracks ( 3 ) electrically connected resistors ( 12 ) or capacitors are arranged. 9. Contactless chip card according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that further laminate films according to the thickness and position of the chip housing ( 1 ), the housing film ( 4 ) and any resistors ( 12 ) and capacitors have openings ( 11 ) and that at least the bottom and top laminate film ( 16 , 17 ) of the chip card have no breakthroughs. 10. Contactless chip card according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the hous seoberflächen are at least partially provided with a hous se surface coating ( 20 ), which connects with the thermoplastic material kidney in the Lami. 11. A method for producing a contactless chip card with an antenna coil with a plastic body laminated from several layers of thermoplastic material, the antenna coils and feed lines being applied to a layer of an electrically insulating material prior to lamination, and wherein the semiconductor chip and the contact lines leading to it are complete are surrounded by a protective layer, characterized by the following process steps:
Bringing the connection points ( 5 ) of the outer electrical lines ( 3 ) of a chip housing ( 1 ) with the contact points ( 10 ) of the conductor foil ( 6 ) and then connecting them by lamination. 12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the lamination in two stages, it follows, wherein in a first stage the conductor foil ( 6 ) and openwork laminate foils ( 15 ) are placed and laminated until the thickness of the laminate is greater or equal to the thickness of the chip housing ( 1 ) and in a second stage in a further lamination process above and below, laminating foils ( 15 , 16 , 17 ) are laminated without openings, the lamination temperature in the second stage being less than or equal to Laminated temperature is chosen for the first stage. 13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the conductor foil ( 6 ) and the further laminate layers ( 15 , 16 , 17 ) in the longitudinal and transverse directions are arranged side by side in a panel ( 18 ) and ren after laminating be separated into chip card-sized areas. 14. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the housing film ( 4 ) with the chip housing ( 1 ) in tape form ( 19 ) are made in stock and before positioning Ge housing film ( 4 ) and chip housing ( 1 ) zu Leiterbahnfo lie ( 6 ) a housing film section ( 4 ) with Chipge housing ( 1 ) from the tape ( 19 ) is cut. 15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that after positioning the housing fo lie ( 4 ) and the chip housing ( 1 ) on the conductor track film ( 6 ) or in the openings ( 11 ) the housing film ( 4 ) and the conductor track film ( 6 ) at least partially by gluing or thermal processes at the connection points ( 13 ). 16. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that the outer electrical lines ( 3 ) of the housing film ( 4 ) are electrically connected to one another by a short-circuit bridge ( 21 ) and the short-circuit bridge ( 21 ) before the housing film is put on is cut onto the conductor track film ( 6 ). 17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that the separation of the short-circuit bridge ( 21 ) from the outer electrical lines ( 3 ) by the separating cut of the housing film ( 4 ) from Ge Geäusefolienband ( 19 ). 18. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 17, characterized in that the housing film ( 4 ) and / or the conductor track film ( 6 ) during the assembly and testing operations are connected to a sensor provided with electrical contacts. 19. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 18, characterized in that the conductor foil ( 6 ) in the longitudinal and transverse directions are arranged side by side several times in a panel ( 18 ) and are connected to each other with Hal test webs ( 24 ). 20. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 19, characterized in that the conductor track film ( 6 ) has cross-linking openings ( 14 ).