WO2004084129A1 - Chip card - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a chip card, which consists of a card body (1) and a chip module (2). The chip body has a recess (3) comprising two steps, into which the chip module is introduced so that its external contacts (4) lie substantially flush with the surface of the card. The chip module has rewiring contacts (10) on the opposite side of the carrier to the external contacts, said rewiring contacts being electrically connected to the external contacts. A semiconductor chip (7) is electrically connected by its connection contacts to the rewiring contacts.

Description

description

smart card

The invention relates to a chip card comprising a card body and a chip module according to claim 1.

The currently widespread type of chip card is constructed in such a way that it consists of a chip card body, which is generally laminated together from several layers, and a so-called chip module. This chip module is composed of a chip carrier that carries an electronic semiconductor chip. Opposite to the side of the chip carrier on which the semiconductor chip is carried, the chip carrier, if it is a contact card, has connection contacts. These then generally correspond to the ISO standard. The connection contacts are connected to these assigned correspondence contacts of the semiconductor chip. The chip module and the card body are manufactured separately from one another and then assembled. For this purpose, the card body has a recess so that the chip module can be inserted flush with the surface of the card body. The depression is generally in two stages, so that the chip carrier with a surface projecting beyond the chip area is glued on a first stage and the chip itself projects into the second stage.

Such an arrangement is shown for example in EP 0307773 AI. It can be seen in FIG. 8 that the semiconductor chip using flip-chip technology is arranged on the inward-facing side of the chip carrier with contacts which it has. These are led outwards on the first stage and, at the end of the chip carrier, are plated through in through openings to the external contacts.

Such an arrangement has the disadvantage that the contacts on which the chip is placed are are never led. This bending line is located on the transition line from the first to the second stage. At this point, the card body is structurally the most weakened, so that when it is subjected to bending, it bends precisely at this point. This also claims the connection between the semiconductor chip and the contacts via the contacts continued over the bending line.

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a chip card in which the connection between the semiconductor chip and the internal contacts is subjected to as little stress as possible. This object is achieved with the measures specified in claim 1. The fact that the rewiring contacts lying on the inside of the chip carrier run only within the two-stage recess of the card body means that the bending stress is reduced to a minimum.

Further advantageous configurations are specified in the subordinate claims.

The invention is explained below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the invention in detail and

Figure 2 shows a detail of the chip card module in plan view.

Figure 1 shows a section of a chip card body 1 in a side view. The card body 1 has a card body recess 3 which is designed in two stages such that the first stage 9 is wider than the second stage 8. A chip module 2 is inserted into this card recess 3 in such a way that it is fastened to the card body 1 with adhesive elements 11 which are applied to the bottom of the first step 9 of the card body recess 3. In the assembled state, a surface 5, in which the card body recess 3 is made, is essentially flush with chip module contacts 4, which are an integral part of the chip module surface.

The chip module 2 has a chip carrier 6 which carries the aforementioned chip module contacts 4 on one side and a chip 7 on the other side. Between the chip 7 and the chip carrier 6 6 rewiring contacts 10 are formed on the surface of the chip carrier, on which the chip 7 is placed and contacted in a conventional flip-chip technology.

The rewiring contacts 10 are now guided within the area of the inner recess 8 and to the associated chip module contacts 4 and are connected to one another by means of plated-through holes 12. The chip 7 can additionally be attached to the chip carrier 6 by means of a sealing compound 13. With this arrangement, it is possible for the chip carrier 6 to rest on the adhesive elements 11 without interposed rewiring contacts, so that a reliable connection is ensured.

Furthermore, this arrangement ensures that no rewiring contacts are made on the bending line, which is formed by the vertical step section 14 between the inner recess 8 and the outer recess 9. In this way it is ensured that the rewiring contacts and thus the electrical and mechanical connection between the rewiring contacts 10 and connection contacts of the semiconductor chip 7 are exposed to only minimal loads even with a strong bending load. FIG. 2 shows a section of a top view of the chip module 2. It can be seen that the chip 7 rests within the inner recess 3 on the rewiring contacts and that this is also guided inside the inner recess 8 to below the chip module contacts 4. The through-contacts 12 are of course not recognizable in this plan view in FIG. 2.

Of course, other configurations of the chip module are also part of the inventive concept as long as the rewiring contacts do not go beyond the inner recess.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 card body

2 chip module 3 card body recess

4 chip module contacts

5 card body surface

6 chip carriers

7 chip 8 inner recess

9 outer recess

10 rewiring contacts

11 adhesive elements

12 plated-through hole 13 potting compound

14 vertical step section

Claims

claims 1. Chip card comprising a card body (1) and a chip module (2), in which the card body (1) has a two-stage recess (3) into which the chip module (2) with external contacts (4) essentially has a card surface (5 ) is used flush, characterized in that the chip module (2) on a side of a chip carrier (6) opposite the external contacts (4) to the external contacts (4) has electrically rewiring contacts (10) with which a semiconductor chip (7) is connected Connection contacts is electrically connected. 2. Chip card according to claim 1, wherein the recess (3) has an inner region (8) which is introduced deeper into the card body (1) than the outer region (9). 3. Chip card according to claim 2, wherein the rewiring contacts (10) are all in the inner region (8) of the recess (3). 4. Chip card according to claim 3, in which an adhesive element (11) for the adhesive connection of the chip module (2) to the card body (1) is introduced in the outer region (9) of the recess (3). 5. Chip card according to one of the preceding claims, that the outer contacts (4) of the chip module (2) are connected to the rewiring contacts (10) by means of through contacts (12).