An antenna and its fabrication method, and a terminal device.

Abstract

This application relates to the field of communication technology, and discloses an antenna, its fabrication method, and a terminal device. The antenna includes a substrate and a radiator. The radiator includes a copper plating layer and a protective layer. The copper plating layer is formed on the surface of the substrate, and a passivation layer is disposed on the side of the copper plating layer facing away from the substrate. The passivation layer can protect the copper plating layer, reduce the risk of corrosion of the copper plating layer, and thus improve the reliability of the antenna. Furthermore, since the layer structure of the radiator is relatively simple, the antenna fabrication process is significantly simplified, and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to an antenna and its manufacturing method, and a terminal device. Background Technology

[0002] Antennas based on laser-direct-structuring (LDS) technology use laser technology to directly deposit metal antenna patterns onto molded plastic. They have advantages such as small size and flexible design, and are therefore increasingly used in terminal devices to support the communication functions of the terminal devices.

[0003] The general manufacturing process of an LDS antenna is as follows: A plastic sample of a specific shape is obtained through injection molding; an activation area of ​​a specific shape is created by laser irradiation of the plastic surface; a copper plating layer is then formed within the activation area through chemical copper plating; subsequently, nickel plating and gold plating are performed sequentially on the copper plating layer. Nickel plating allows the antenna to directly connect to a spring contact, while gold plating allows the antenna to be soldered with cables or other components. However, the nickel and gold plating processes for LDS antennas are relatively complex and costly, which limits their use in terminal devices. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an antenna and its manufacturing method, as well as a terminal device, to simplify the antenna manufacturing process and reduce the antenna manufacturing cost while ensuring corrosion resistance.

[0005] Firstly, this application provides an antenna comprising a substrate and a radiator. The radiator includes a copper plating layer and a passivation layer. The copper plating layer is formed on the surface of the substrate, and the passivation layer is disposed on the side of the copper plating layer facing away from the substrate. Based on this design, the passivation layer can protect the copper plating layer, reducing the risk of corrosion and thus improving the antenna's reliability. Furthermore, compared to the prior art methods of plating nickel and gold onto the copper plating layer, the embodiment of this application obtains the passivation layer simply by performing passivation treatment on the surface of the copper plating layer. Therefore, the antenna manufacturing process is significantly simplified, and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

[0006] In some implementations, the substrate material may be, but is not limited to, plastics such as polyamide, polycarbonate, and polyester, which contain organometallic compounds. When the surface is irradiated by a laser, the organometallic compounds in the irradiated area release metal particles, thus making the irradiated area an activated region. The copper plating layer is then formed within the activated region.

[0007] In some implementations, conductive foam may be provided on the surface of the radiator facing away from the substrate, and the area of ​​the radiator in contact with the conductive foam is conductive. Thus, after the antenna is installed in the terminal device to which it is applied, the radiator can be electrically connected to the grounding component within the terminal device through the conductive foam, thereby grounding the antenna.

[0008] In some implementations, the surface of the copper plating layer facing away from the substrate may be microscopically uneven, including multiple protrusions and multiple depressions forming between adjacent protrusions. Therefore, after a passivation layer is formed on the surface of the copper plating layer, the thickness of the passivation layer corresponding to the protrusions is less than the thickness of the passivation layer corresponding to the depressions. Based on this structure, the area corresponding to the protrusions can be easily worn through by the conductive foam, exposing the underlying conductive copper plating layer. The area corresponding to the depressions, being thicker, adheres well to the copper plating layer, providing protection. Thus, in the area where the radiator contacts the conductive foam, conductivity can be achieved by utilizing only a portion of the copper plating layer exposed by the worn-through passivation layer, while ensuring the passivation layer's protection of the remaining areas of the copper plating layer, thereby achieving a balance between the radiator's corrosion resistance and conductivity.

[0009] In some implementations, the surface roughness of the copper plating layer on the side facing away from the substrate is greater than or equal to 1 μm. It has been verified that copper plating layers meeting this surface roughness requirement can both enable the subsequently formed passivation layer to provide corrosion protection and ensure the low resistivity of the radiator surface, thus balancing the corrosion resistance and conductivity of the radiator.

[0010] In some implementations, the thickness of the passivation layer is greater than or equal to 50 nm and less than or equal to 1000 nm. For example, the thickness of the passivation layer corresponding to the protrusion can be approximately 50 nm or slightly greater than 50 nm, and the thickness of the passivation layer corresponding to the depression can be approximately 1000 nm or slightly less than 1000 nm. This ensures that the passivation layer corresponding to the protrusion is easily worn through to achieve conductivity, while also ensuring that the passivation layer corresponding to the depression has a relatively thick thickness to achieve corrosion resistance.

[0011] In some implementations, the antenna also includes a coaxial cable. The radiator includes a feed point and a ground point disposed on a copper-plated layer. The feed point is electrically connected to one end of the inner conductor of the coaxial cable, and the ground point is electrically connected to one end of the outer conductor of the coaxial cable. After the antenna is installed in the terminal device, the other end of the inner conductor of the coaxial cable is connected to the RF chip of the terminal device, and the other end of the outer conductor of the coaxial cable is grounded. This allows the coaxial cable to transmit RF signals between the RF chip and the antenna.

