Contact module, as for a smart card, and method for making same

A contact module having exposed contacts and including at least one electronic device comprising:

• a sheet metal layer having a first surface and an exposed second surface, said sheet metal layer having openings therethrough defining a pattern of at least two exposed sheet metal contacts;
• a layer of at least one of a B-staged thermoplastic and a cured thermosetting dielectric adhesive on the first surface of said sheet metal layer, said dielectric adhesive layer having at least two holes therethrough each to the first surface of one of said at least two sheet metal contacts, respectively;
• at least two electrically-conductive vias substantially filling the at least two holes of said dielectric adhesive layer and including a layer of an oxidation resistant metal contacting the respective first surfaces of the at least two sheet metal contacts, each electrically-conductive via having an end distal from said sheet metal layer;
• and
• means for connecting at least two contacts of the at least one electronic device each to a respective distal end of one of said electrically-conductive vias.

A module comprising:

• a pattern of metal foil contacts having a first surface and an exposed second surface;
• a layer of at least one of a B-staged thermoplastic and a cured thermosetting dielectric adhesive on the first surface of said pattern of metal foil contacts and having at least two holes therethrough to the first surface of said metal foil contacts;
• a layer of an oxidation resistant metal on the first surface of said metal foil contacts at least at the locations of the at least two holes;
• at least two electrically-conductive vias substantially filling the holes in said dielectric adhesive layer and contacting the oxidation resistant metal on the first surface of the metal foil contacts, each conductive via having an end distal from the first surface of said metal foil contacts;
• and
• at least one electronic device having electrical contacts connected to the distal end of said conductive vias.

A module comprising:

• a pattern of metal foil contacts having a first surface and an exposed second surface;
• a layer of at least one of a B-staged thermoplastic and a cured thermosetting dielectric adhesive on the first surface of said pattern of metal foil contacts and having at least two holes therethrough to the first surface of said metal foil contacts;
• a layer of an oxidation resistant metal on the first surface of said metal foil contacts at least at the locations of the at least two holes;
• at least two vias of electrically-conductive adhesive substantially filling the holes in said dielectric adhesive layer and contacting the oxidation resistant metal on the first surface of the metal foil contacts, each conductive via having an end distal from the first surface of said metal foil contacts;
• and
• at least one electronic device having electrical contacts connected to the distal end of said conductive vias.

A method for making a module including an electronic device comprising:

• providing a sheet of electrical contact material having first and second surfaces;
• providing an electronic device having a pattern of contacts thereon;
• applying a layer of at least one of a thermoplastic and a thermosetting dielectric adhesive on the first surface of the sheet of electrical contact material except in locations corresponding to locations of electrically-conductive vias, whereby the layer of dielectric adhesive has blind holes to the sheet of electrical contact material in locations corresponding to the locations of electrically conductive vias;
• one of B-staging and curing the layer of dielectric adhesive;
• forming a pattern of electrically-conductive vias on the first surface of the sheet of electrical contact material in the blind holes of the layer of dielectric adhesive, the pattern of electrically-conductive vias corresponding to the pattern of contacts of the electronic device;
• patterning the sheet of electrical contact material to define a pattern of exposed electrical contacts thereon after said one of B-staging and curing the layer of dielectric adhesive, wherein ones of the exposed electrical contacts are associated with at least corresponding ones of the electrically-conductive vias;
• and
• attaching the electronic device with the contacts of the electronic device electrically connected to corresponding ones of the electrically-conductive vias.