TWI547008B - Antenna producing process - Google Patents

Description

Antenna manufacturing method

The present invention relates to a method of fabricating an antenna, and more particularly to a method of fabricating an antenna for forming an antenna through a patterning process.

The conventional antenna structure is generally composed of metal parts, which are mainly manufactured by mechanical means such as sheet metal. Due to the large size of the conventional sheet metal antenna, space must be reserved in the casing of the electronic device for setting the sheet metal antenna, so that the size of the electronic device cannot be further reduced.

The present invention is an antenna manufacturing method provided to solve the problems of the prior art, and includes the following steps. First, a substrate is provided, including a substrate surface; and then, a conductive layer is formed on the surface of the substrate; then, the conductive layer is patterned to form the conductive layer to form an antenna pattern.

In one embodiment, the antenna manufacturing method of the present invention further includes: performing a thickening process to increase the thickness of the antenna pattern of the conductive layer, thereby forming the antenna structure of the present invention.

In another embodiment, the conductive layer in the antenna manufacturing method of the present invention is a composite conductive layer, and the step of forming the conductive layer on the surface of the substrate includes: performing an electroless plating on the substrate Forming a first conductive layer over the entire surface; and performing an electroplating process over the entire surface of the substrate to form a complete coverage of the first conductive layer.

The antenna structure formed by applying the antenna manufacturing method of the present invention includes a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. In one embodiment, the first conductive layer is formed by vacuum sputtering. The second conductive layer is formed on the Above the first conductive layer, wherein the second conductive layer is formed by electroless plating, electroplating or printing. In another embodiment, the first conductive layer is formed by electroless plating, and the second conductive layer is formed on the first conductive layer by electroplating.

With the antenna manufacturing method of the present invention, an antenna can be formed on the surface of the substrate of the substrate, whereby the space occupied by the antenna can be minimized, the internal space of the portable electronic device can be saved, and the portable electronic device can be further reduced. volume of.

Referring to FIG. 1A, which shows the main steps of an antenna manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprising: firstly, providing a substrate including a substrate surface (S1); and further forming a conductive layer on the surface of the substrate ( S2); then, performing a patterning process on the conductive layer to form the antenna layer into an antenna pattern (S3); finally, performing a thickening process to increase the thickness of the antenna pattern of the conductive layer (S4), Thereby, an antenna structure of an embodiment of the present invention is formed.

The substrate can be a casing of a portable electronic device. The surface of the substrate may be an inner/outer surface of the casing of the portable electronic device. Referring to Figure 2A, there is shown an embodiment of a substrate 10 of the present invention having a substrate surface 11 which may be curved.

Referring to FIG. 3, the antenna 21 can be formed on the substrate surface 11 of the substrate 10 by applying the antenna manufacturing method of the present invention, whereby the space occupied by the antenna 21 can be minimized, and the internal space of the portable electronic device can be saved. And further reduce the size of the portable electronic device.

The details of the steps of the antenna fabrication method of this embodiment are further described below.

Returning to Fig. 1A, before the conductive layer (S2) is formed on the surface of the substrate, the surface of the substrate can be roughened, thereby increasing the adhesion of the conductive layer on the surface of the substrate.

In the step of forming the conductive layer (S2) on the surface of the substrate, the surface of the substrate may be subjected to vacuum sputtering to adhere metal ions to the surface of the substrate. Referring to FIG. 2B, it is shown that the conductive layer 20 is attached to the substrate surface 11 of the substrate 10.

In addition to the above-described manner of vacuum sputtering, the conductive layer may be attached to the surface of the substrate by printing or other means.

Next, referring to FIG. 1B, in the step of performing a patterning process on the conductive layer to form the conductive layer into the antenna pattern (S3), the following steps are included: first, coating on the conductive layer a photoresist layer (S31); and then exposing the photoresist layer to transfer the antenna pattern to the photoresist layer (S32); then, developing the photoresist layer to leave the antenna pattern (S33); further, etching the conductive layer to pattern the conductive layer and form the antenna pattern (S34); and removing the photoresist layer (S35).

In the step of coating the photoresist layer (S31) on the conductive layer, the photoresist layer is applied by means of spray coating, spin coating or the like, thereby uniformizing the photoresist layer. Overlying the conductive layer.