[0012] In some implementations, the passivation layer is an organic solderable protective layer. Organic solderable protective layers possess properties such as oxidation resistance, thermal shock resistance, and moisture resistance, providing effective corrosion protection for the copper plating layer.

[0013] When the passivation layer is an organic solderable protective layer, one end of the inner conductor of the coaxial cable is soldered to the area of ​​the passivation layer opposite to the feed point, and the other end of the outer conductor of the coaxial cable is soldered to the area of ​​the passivation layer opposite to the ground point. Since the organic solderable protective layer can easily melt into the solder paste during the soldering process, the inner and outer conductors of the coaxial cable can be soldered to the passivation layer separately. After the passivation layer melts, the inner conductor of the coaxial cable can be reliably connected to the feed point, and the outer conductor can be reliably connected to the ground point.

[0014] In some implementations, the passivation layer is a chemical conversion film. The protective function of a chemical conversion film mainly relies on converting chemically reactive metals into chemically inactive metal compounds, thereby achieving protection against the copper plating layer.

[0015] When the passivation layer is a chemical conversion film, the passivation layer may include a first hollow area and a second hollow area. The first hollow area can be used to expose the feed point, and the second hollow area can be used to expose the ground point. The inner conductor of the coaxial cable can be directly soldered to the feed point, and the outer conductor of the coaxial cable can be directly soldered to the ground point, thereby ensuring a reliable connection between the coaxial cable and the radiator.

[0016] For example, the first and second hollow areas can be formed by grinding, sandblasting, laser engraving, etc.

[0017] In some implementations, the antenna further includes a first colloid and a second colloid. The first colloid wraps around the welded joint between the inner conductor of the coaxial cable and the feed point, while the second colloid wraps around the welded joint between the outer conductor of the coaxial cable and the ground point. The first and second colloids respectively provide protection to their respective welded joints, thereby improving the connection reliability between the coaxial cable and the radiator, and consequently improving the operational reliability of the antenna.

[0018] In some implementations, the surface of the radiator facing away from the substrate is copper-red.

[0019] Secondly, this application provides a terminal device, which includes a housing and a radio frequency (RF) module disposed within the housing. The RF module includes an RF chip and an antenna as described in any of the embodiments of the first aspect above, with the RF chip connected to a radiator. The RF chip is used to convert between digital signals and RF signals, while the antenna is used to transmit and receive RF signals, thereby enabling the terminal device to perform communication functions.

[0020] In some implementations, the housing is provided with one or more ventilation holes. The antenna is disposed at the ventilation hole, and the substrate may be provided with one or more openings, at least one opening communicating with at least one ventilation hole, so that the interior of the housing can communicate with the exterior of the housing through the openings and through holes, thereby enabling air circulation between the interior and exterior of the housing and improving the heat dissipation performance of the terminal device.

[0021] In some implementations, the copper plating layer can cover the entire surface of the substrate except for the inner wall of the opening. By rationally designing the size of the opening, it can be used as a resonant cavity for feeding. Therefore, the antenna provided in this application can be used as a cavity antenna. Cavity antennas have low loss and advantages such as high radiation efficiency and stable performance, which are beneficial for improving the communication performance of terminal equipment.

[0022] Thirdly, this application also provides a method for fabricating an antenna, which includes forming a radiator on the surface of a substrate. Forming the radiator on the surface of the substrate may include the following steps:

[0023] A copper plating layer is formed on the surface of the substrate;

[0024] A passivation layer is formed on the side of the copper plating layer that faces away from the substrate.

[0025] The antenna prepared using the above method has a passivation layer covering the copper plating layer. Therefore, the passivation layer can protect the copper plating layer, reduce the risk of corrosion of the copper plating layer, and improve the reliability of the antenna. Furthermore, compared with the prior art of plating nickel and gold on the copper plating layer, the present invention can obtain the passivation layer simply by performing passivation treatment on the surface of the copper plating layer. Therefore, the antenna manufacturing process is significantly simplified, and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

[0026] In some embodiments, the preparation method further includes, prior to forming a copper plating layer on the surface of the substrate:

[0027] The substrate is formed by injection molding, and an activation area is formed on the surface of the substrate by laser engraving. The copper plating layer is then formed within the activation area.

[0028] In some implementations, a passivation layer is formed on the side of the copper plating layer facing away from the substrate, specifically including:

[0029] The substrate after the copper plating layer is formed is immersed in an organic solderable solvent to form an organic solderable protective layer on the side of the copper plating layer facing away from the substrate.

[0030] In some embodiments, after forming an organic solderable protective layer on the side of the copper plating layer facing away from the substrate, the preparation method further includes:

[0031] One end of the inner conductor of the coaxial cable is soldered to the area opposite the feed point of the organic solderable protective layer and the copper plating layer, and one end of the outer conductor of the coaxial cable is soldered to the area opposite the ground point of the organic solderable protective layer and the copper plating layer. The organic solderable protective layer has good solderability; under low-temperature solder paste or room-temperature solder paste conditions, the areas of the organic solderable protective layer opposite the feed point and the ground point can melt into the solder paste, thereby enabling a reliable connection between the coaxial cable and the radiator.

