SIDE CONNECTORS FOR RFID CHIP

Abstract

An RFID chip can have an RFID circuit having first and second initial bond pads and conductive paths on the RFID chip connecting the first and second bond pads to the different sides of the chip. The conductive paths including a first side connector on a first side of the chip electrically connected to the first bond pad and a second side connector on a second side of the chip connected to the second bond pad. The first and second side connectors can cover at least half of the first and second side length respectively.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a prior art RFID chip.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an RFID chip with side connectors

FIG. 3 is another diagram of an RFID chip with side.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an RFID chip with side connectors attached to an inlay.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A redistribution technique can be used to re-configure the bond pads of a RFID flip chip IC to two large bond pads at the ends of the chip, this allows the use of the developed infrastructure for mounting of passive components to be used for the attachment of RFID chips to RFID antenna or straps. Straps are sub-assemblies that allow for rapid and efficient assembly of RFID inlays for RFID or tag labels.

In one embodiment, an RFID chip comprises an RFID circuit 202 having first and second initial bond pads 204 and 206 and conductive paths on the RFID chip connecting the first and second bond pads to the different sides of the chip. The conductive paths including a first side connector 208 on a first side of the chip electrically connected to the first bond pad 204 and a second side connector 210 on a second side of the chip connected to the second bond pad 206. The first and second side connectors can cover at least half of the first and second side length respectively.

In one embodiment, the first and second side connectors can substantially cover the two opposite sides of an RFID chip.

The RFID chip 200 can include an insulative or (passivation) layer over the RFID circuit. The conductive paths can be on top of the insulative layer.

FIG. 3 shows an example with passivation layer 302 and side connections 304 and 306. The passivation layer 320 is produced for traditional IC chips. The side connectors 304 and 306 and conductive paths can be produced in an additional metallization layer that replaces the interconnect bump forming step. The metallization layer can be added before the chip is separated from wafer. The metallization layer can be a traditional metallization layer formed over a resist layer that is later removed. In one embodiment, the metallization layer is about 3 microns thick.

In one embodiment, the first and second side connectors can wrap around from the top to the bottom of the RFID chip at the sides and be made of silver. This can be done after the chip is removed from the wafer.

A support unit can be electrically connected to the RFID chip such that the first and second side connectors contact the support unit. This support unit can be an inlay unit for connection to an RFID antenna as shown in FIG. 4 or can be a RFID antenna unit itself.

The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications that are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An RFID chip comprising: an RFID circuit having first and second bond pads; andconductive paths on the RFID chip connecting the first and second bond pads to the different sides of the chip, the conductive paths including a first side connector on a first side of the chip electrically connected to the first bond pad and a second side connector on a second side of the chip connected to the second bond pad; wherein the first and second side connectors cover at least half of the first and second side length respectively.

2. The RFID chip of claim 1, wherein the first and second side connectors substantially cover two opposite sides of an RFID chip.

3. The RFID chip of claims 1, wherein the RFID chip includes an insulative layer over the RFID circuit.

4. The RFID chip of claim 3, wherein the conductive paths are on top of the insulative layer.

5. The RFID chip of claim 3, wherein the conductive paths and side connectors are formed in a metallization layer.

6. The RFID chip of claims 5, wherein chip is repaired from a wafer after the metallization layer.

7. An RFID unit comprising an RFID chip including: an RFID circuit having first and second bond pads; andconductive paths on the RFID chip connecting the first and second bond pads to the different sides of the chip, the conductive paths including a first side connector on a first side of the chip electrically connected to the first bond pad and a second side connector on a second side of the chip connected to the second bond pad; wherein the first and second side connectors cover at least half of the first and second side length respectively; anda support unit electrically connected to the RFID chip such that the first and second side connectors contact the support unit.

8. The RFID unit of claim 7, wherein the first and second side connects substantially cover two opposite sides of an RFID chip.

9. The RFID unit of claims 7, wherein the RFID chip includes an insulative layer over the RFID circuit.

10. The RFID unit of claim 9, wherein the conductive paths are on top of the insulative layer.

11. The RFID unit of claim 7, wherein the conductive paths and side connectors are formed in a metallization layer.

12. The RFID unit of claims 11, wherein the chip is removed from a wafer after the metallization layer.

13. An RFID chip comprising: an RFID circuit having first and second bond pads; andconductive paths on the RFID chip connecting the first and second bond pads to the different sides of the chip, the conductive paths including a first side connector on a first side of the chip electrically connected to the first bond pad and a second side connector on a second side of the chip connected to the second bond pad; wherein the first and second side connectors cover at least half of the first and second side length respectively.

14. The RFID chip of claims 13, wherein the RFID chip includes an insulative layer over the RFID circuit.

15. The RFID chip of claim 14, wherein the conductive paths are on top of the insulative layer.

16. The RFID chip of claim 13, wherein the conductive paths are side connectors are formed in a metallization layer.

17. The RFID chip of claims 16, wherein the chip is removed from the wafer after the metallization layer.