Method of manufacturing an electronic device

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an electronic device and more particularly to a method of manufacturing an electronic device equipped with a semiconductor integrated circuit, including IC cards, valuable papers, contactless identification devices and the like.

#2. Description of the Prior Art

#FIGS. 1(a) to 1(d) are schematic cross-sectional views indicating a method of manufacturing an electronic device in accordance with the present invention;

#FIGS. 2(a) to 2(c) are schematic cross-sectional views indicating a method of manufacturing an IC card in accordance with the prior art;

#FIGS. 3(a) to 3(e) are schematic cross-sectional views indicating a method of formation of a support member in accordance with the present invention;

#[First Embodiment]

#A method of manufacturing a number of electronic devices by attaching a plurality of IC chips (thin chips) 17 onto a substrate 15 at once will be described in greater details by referring to FIGS. 1(a) to 1(d). In this embodiment, a film-based substrate is used for the substrate 15. On the substrate 15 having some adhesive paste 14 applied, a registration jig (positioning frame) 12 having openings of the size corresponding to the IC chip 17 will be placed to supply a plurality of IC chips 17 into the openings. The depth of the opening in the jig is preferably such that an opening houses one IC chip. When a support material 13 is provided, the size of the openings should include the thickness of the member. The depth should be enough to encompass the chip, because the portion extending from the jig of an IC chip may be likely damaged by mechanically abrading with another IC chip if the opening has an insufficient depth. The supply of IC chip 17 to the opening can be performed by means of a vacuum sucker having a plurality of sucking ports each corresponding to the position of respective of a plurality of openings, by attracting a plurality of IC chips at once. FIG. 1(a) indicates a schematic cross-sectional view of thin chips 17 each having a support member 13 and each placed in the respective of openings of the registration jig 12 to fix onto a film-base substrate 15 by means of suction and push-out air 11. On the surface of thin chips a small antenna 16 for transmitting and receiving energy and data by means of radio frequency. A contactless electronic device may be thereby provided.

#FIG. 13 is a plan view of registration to a jig, for aligning thin chips 17 to the jig. The jig has a through hole or a recess of the shape and size corresponding to the size of chip or a square. A thin chip will be fitted into the through hole or recess. The automatic registration will be performed while at the same time the mounting will be pressed to adhere automatically to the substrate.