[0032] In some embodiments, a passivation layer is formed on the side of the copper plating layer facing away from the substrate. Specifically, this includes immersing the substrate after the copper plating layer has been formed in a passivation solution to form a chemical conversion film on the side of the copper plating layer facing away from the substrate.

[0033] In some embodiments, after forming a chemical conversion film on the side of the copper plating layer facing away from the substrate, the preparation method further includes:

[0034] A first and a second perforated area are formed in the chemical conversion membrane, wherein the first perforated area is used to expose the feed point and the second perforated area is used to expose the ground point; one end of the inner conductor of the coaxial line is welded to the feed point and one end of the outer conductor of the coaxial line is welded to the ground point, so that the coaxial line is reliably connected to the radiator. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 2 This is a partial structural diagram of the terminal device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A partial cross-sectional view of the terminal device shown at point AA;

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an antenna provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional view of the antenna at BB shown;

[0040] Figure 6 for Figure 4 A magnified view of a section at point C;

[0041] Figure 7 A structural diagram of the copper plating layer facing away from the substrate under an electron microscope, provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0042] Figure 8A cross-sectional structural image of a radiation detector sample under an electron microscope, provided as an embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 9 A flowchart illustrating an antenna fabrication method provided in this application embodiment;

[0044] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating another method for fabricating an antenna according to an embodiment of this application.

[0045] Figure label:

[0046] 1000 - Terminal device; 100 - Housing; 110 - First housing; 120 - Second housing; 121 - Ventilation hole; 122 - Air duct; 200 - Keyboard;

[0047] 300 - Display screen; 400 - Heat sink; 500 - Antenna; 510 - Substrate; 511 - Opening; 512 - Lug; 520 - Radiator; 521 - Copper plating;

[0048] 5211 - Feed point; 5212 - Grounding point; 522 - Passivation layer; 5221 - First hollowed-out area; 5222 - Second hollowed-out area; 530 - Coaxial cable;

[0049] 540 - Conductive foam. Detailed Implementation

[0050] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The same reference numerals in the figures denote the same or similar structures, and therefore repeated descriptions of them will be omitted. The terms expressing position and direction described in the embodiments of this application are illustrative based on the accompanying drawings, but changes can be made as needed, and all such changes are included within the scope of protection of this application. The accompanying drawings of the embodiments of this application are only for illustrating relative positional relationships and do not represent actual scale.

[0051] It should be noted that specific details are set forth in the following description to facilitate understanding of this application. However, the embodiments of this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of the embodiments of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0052] The terminal device in this application refers to a device with communication capabilities, specifically a terminal device employing one or more of the following communication technologies: Bluetooth (BT), Global Positioning System (GPS), Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5G, and other future communication technologies. The terminal device in this application can include a mobile terminal or a fixed terminal. For example, a mobile terminal can be a laptop, tablet, mobile phone, smart bracelet, smartwatch, smart helmet, or smart glasses; a fixed terminal can be a router, smart TV, smart home device, smart speaker, or desktop computer. In addition, the aforementioned terminal equipment may also be a handheld device with wireless communication function, a computing device or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, a vehicle-mounted device, a terminal device in a 5G network, or a terminal device in a future evolved public land mobile network (PLMN), etc., and the embodiments of this application do not limit this.

[0053] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal device 1000 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 The terminal device 1000 of the illustrated embodiment is described using a laptop computer as an example. (See reference...) Figure 1 As shown, the terminal device 1000 includes a housing 100 and a radio frequency (RF) module (not shown), with the RF module disposed within the housing 100. The RF module is used to modulate digital signals into RF signals and radiate them to the outside, and to modulate RF signals received from the outside into digital signals, enabling the terminal device to perform signal transmission and reception functions. The RF module may include an RF chip and an antenna, which are electrically connected. The RF chip is used to convert between digital signals and RF signals, while the antenna is used to transmit and receive RF signals.

[0054] In addition, the RF module may also include devices such as RF amplifiers, filters, mixers and frequency synthesizers connected between the RF chip and the antenna, so that the RF module can realize functions such as signal amplification, frequency conversion and frequency synthesis, so as to ensure the reliability and stability of signal communication.

[0055] In some embodiments, the housing 100 includes a first housing 110 and a second housing 120, which are rotatably connected via a pivot mechanism 130. This allows the first housing 110 to close onto the second housing 120, thus closing the terminal device 1000, or allows the first housing 110 to rotate relative to the second housing 120 to a certain angle to meet user needs. Additionally, the terminal device 1000 includes a keyboard 200 and a display screen 300. The keyboard 200 provides input functionality for the terminal device 1000, and the display screen 300 provides display functionality, showing the content input via the keyboard. The display screen 300 is disposed in the first housing 110, and the keyboard 200 is disposed in the second housing 120. When the terminal device 1000 is closed, the display screen 300 and the keyboard 200 can be hidden between the first housing 110 and the second housing 120.