Referring to FIG. 2C, in the step of exposing the photoresist layer to transfer the antenna pattern to the photoresist layer (S32), exposure can be performed using the photomask 1 having an antenna pattern. Since the surface of the substrate is a curved surface, referring to FIG. 2D, in an embodiment, exposure may be performed in a plurality of directions and a plurality of masks to transfer the antenna pattern to the photoresist layer 30, and the exposure directions may be Vertical to each other.

In the process of etching the conductive layer to pattern the conductive layer and form the antenna pattern (S34), wet etching may be performed using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or other etchant.

After the conductive layer is developed to form the conductive pattern to form the antenna pattern (S3), the thickening process is performed to increase the thickness of the (antenna) antenna pattern (S4), wherein the thickening process includes chemistry Coating process, electroplating process or printing process.

Referring to FIG. 4, which is a cross-sectional view showing an antenna structure formed by applying the antenna manufacturing method of the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the antenna structure 21 formed by the antenna manufacturing method of the present invention includes a first conductive layer 211 and a first Two conductive layers 212. The first conductive layer 211 is formed by vacuum sputtering. The second conductive layer 212 is formed on the first conductive layer 211, wherein the second conductive layer 212 is formed by electroless plating, electroplating or printing.

The antenna manufacturing method of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Please refer to FIG. 5A, which shows the main steps of the antenna manufacturing method according to another embodiment of the present invention, including: firstly, providing a substrate including a substrate a surface (S5); further, forming a composite conductive layer on the surface of the substrate (S6); and then performing a patterning process on the composite conductive layer to form the antenna pattern (S7) The antenna structure of the embodiment of the present invention is formed.

The substrate can be a casing of a portable electronic device. The surface of the substrate may be an inner/outer surface of the casing of the portable electronic device. Referring to Figure 6A, there is shown an embodiment of a substrate 10 of the present invention having a substrate surface 11 which may be curved.

Referring to FIG. 7, the antenna 21' can be formed on the substrate surface 11 of the substrate 10 by using the antenna manufacturing method of the embodiment, whereby the space occupied by the antenna 21' can be minimized, and the portable electronic device can be saved. The internal space and further reduce the size of the portable electronic device.

The details of the steps of the antenna manufacturing method of the present invention of this embodiment are further described below.

Returning to Fig. 6A, before the composite conductive layer is formed on the surface of the substrate (S5), the surface of the substrate can be roughened, thereby increasing the adhesion of the conductive layer on the surface of the substrate.

In the step of forming the composite conductive layer (S6) on the surface of the substrate, a first conductive layer may be formed on the entire surface of the substrate by electroless plating (refer to the first conductive layer 211 in FIG. 8). ). After the first conductive layer is formed, another deposition process, such as an electroplating process, is performed to form a second conductive layer over the entire surface of the substrate (refer to the second conductive layer 212' in FIG. 8) The first conductive layer is completely covered. Here, the second conductive layer and the first conductive layer thereunder form a composite conductive layer formed on the substrate, wherein the thickness of the second conductive layer is greater than the thickness of the first conductive layer, and the use of the second conductive layer The material may be different from the material used for the first conductive layer and it may be the antenna material used today. . Referring to Fig. 6B, a composite conductive layer 20' is attached to the substrate surface 11 of the substrate 10.

Next, referring to FIG. 5B, in the step of performing a patterning process on the composite conductive layer to form the composite conductive layer to form the antenna pattern (S7), the method includes the following steps: First, in the composite conductive layer Coating a photoresist layer (S71); and exposing the photoresist layer to transfer the antenna pattern To the photoresist layer (S72); then, developing the photoresist layer to leave the antenna pattern (S73); and etching the composite conductive layer to pattern the composite conductive layer and form the antenna Pattern (S74); and, the photoresist layer is removed (S75).

In the step of coating the photoresist layer (S71) on the conductive layer, the photoresist layer is applied by spray coating, spin coating, and dipping. The photoresist layer is uniformly covered on the conductive layer.

Referring to Fig. 6C, in the step of exposing the photoresist layer to transfer the antenna pattern to the photoresist layer (S62), exposure can be performed using the photomask 1 having an antenna pattern. Since the surface of the substrate is a curved surface, referring to FIG. 6D, in an embodiment, exposure may be performed in a plurality of directions and a plurality of masks to transfer the antenna pattern to the photoresist layer 30, and the exposure directions may be Vertical to each other.

