# US 10,311,351 B1 · RFID integrated circuits with antenna contacts on multiple surfaces

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- Number: US 10,311,351 B1
- Document ID: US10311351B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/870,775
- Filed: 2018-01-12
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2012-04-11
- Assignees: Impinj, Inc.
- Applicants: Impinj, Inc.
- Inventors: Christopher J. Diorio; Ronald L. Koepp; Harley K. Heinrich; Theron Stanford; Ronald A. Oliver
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10311351B1

## CPC

- G06K 19/0723: {the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs}
- G06K 19/07743: {External electrical contacts}
- G06K 19/07745: {Mounting details of integrated circuit chips}
- G06K 19/07747: {at least one of the integrated circuit chips being mounted as a module}
- G06K 19/07775: {the antenna being on-chip}
- H01Q 1/2225: {used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal}
- H01Q 1/2283: {mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package}
- H10W 70/699: {for flat cards, e.g. credit cards}
- H10W 72/0198: {batch processes}
- H10W 44/248: {for antennas}
- H10W 72/012: {of bump connectors, dummy bumps or thermal bumps}
- Y10T 29/49018: with other electrical component
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

Embodiments are directed to a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) integrated circuit (IC) having a first circuit block electrically coupled to first and second antenna contacts. The first antenna contact is disposed on a first surface of the IC and the second antenna contact is disposed on a second surface of the IC different from the first surface. A substrate of the RFID IC, or a portion of the IC substrate, electrically couples the first circuit block to at least one of the first and second antenna contacts. The IC includes one or more interfaces or barrier regions that at least partially electrically isolate the first circuit block from the rest of the IC substrate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
an electrically conductive IC substrate having one of an n-type doping and a p-type doping;
a circuit region within the IC substrate;
an electrically conductive barrier region formed within the IC substrate and having the other one of the n-type doping and the p-type doping, wherein the barrier region electrically isolates the circuit region from the IC substrate;
a first circuit block disposed in the circuit region;
a first antenna contact disposed on a first surface of the IC substrate and electrically coupled to the first circuit block; and
a second antenna, contact disposed on a second surface of the IC substrate opposite the first surface, wherein the electrically conductive IC substrate electrically couples the second antenna contact to the first circuit block.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The IC of claim 1, wherein the first circuit block is:
electrically coupled to the first antenna contact via a first coupling capacitor; and
electrically coupled to the second antenna contact via a second coupling capacitor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The IC of claim 1, wherein a reverse-biased PN junction between the barrier region and the circuit region provides the electrical isolation.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The IC of claim 3, further comprising a second circuit block electrically coupled to the barrier region and configured to generate a voltage to reverse-bias the PN junction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The IC of claim 1, wherein:
the IC substrate includes an epitaxial layer and a base layer, wherein the epitaxial layer is disposed above the base layer, and
the circuit region is formed within the epitaxial layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The IC of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second antenna contacts includes at least one conductive pad spanning substantially an entire surface of the IC substrate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The IC of claim 1, wherein the first circuit block includes a charge pump electrically coupled to the first and second antenna contacts such that a current flow is from the first antenna contact to the second antenna contact through the electrically conductive IC substrate during a first phase of an incident RF signal and is from the second antenna contact to the first antenna contact through the electrically conductive IC substrate during a second phase of the incident RF signal.

### Claim 8

A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
an electrically conductive IC substrate;
a circuit region formed within the IC substrate and electrically isolated from the substrate;
a first circuit block disposed in the circuit region;
a first antenna contact disposed on a first surface of the IC substrate and electrically coupled to the first circuit block; and
a second antenna contact disposed on a second surface of the IC substrate different from the first surface, wherein the electrically conductive IC substrate electrically couples the second antenna contact to the first circuit block.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The IC of claim 8, wherein the first circuit block is:
electrically coupled to the first antenna contact via a first coupling capacitor; and
electrically coupled to the second antenna contact via a second coupling capacitor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The IC of claim 8, further comprising an electrically conductive barrier region formed within the IC substrate and separating the circuit region from the IC substrate, wherein:
the barrier region is one of an n-well and a p-well; and
the IC substrate has a doping opposite that of the barrier region.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The IC of claim 10, wherein a reverse-biased PN junction between the barrier region and the circuit region provides the electrical isolation.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The IC of claim 11, further comprising a second circuit block electrically coupled to the barrier region and configured to generate a voltage to reverse-bias the PN junction.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The IC of claim 10, wherein:
the IC substrate includes an epitaxial layer and a base layer, wherein the epitaxial layer is disposed above the base layer; and
the circuit region is formed within the epitaxial layer.

### Claim 14

A Radio Frequency Identification (RFD) integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
an electrically conductive IC substrate formed of a first type of semiconductor material;
a circuit region within the IC substrate and formed of the first type of semiconductor material;
an electrically conductive barrier region formed within the IC substrate of a second type of semiconductor material different than the first type, wherein the barrier region electrically isolates the circuit region from the IC substrate;
a first circuit block disposed in the circuit region;
a first antenna contact disposed on a first surface of the IC substrate and electrically coupled to the first circuit block; and
a second antenna contact disposed on a second surface of the IC substrate opposite the first surface, wherein the electrically conductive IC substrate electrically couples the second antenna contact to the first circuit block.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The IC of claim 14, wherein the first circuit block is:
electrically coupled to the first antenna contact via a first coupling capacitor; and
electrically coupled to the second antenna contact via a second coupling capacitor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The IC of claim 14, wherein the first type is p-type semiconductor material and the second type is n-type semiconductor material.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The IC of claim 14, further comprising an interface between the barrier region and the circuit region that provides the electrically isolation in response to the application of a voltage bias across the interface.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The IC of claim 14, further comprising a second circuit block electrically coupled to the barrier region and configured to generate and apply the voltage bias.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The IC of claim 14, wherein:
the IC substrate includes an epitaxial layer and a base layer, wherein the epitaxial layer is disposed above the base layer; and
the circuit region is formed within the epitaxial layer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The IC of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first and second antenna contacts includes at least one conductive pad spanning substantially an entire surface of the IC substrate.