[0056] In this embodiment, a receiving space can be formed between the display screen 300 and the first housing 110, and a receiving space can also be formed between the keyboard 200 and the second housing 120. Within the receiving spaces formed by the display screen 300 and the first housing 110 and / or the receiving spaces formed by the keyboard 200 and the second housing 120, components such as the circuit board, battery, speaker, and heat dissipation module of the terminal device 1000 can be installed. The circuit board can integrate all or part of the main controller, storage unit, power management module, and radio frequency module components of the terminal device; the battery can power the display screen, speaker, and various components; and the heat dissipation module can dissipate heat from components requiring cooling.

[0057] Figure 2 This is a partial structural diagram of the terminal device 1000 provided in an embodiment of this application. (See also...) Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in one implementation, the circuit board, battery, and heat dissipation module can be disposed within the accommodating space formed by the keyboard 200 and the second housing 120. In this case, the second housing 120 can be provided with one or more ventilation holes 121, which can respectively connect the aforementioned accommodating space to the outside, so as to exhaust hot air in the accommodating space to the outside and allow cold air from the outside to enter the accommodating space, thereby achieving heat dissipation for the various components in the accommodating space.

[0058] In specific implementation, the ventilation hole 121 can be divided into an air inlet and an air outlet, and an air duct can be formed between the air inlet and the air outlet. Outside air can enter the air duct through the air inlet, and after heat exchange is completed in the air duct, it is discharged through the air outlet. The air inlet and the air outlet can be set on the same side wall of the second housing 120 or on different side walls of the second housing 120. This application does not limit this.

[0059] Figure 3 for Figure 2 The terminal device shown is a partial cross-sectional view at point AA. See also... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the heat dissipation module may include a fan and a heat sink 400. The fan is disposed within the air duct 122, with its inlet side facing the air inlet hole and its outlet side facing the air outlet hole. The heat sink 400 is thermally connected to the components requiring heat dissipation, and its heat dissipation fins 410 are located within the air duct. The fan increases the airflow rate within the air duct, and the heat sink 400 absorbs the heat generated by the components during operation, exchanging heat with the air within the air duct 122 through the fins 410, thereby achieving cyclical heat dissipation for the components through airflow.

[0060] Having gained an understanding of the overall structure of the terminal device, the antenna 500 will now be described in detail. As mentioned earlier, the antenna 500 is responsible for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals. In practical applications, the antenna 500 can be a circuit board antenna mounted on a circuit board, a frame antenna mounted on the metal frame of the first housing and / or the second housing, or an antenna based on a flexible printed circuit (FPC), an antenna based on laser-direct-structuring (LDS) technology, or a microstrip disk antenna (MDA), etc. Of course, in some embodiments, the terminal device 1000 can also simultaneously employ a combination of multiple of the above-mentioned antenna types.

[0061] Among the various antennas mentioned above, LDS antennas utilize laser engraving technology to directly deposit metallic antenna patterns onto a molded plastic substrate, offering advantages such as small size and flexible design. The general manufacturing process for LDS antennas involves injection molding a modified plastic containing an organometallic compound into a substrate of a specific shape. A laser is then used to irradiate the surface of the substrate to create an activation region of a specific shape. A copper plating layer is then formed within the activation region through chemical copper plating, followed by nickel plating and then gold plating. Nickel plating allows the antenna to directly connect to a spring contact, while gold plating allows for the soldering of cables or other components. However, the nickel and gold plating processes for LDS antennas are relatively complex and costly, which limits their application in terminal devices to some extent.

[0062] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide an antenna based on LDS technology. This antenna, through a specific surface treatment process, simplifies the antenna manufacturing process and reduces the antenna manufacturing cost while ensuring corrosion resistance.

[0063] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an antenna 500 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 5 for Figure 4 The antenna 500 shown is a partial cross-sectional view at BB. See also... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the antenna 500 includes a substrate 510 and a radiator 520. The radiator 520 includes a copper plating layer 521 and a passivation layer 522. The copper plating layer 521 is formed on the surface of the substrate 510 by chemical plating, and the passivation layer 522 is disposed on the side of the copper plating layer 521 facing away from the substrate 510. In other words, the passivation layer 522 covers the copper plating layer 521, thus providing protection for the copper plating layer 521, reducing the risk of corrosion, and improving the reliability of the antenna 500. Furthermore, compared to the prior art methods of plating nickel and gold on the copper plating layer 521, this embodiment obtains the passivation layer 522 simply by passivating the surface of the copper plating layer 521. Therefore, the manufacturing process of the antenna 500 is significantly simplified, and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

[0064] In this embodiment, the substrate 510 is a modified plastic containing an organometallic compound. After laser irradiation of the surface of the substrate 510, the organometallic compound in the irradiated area of ​​the substrate 510 releases metal particles, thereby making the irradiated area an activated area. The copper plating layer 521 is formed in the activated area. Exemplarily, the material of the substrate 510 may be, but is not limited to, plastics such as polyamide, polycarbonate, and polyester.

[0065] In some embodiments, the passivation layer 522 can be an organic solderability preserver (OSP). The OSP has properties such as oxidation resistance, thermal shock resistance, and moisture resistance, providing effective corrosion protection for the copper plating layer 521. Furthermore, the OSP can easily melt into the solder paste during the soldering process, thereby exposing the highly reactive copper plating layer 521, enabling reliable soldering between the copper plating layer 521 and the feed line or other components, thus improving the reliability of the antenna 500. The OSP is generally formed by an impregnation method.

