Electrical device and method of manufacturing electrical devices using film embossing techniques to embed integrated circuits into film

Abstract

An electrical device and method of making same is provided wherein a chip or other electrical component is embedded in a substrate. The substrate may be a thermoplastic material capable of deforming around the chip and at least partially encasing the chip when heat and/or pressure is applied to the substrate. Electromagnetic radiation such a near infrared radiation can be used to heat the substrate. The substrate may include a compressible layer that can be compressed and/or crushed to form a recess into which the chip can be inserted. Once embedded, the chip or electrical component is secured by the substrate and may be coupled to another electrical component. A method of making an RFID transponder is also provided wherein an RFID chip is embedded in a substrate using heat and/or pressure, an antenna structure is applied to the substrate, and the RFID chip and antenna structure are coupled together.

1 . A method of making an electrical device comprising:
 heating a chip;   embedding the chip in a substrate; and   coupling the chip to an electrical component.   
     
     
         2 . A method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the embedding the chip in the substrate includes heating, with the chip, a region of the substrate in which the chip is to be embedded. 
     
     
         3 . A method as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the heating includes conductive heating. 
     
     
         4 . A method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising laminating a planarizer layer to at least one of the chip or substrate, the planarizer layer including the electrical component. 
     
     
         5 . A method as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the laminating includes pressing together of the planarizer layer and at least one of the chip or the substrate; and wherein the pressing effects the embedding and the coupling. 
     
     
         6 . A method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the chip is part of an RFID interposer that includes interposer leads attached to an RFID chip. 
     
     
         7 . A method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         8 . A method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the heating the chip includes applying electromagnetic radiation to the chip. 
     
     
         9 . A method as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the applying electromagnetic radiation includes applying thermal radiation. 
     
     
         10 . A method as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the applying electromagnetic radiation includes applying near infrared radiation 
     
     
         11 . A method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the embedding includes pressing the chip into the substrate with rollers. 
     
     
         12 . A method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the embedding includes pressing the chip into the substrate with a press. 
     
     
         13 . A method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the coupling the chip to an electrical component includes coupling the chip to an antenna structure. 
     
     
         14 . A method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the coupling includes laminating a web that includes the electrical component to the substrate. 
     
     
         15 . A method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising providing a planarizer layer between the chip and the web, wherein the planarizer layer is an adhesive. 
     
     
         16 . A method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the coupling includes printing a conductive material onto the substrate. 
     
     
         17 . A method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the coupling includes coupling the chip to an antenna structure preformed on the substrate. 
     
     
         18 . The device formed by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         19 . A method of making an RFID transponder comprising:
 placing a chip having a bottom surface and a top surface on a thermoplastic substrate with the bottom surface of the chip contacting a top surface of the thermoplastic substrate;   heating at least one of the thermoplastic substrate or chip with thermal radiation thereby elevating the temperature of the thermoplastic substrate and consequently softening the thermoplastic substrate;   embedding the chip into the thermoplastic substrate by applying pressure to the chip while the substrate is heated to the elevated temperature; and   coupling the chip to an antenna structure, wherein the coupling includes:
 depositing the antenna structure with conductive ink onto the thermoplastic substrate; and 
 connecting the antenna structure to the interposer leads of the RFID interposer. 
   
     
     
         20 . The device formed by the method of  claim 19 . 
     
     
         21 . A method of making an RFID transponder comprising:
 providing a web material, the web material including a continuous conductive element and a compressible substrate layer;   forming a recess in the web material by compressing the compressible substrate layer, wherein forming the recess divides the conductive element thereby forming at least two antenna portions;   placing a chip in the recess; and   coupling the chip to the antenna portions,   wherein the forming the recess includes pressing together of the chip and web material, and   wherein the pressing effects the placing and the coupling.   
     
     
         22 . A method as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the compressible substrate layer is a foam material. 
     
     
         23 . A method as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the compressible substrate layer is crushable. 
     
     
         24 . A method of making an RFID transponder comprising:
 providing a web material, the web material including a compressible substrate layer and an antenna structure having a first antenna portion and a second antenna portion;   forming a recess in the web material between the first and second antenna portions by compressing the compressible substrate layer;   placing a chip in the recess; and   coupling the chip antenna portions of the antenna structure;   wherein the forming the recess includes pressing together of the chip and web material, and   wherein the pressing effects the placing and the coupling.   
     
     
         25 . A method as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein the compressible substrate layer is a foam material. 
     
     
         26 . A method as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein the compressible substrate layer is crushable. 
     
     
         27 . An electrical device comprising;
 a chip; and   a substrate;   wherein the chip is embedded in the substrate; and   wherein the chip is at least partially encased by the substrate.   
     
     
         28 . A device as set forth in  claim 27 , further comprising an electrical component coupled to bond pads on the chip. 
     
     
         29 . A device as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein the electrical component is an antenna structure provided on a planarizer layer, and wherein the bond pads extend through the planarizer layer and are coupled to the antenna structure. 
     
     
         30 . A device as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein the bond pads are stud bumps. 
     
     
         31 . A device as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein the substrate is a thermoplastic substrate.