In the process of etching the composite conductive layer to pattern the composite conductive layer and form the antenna pattern (S74), wet etching may be performed using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or other etchant.

Referring to FIG. 7, a cross-sectional view showing an antenna structure formed by applying the antenna manufacturing method of the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the antenna structure 21 formed by the antenna manufacturing method of the present invention includes a first conductive layer 211' and a Second conductive layer 212'. The first conductive layer 211 ′ is formed by an electroless plating method, and the second conductive layer 212 ′ is formed on the first conductive layer 211 ′ by a deposition process such as an electroplating process, wherein the first The conductive layer 211' and the second conductive layer 212' are formed on all surfaces of the substrate and then patterned for a patterning process to form the antenna structure 21'.

Although the present invention has been described above in terms of the preferred embodiments thereof, it is not intended to limit the invention, and those skilled in the art can make some modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined by the scope of the appended claims.

1. . . Mask

10. . . Substrate

11. . . Substrate surface

20. . . Conductive layer

20’. . . Composite conductive layer

21, 21’. . . antenna

211, 211’. . . First conductive layer

212, 212’. . . Second conductive layer

30. . . Photoresist layer

S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7. . . The main steps

S31, S32, S33, S34, S35, S71, S72, S73, S74, S75. . . Patterning process

1A is a view showing main steps of a method of fabricating an antenna according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 1B shows a detailed step of patterning the conductive layer in the embodiment of Figure 1A;

2A is a view showing an embodiment of the substrate of the present invention;

Figure 2B shows the conductive layer attached to the surface of the substrate of the substrate;

Figure 2C shows a photomask having the antenna pattern;

2D is a view showing a case where exposure is performed in a plurality of directions and a plurality of masks to transfer the antenna pattern to the photoresist layer;

Figure 3 is a diagram showing an antenna structure of an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a cross-sectional view showing an antenna structure formed by applying an antenna manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 5A is a diagram showing the main steps of a method of fabricating an antenna according to another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 5B shows a detailed step of patterning the conductive layer in the embodiment of Figure 5A;

Figure 6A is a view showing another embodiment of the substrate of the present invention;

Figure 6B shows the composite conductive layer attached to the surface of the substrate of the substrate;

Figure 6C shows a photomask having the antenna pattern;

6D is a view showing a case where exposure is performed in a plurality of directions and a plurality of masks to transfer the antenna pattern to the photoresist layer;

Figure 7 is a diagram showing an antenna structure of another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an antenna structure formed by an antenna manufacturing method to which another embodiment of the present invention is applied.

S1, S2, S3, S4‧‧‧ main steps

Claims (9)

An antenna manufacturing method includes: providing a substrate including a substrate surface; forming a conductive layer on the surface of the substrate; coating a photoresist layer on the conductive layer; and the light in a plurality of directions and a plurality of masks The resist layer is separately exposed to transfer an antenna pattern to the photoresist layer; the photoresist layer is developed to leave the antenna pattern; the conductive layer is etched to form the conductive layer to form the antenna pattern ; and remove the photoresist layer. The method for fabricating an antenna according to claim 1, further comprising: performing a thickening process to increase the thickness of the antenna pattern of the conductive layer. The method for fabricating an antenna according to claim 2, wherein the thickening process comprises an electroless plating process, an electroplating process, or a printing process. The method for fabricating an antenna according to claim 1, wherein the step of forming the conductive layer on the surface of the substrate comprises vacuum sputtering the surface of the substrate to adhere metal ions to the surface of the substrate. The method for fabricating an antenna according to claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is a composite conductive layer, and the step of forming the conductive layer on the surface of the substrate comprises: performing an electroless plating on the entire substrate Formed on the surface a first conductive layer; and performing an electroplating process over the entire surface of the substrate to form a complete coverage of the first conductive layer. The method for fabricating an antenna according to claim 1, further comprising the step of roughening the surface of the substrate before forming the conductive layer on the surface of the substrate. The method for fabricating an antenna according to claim 1, wherein the step of forming a conductive layer on the surface of the substrate comprises attaching the conductive layer to the surface of the substrate by printing. The antenna manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a curved surface. The antenna manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a casing of the portable electronic device.