[0066] In some other embodiments, the passivation layer 522 can be a chemical conversion film. A chemical conversion film, also known as a metal conversion film, primarily protects the copper plating layer 521 by converting chemically reactive metals (such as the copper on the surface of the copper plating layer 521 in this embodiment) into chemically inactive metal compounds, such as oxides, chromates, and phosphates. The chemical conversion film can be formed by methods such as immersion, anodizing, spraying, and brushing.

[0067] It is worth mentioning that, unlike the white color after nickel plating or the golden yellow color after gold plating in the prior art, the surface of the passivation layer 522 of the antenna 500 in this embodiment is copper red after the passivation layer 522 is formed. That is, the color of the side of the radiator 520 facing away from the substrate 510 is copper red.

[0068] In this embodiment, the substrate 510 can be in the form of a support. For example, in Figure 3 and Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the base 510 is an elongated structure. The base 510 can be disposed at the ventilation hole 121 of the second housing 120, and extends along the width direction x of the terminal device 1000; that is, the length direction of the base 510 is approximately parallel to the width direction x of the terminal device 1000. Exemplarily, the base 510 can be disposed at an air inlet or an air outlet. The base 510 may have one or more openings 511. If there are multiple openings 511, they are arranged sequentially along the length direction of the base 510. At least one opening 511 of the base 510 can communicate with at least one ventilation hole 121, allowing air in the accommodating space to be discharged to the outside of the terminal device 1000 sequentially through the opening 511 and the ventilation hole 121, or allowing air outside the terminal device 1000 to enter the accommodating space sequentially through the ventilation hole 121 and the opening 511. It is easy to understand that, under this design, at least one opening 511 of the substrate 510 that communicates with the ventilation hole 121 can serve as part of the air duct 122 within the accommodating space.

[0069] In one implementation, each opening 511 of the substrate 510 can communicate with at least one ventilation hole 121, so that all openings of the substrate 510 can be formed as part of the air duct 122. For example, each opening 511 can be disposed opposite to one ventilation hole 121, in which case each opening 511 communicates with one ventilation hole 121; or, each opening 511 can be disposed opposite to at least two ventilation holes 121, in which case each opening 511 communicates with at least two ventilation holes 121.

[0070] In addition, along the length of the base 510, each end of the base 510 may be provided with a lug 512. The base 510 can be fixed in the accommodating space of the second housing 120 by the lug 512, so as to improve the installation reliability of the base 510 inside the terminal device 1000, thereby improving the stability of the antenna 500.

[0071] In this embodiment, except for the inner wall of the opening 511 and the surface of the lug 512, the copper plating layer 521 can be disposed on all other surface areas of the substrate 510. That is, the copper plating layer 521 covers all surfaces of the substrate 510 except for the inner wall of the opening 511 and the surface of the lug 512. This design is equivalent to the copper plating layer 521 covering all sidewalls of the opening 511. Therefore, by reasonably designing the size of the opening 511, the opening 511 can be used as a resonant cavity for power feeding. In other words, the antenna 500 provided in this embodiment can be used as a cavity antenna. Cavity antennas have low loss and advantages such as high radiation efficiency and stable performance, which are beneficial to improving the communication performance of the terminal device 1000.

[0072] In some other embodiments, the copper plating layer 521 may also cover the surface of the lug 512. In this case, the copper plating layer 521 is provided on all other surface areas of the substrate 510 except for the inner wall of the opening 511.

[0073] Continue to refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown in this embodiment, the antenna 500 further includes a coaxial cable 530. One end of the inner conductor of the coaxial cable 530 is electrically connected to the feed point 5211 of the radiator 520, and one end of the outer conductor of the coaxial cable 530 is electrically connected to the ground point 5212 of the radiator 520. The other end of the inner conductor of the coaxial cable 530 is electrically connected to the radio frequency chip, and the other end of the outer conductor of the coaxial cable 530 is grounded, thereby transmitting radio frequency signals between the radio frequency chip and the antenna 500 using the coaxial cable 530. Exemplarily, the other end of the outer conductor of the coaxial cable 530 can be grounded by electrically connecting it to the grounding line of the circuit board or a grounding component inside the terminal device. In this embodiment, the feed point 5211 and the ground point 5212 of the radiator 520 are respectively disposed on the copper plating layer 521, and the coaxial cable 530 can be electrically connected to the copper plating layer 521 by soldering.

[0074] In one implementation, when the passivation layer 522 is an organic solderable protective layer, based on the material characteristics of the organic solderable protective layer, one end of the inner conductor of the coaxial line 530 can be directly soldered to the area opposite the passivation layer 522 and the feed point 5211. Under low-temperature solder paste or room-temperature solder paste conditions, the material of the passivation layer 522 in this area can melt into the solder paste, thereby enabling the inner conductor of the coaxial line 530 to be reliably connected to the feed point 5211. Similarly, one end of the outer conductor of the coaxial line 530 can also be directly soldered to the area opposite the passivation layer 522 and the ground point 5212, enabling the outer conductor of the coaxial line 530 to be reliably connected to the ground point 5212.

