Antenna with micro-transfer-printed circuit element

Abstract

An electromagnetic communication device includes a device substrate, an antenna formed on or in the device substrate, and a circuit element having an electrical circuit and one or more electrically conductive connection posts protruding from the circuit element. Each of the connection posts is electrically connected to the electrical circuit and at least one connection post is electrically connected to the antenna.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. An electromagnetic communication device, comprising:
 a device substrate; 
 one or more contact pads disposed on a surface of the device substrate;  
 an antenna formed on or in the surface of the device substrate and electrically connected to at least one of the one or more contact pads; and 
 a circuit element comprising an electrical circuit and one or more electrically conductive connection posts protruding from a surface of the circuit element electrical connections, each of the connection posts one or more electrical connections electrically connected to the electrical circuit and at least one connection post of the one or more electrical connections electrically connected to the antenna through the at least one of the one or more contact pads, 
 wherein the antenna surrounds the circuit element and the one or more contact pads on the surface of the device substrate,  
 wherein the circuit element is a chiplet having at least one of a length and a width that is less than 200 microns and comprises a fractured tether, and 
 wherein the antenna is a multi-layer spiral loop antenna comprising a first end and a second end and an even number of antenna spiral loop layers, and wherein both of the first end and the second end of the antenna are closer to a center of the spiral than an edge of the spiral. 
 
     
     
       2. The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the antenna is a cured ink, a metal foil, or is laminated to the device substrate. 
     
     
       3. The communication device of claim  1   21 , wherein the antenna has a surface and at least one of the one or more connection posts: is deformed, is in contact with the antenna surface, is embedded in the antenna surface, or pierces the antenna surface. 
     
     
       4. The communication device of claim  1   21 , comprising a wire on or in the device substrate, the wire electrically connected to the antenna, and wherein the connection post at least one of the one or more electrical connections is in contact with, is embedded in, or pierces the wire. 
     
     
       5. The communication device of  claim 4 , wherein the circuit element is a chiplet having at least one of:
 at least one of a length and width that is less than or equal to 100 microns, and 
 a thickness less than or equal to 20 microns. 
 
     
     
       6. The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical circuit comprises one or more of an electrical conductor, a capacitor, a resistor, a transistor, a diode, and an integrated circuit. 
     
     
       7. The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the communication device is a radio frequency identification device (RFID) or a near-field communication (NFC) device. 
     
     
       8. The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the device substrate comprises markings, is a label, or is an adhesive label. 
     
     
       9. The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the device substrate is flexible and the connection post electrical connection is rigidly affixed to the antenna or device substrate. 
     
     
       10. The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the device substrate is flexible and the circuit element is adhered to the antenna or device substrate. 
     
     
       11. The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the antenna is a multi-layer spiral loop antenna comprising a first end and a second end and an even number of antenna spiral loop layers, and wherein both of the first and second ends of the antenna are closer to the center of the spiral than the edge of the spiral. 
     
     
       12. The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the antenna is a loop antenna with first and second ends, the one or more electrical connections of the circuit element comprises at least a first electrical connection and a second connection posts electrical connection, and the first connection post electrical connection is electrically connected to the first end of the antenna and the second connection post electrical connection is electrically connected to the second end of the antenna. 
     
     
       13. A method of making an electromagnetic communication device, comprising:
 providing a device substrate comprising an antenna formed on or in the device substrate and one or more contact pads disposed on the device substrate, the antenna electrically connected to at least one of the one or more contact pads; 
 providing a circuit element comprising an electrical circuit, a fractured tether, and one or more electrically conductive connection posts protruding from a surface of the circuit element electrical connections, each of the connection posts electrical connections electrically connected to the electrical circuit, wherein the circuit element is a chiplet having at least one of a width and a length of less than 200 microns and wherein the antenna surrounds the circuit element and the one or more contact pads on the surface of the device substrate; and 
 electrically connecting at least one of the one or more connection posts electrical connections to the antenna through the at least one of the one or more contact pads, 
 wherein the antenna is a multi-layer spiral loop antenna comprising a first end and a second end and an even number of antenna spiral loop layers, and wherein both of the first end and the second end of the antenna are closer to a center of the spiral than an edge of the spiral. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , comprising:
 providing a source wafer comprising one or more micro-transfer printable chiplets; and 
 micro-transfer printing the one or more micro-transfer printable chiplets from the source wafer onto the device substrate, 
 wherein the circuit element comprises at least one of the one or more chiplets. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , comprising wherein each of the one or more electrical connections is an electrically conductive connection post protruding from a surface of the circuit element, and the method comprises:
 providing one or more micro-transfer printable circuit elements; and 
 micro-transfer printing the one or more micro-transfer printable circuit elements onto the device substrate so that at least one connection post of the one or more electrical connections of at least one of the one or more circuit elements is embedded in the antenna, pierces the surface of the antenna, or is deformed and in contact with the antenna. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13 , comprising adhering the circuit element to the device substrate with an adhesive. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 13 , comprising heating at least a portion of the device substrate. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 13 , comprising providing a source wafer comprising one or more micro-transfer printable chiplets and an intermediate substrate, micro-transfer printing the one or more micro-transfer printable chiplets from the source wafer to an intermediate substrate in order to form the circuit element, and micro-transfer printing the circuit element to the device substrate. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , comprising:
 forming one or more connection posts on the intermediate substrate; and 
 electrically connecting the one or more connection posts to the one or more chiplets, wherein the one or more electrical connections are the one or more connection posts. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the intermediate substrate comprises a plurality of circuit elements and the intermediate substrate has an area that is equal to or larger than the area of the device substrate. 
     
     
       21. The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more electrical connections is an electrically conductive connection post protruding from a surface of the circuit element.  
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 13 , wherein each of the one or more electrical connections is an electrically conductive connection post protruding from a surface of the circuit element.