[0075] In one implementation, when the passivation layer 522 is a chemical conversion film, reference is also made to... Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 for Figure 4 A magnified view at point C shows that the passivation layer 522 may include a first cutout area 5221 and a second cutout area 5222. The first cutout area 5221 can be used to expose the feed point 5211, and the second cutout area 5222 can be used to expose the ground point 5212. Under low-temperature solder paste or room-temperature solder paste conditions, the inner conductor of the coaxial cable 530 can be directly soldered to the feed point 5211, and the outer conductor of the coaxial cable 530 can be directly soldered to the ground point 5212, thereby reliably connecting the coaxial cable 530 and the radiator 520. The first cutout area 5221 and the second cutout area 5222 can be formed by grinding, sandblasting, laser engraving, or other methods.

[0076] In addition, in both of the above implementations, the antenna 500 may further include a first adhesive and a second adhesive. The first adhesive wraps around the welding point between the inner conductor of the coaxial cable 530 and the feed point 5211, and the second adhesive wraps around the welding point between the outer conductor of the coaxial cable 530 and the ground point 5212. The first and second adhesives can be formed by dispensing processes. The first and second adhesives can respectively provide protection for the corresponding welding points, thereby improving the connection reliability between the coaxial cable 530 and the radiator 520, and thus improving the operational reliability of the antenna 500.

[0077] Continue to refer to Figure 4 As shown in this embodiment, a conductive foam 540 may be provided on the surface of the radiator 520 facing away from the substrate, and the area where the radiator 520 contacts the conductive foam is conductive. For example, the resistance of the area where the radiator 520 contacts the conductive foam 540 can be 0.2Ω, 0.13Ω, 0.1Ω, 0.05Ω, 0.03Ω, etc. Figure 3 As shown, when the antenna 500 is installed in the terminal device 1000, the radiator 520 can be electrically connected to the grounding component inside the terminal device 1000 through conductive foam 540, thereby grounding the antenna 500. The grounding component can be the housing of the terminal device 1000. For example, when the antenna 500 is installed inside the second housing 120, conductive foam 540 can be provided on each of the multiple surfaces of the radiator 520. This allows the multiple surfaces of the radiator 520 to be electrically connected to the inner wall of the second housing 120 through the corresponding conductive foam 540, thus ensuring the grounding reliability of the antenna 500.

[0078] Please refer to the above. Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown in this embodiment, the surface of the copper plating layer 521 facing away from the substrate can have a certain roughness, so that the surface of the copper plating layer 521 exhibits an uneven structure at the microscopic level. In this case, the surface of the copper plating layer 521 facing away from the substrate includes multiple protrusions 5213 and multiple recesses 5214 formed between adjacent protrusions 5213. During the formation of the passivation layer 522 on the copper plating layer 521, based on the characteristics of the passivation layer structure formation process, the material used to make the passivation layer 522 will exhibit unevenness at different positions on the surface of the copper plating layer 521, resulting in uneven thickness of the formed passivation layer 522. Specifically, the thickness of the passivation layer 522 in the area corresponding to the protrusions 5213 is less than the thickness of the passivation layer 522 in the area corresponding to the recesses 5214.

[0079] Because the passivation layer 522 and the area corresponding to the protrusion 5213 are relatively thin, after the conductive foam is placed on the surface of the radiator 520, the area corresponding to the passivation layer 522 and the protrusion 5213 can be easily worn through by the conductive foam, thus exposing the underlying copper plating layer 521. However, for the area corresponding to the passivation layer 522 and the recessed area 5214, because the passivation layer 522 is relatively thick in this area and has relatively poor contact with the conductive foam, it can still adhere well to the copper plating layer 521. In other words, in the area where the radiator 520 contacts the conductive foam, conductivity can be achieved by utilizing a portion of the copper plating layer 521 exposed by the wear through the passivation layer 522, while ensuring the protection of the remaining portions of the copper plating layer 521 by the passivation layer 522, thus achieving a balance between the corrosion resistance and conductivity of the radiator 520.

[0080] Figure 7 This is a structural image of the side of the copper plating layer 521 facing away from the substrate, as shown under an electron microscope, in an embodiment of this application. Figure 7 The surface roughness of the copper plating layer 521 can be observed at a microscopic level. In this embodiment, the surface roughness of the side of the copper plating layer 521 facing away from the substrate is greater than or equal to 1 μm. For example, the surface roughness of the side of the copper plating layer 521 facing away from the substrate can be 1 μm, 1.2 μm, 1.5 μm, 2 μm, 2.3 μm, etc. It has been verified that the copper plating layer 521 meeting this surface roughness condition can both enable the subsequently formed passivation layer to provide corrosion protection and ensure the low resistivity characteristics of the radiator surface, thus balancing the corrosion resistance and conductivity of the radiator.

[0081] Figure 8This is a cross-sectional structural image of a radiator detection sample under an electron microscope, provided as an embodiment of this application. Here, the radiator detection sample is a sample of the radiator after processing to more clearly and accurately observe the various layers of the radiator's structure. Compared to the radiator provided in the embodiments of this application, the radiator detection sample further includes a metal layer and a resin layer sequentially disposed on the surface of the radiator. The metal layer is for facilitating the observation of the passivation layer, and the resin layer is for facilitating the cutting of the radiator detection sample. It should be noted that the radiator detection sample is for detection purposes only; in actual applications, the radiator does not contain the aforementioned metal layer and resin layer. Figure 8 As shown, from bottom to top, the layers of the cross-section structure are, in sequence, a copper plating layer, a passivation layer, a metal layer, and a resin layer. It can be seen that the thickness of the passivation layer corresponding to the protrusion is significantly less than the thickness of the passivation layer corresponding to the depression. In this embodiment, the thickness of the passivation layer is greater than or equal to 50 nm and less than or equal to 1000 nm. For example, the thickness of the passivation layer corresponding to the protrusion can be approximately 50 nm or slightly greater than 50 nm. For instance, at the location indicated in the figure, the passivation layer thickness is approximately 55 nm, and the thickness of the passivation layer corresponding to the depression can be approximately 1000 nm or slightly less than 1000 nm. This ensures that the passivation layer corresponding to the protrusion is easily worn through to achieve conductivity, while also ensuring that the passivation layer corresponding to the depression has a relatively thick thickness to achieve corrosion resistance.

[0082] Please refer to this again. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a method for fabricating an antenna 500, including: forming a radiator 520 on the surface of a substrate 510. Forming the radiator 520 on the surface of the substrate 510 may include the following steps:

[0083] A copper plating layer 521 is formed on the surface of the substrate 510;

[0084] A passivation layer 522 is formed on the side of the copper plating layer 521 facing away from the substrate.

[0085] The antenna 500 prepared using the above method has a passivation layer 522 covering the copper plating layer 521. Therefore, the passivation layer 522 can protect the copper plating layer 521, reduce the risk of corrosion of the copper plating layer 521, and improve the reliability of the antenna 500. Furthermore, compared to the prior art's method of plating nickel and gold on the copper plating layer 521, the present embodiment obtains the passivation layer 522 simply by performing passivation treatment on the surface of the copper plating layer 521. Therefore, the fabrication process of the antenna 500 is significantly simplified, and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

[0086] In some embodiments, before forming a copper plating layer 521 on the surface of the substrate 510, the preparation method further includes:

[0087] The substrate 510 is formed by injection molding, and the activation area is formed on the surface of the substrate 510 by laser engraving.

[0088] The substrate 510 can be made of a modified plastic containing an organometallic compound. For example, the substrate 510 can be, but is not limited to, plastics such as polyamide, polycarbonate, and polyester.

[0089] In some embodiments, after forming a passivation layer 522 on the side of the copper plating layer 521 facing away from the substrate 510, the preparation method may further include:

[0090] The feed point 5211 of the radiator 520 is soldered to one end of the inner conductor of the coaxial line 530, and the ground point 5212 of the radiator 520 is soldered to one end of the outer conductor of the coaxial line 530. The other end of the inner conductor of the coaxial line 530 is electrically connected to the RF chip, and the other end of the outer conductor of the coaxial line 530 is grounded, thereby using the coaxial line 530 to transmit RF signals between the RF chip and the radiator 520.

[0091] In addition, after welding the feed point 5211 of the radiator 520 to one end of the inner conductor of the coaxial line 530, the fabrication method may further include:

[0092] Apply adhesive to the welding point between the power supply point 5211 and the inner conductor of the coaxial line 530 to form a first adhesive that wraps around the welding point between the power supply point 5211 and the inner conductor of the coaxial line 530, thereby protecting the welding point.

[0093] Similarly, after welding the grounding point 5212 of the radiator 520 to one end of the outer conductor of the coaxial line 530, the fabrication method may further include:

[0094] Apply adhesive to the welding point of the grounding point 5212 and the outer conductor of the coaxial line 530 to form a second adhesive that wraps the welding point of the grounding point 5212 and the outer conductor of the coaxial line 530, thereby protecting the welding point.

[0095] In this embodiment, the passivation layer 522 can be an organic solderable protective layer or a chemical conversion film. Both passivation layers can effectively form a copper plating layer with good corrosion resistance. The following describes two methods for fabricating the antenna 500 using these two passivation layers as examples.

[0096] First refer to Figure 9 As shown, Figure 9 This application provides a flowchart of an antenna fabrication method, which includes the following steps:

[0097] S101. Injection molding to form the substrate. In this embodiment, the substrate can be an elongated structure, and one or more openings are provided along the length of the substrate. The substrate can be disposed at the ventilation hole of the housing of the terminal device, and each opening of the substrate communicates with at least one ventilation hole, and the opening of the substrate can serve as part of the air duct.

[0098] S102. An activation region is formed on the surface of the substrate by laser engraving. After the laser irradiates the surface of the substrate, the organometallic composite in the irradiated area of ​​the substrate surface will release metal particles, thereby making the irradiated area an activation region.

[0099] S103. A copper plating layer is formed in the activated region on the surface of the substrate. In a specific implementation, the copper plating layer can be formed by chemical plating.

[0100] S104. Immerse the substrate after the copper plating layer is formed in an organic solderable solvent to form an organic solderable protective layer on the side of the copper plating layer facing away from the substrate.

[0101] S105. Solder one end of the inner conductor of the coaxial cable to the area opposite the feed point of the organic solderable protective layer and the copper plating layer, and solder one end of the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the area opposite the ground point of the organic solderable protective layer and the copper plating layer. The organic solderable protective layer has good solderability. Under low-temperature solder paste or room-temperature solder paste conditions, the area opposite the feed point and the ground point of the organic solderable protective layer can melt into the solder paste, thereby enabling the coaxial cable to be reliably connected to the radiator.

[0102] S106. Apply adhesive to the welding point between the feed point and the inner conductor of the coaxial line to form a first adhesive that wraps around the welding point. Apply adhesive to the welding point between the grounding point and the outer conductor of the coaxial line to form a second adhesive that wraps around the welding point. The first and second adhesives provide protection to the corresponding welding points, thereby improving the connection reliability between the coaxial line and the radiator, and thus improving the operational reliability of the antenna.

[0103] refer to Figure 10 As shown, Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating another method for fabricating an antenna according to an embodiment of this application. The method includes the following steps:

[0104] S201. Injection molding to form the substrate. In this embodiment, the substrate can be an elongated structure, and one or more openings are provided along the length of the substrate. The substrate can be disposed at the ventilation hole of the housing of the terminal device, and at least one opening of the substrate communicates with at least one ventilation hole, and the opening communicating with the ventilation hole can be part of the air duct.

[0105] S202. An activation region is formed on the surface of the substrate by laser engraving. After the laser irradiates the surface of the substrate, the organometallic composite in the irradiated area of ​​the substrate releases metal particles, thus making the irradiated area an activation region.

[0106] S203. A copper plating layer is formed in the activated region on the surface of the substrate. In specific implementations, the copper plating layer can be formed by chemical plating.

[0107] S204. The substrate after the copper plating layer is formed is immersed in the passivation solution to form a chemical conversion film on the side of the copper plating layer facing away from the substrate.

[0108] S205. A first hollow area and a second hollow area are formed on the chemical conversion film, wherein the first hollow area is used to expose the feed point and the second hollow area is used to expose the ground point. The first and second hollow areas can be formed by grinding, sandblasting, laser engraving, etc.

[0109] S206. Weld one end of the inner conductor of the coaxial cable to the power supply point, and weld one end of the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the grounding point.

[0110] S207. Apply adhesive to the welding point between the feed point and the inner conductor of the coaxial line to form a first adhesive layer that wraps around the welding point. Apply adhesive to the welding point between the grounding point and the outer conductor of the coaxial line to form a second adhesive layer that wraps around the welding point. The first and second adhesive layers provide protection to the corresponding welding points, thereby improving the connection reliability between the coaxial line and the radiator, and thus improving the operational reliability of the antenna.

[0111] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An antenna, characterized by The antenna comprises a substrate and a radiator, the radiator comprises a copper plating layer and a passivation layer, the copper plating layer is formed on the surface of the substrate and directly contacts the substrate, the passivation layer is arranged on the side surface of the copper plating layer away from the substrate and directly contacts the copper plating layer, and the passivation layer is obtained by passivation treatment on the surface of the copper plating layer; The side surface of the radiator away from the substrate is provided with conductive foam, the area where the radiator contacts the conductive foam is conductive, the side surface of the copper plating layer away from the substrate comprises a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of recesses formed between adjacent protrusions, and the thickness of the area where the passivation layer corresponds to the protrusions is less than the thickness of the area where the passivation layer corresponds to the recesses; The area where the radiator contacts the conductive foam is conductive, which comprises: The area where the passivation layer corresponds to the protrusions exposes the copper plating layer, so that the copper plating layer and the conductive foam are electrically connected; The area where the passivation layer corresponds to the recesses is attached to the copper plating layer.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein The surface roughness of the side surface of the copper plating layer away from the substrate is greater than or equal to 1 um.

3. The antenna according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The thickness of the passivation layer is greater than or equal to 50 nm and less than or equal to 1000 nm.

4. The antenna of any one of claims 1-3, wherein, The antenna further comprises a coaxial line; The radiator comprises a feed point and a grounding point arranged on the copper plating layer, the feed point is electrically connected to one end of the inner conductor of the coaxial line, and the grounding point is electrically connected to one end of the outer conductor of the coaxial line.

5. The antenna of claim 4, wherein, The passivation layer is an organic solderability preservative layer.

6. The antenna of claim 5, wherein, One end of the inner conductor of the coaxial line is soldered to the area of the passivation layer opposite to the position of the feed point, and one end of the outer conductor of the coaxial line is soldered to the area of the passivation layer opposite to the position of the grounding point.

7. The antenna of claim 4, wherein The passivation layer is a chemical conversion film.

8. The antenna of claim 7, wherein, The passivation layer comprises a first hollow area and a second hollow area, the first hollow area exposes the feed point, and the second hollow area exposes the grounding point. One end of the inner conductor of the coaxial line is soldered to the feed point, and one end of the outer conductor of the coaxial line is soldered to the grounding point.

9. The antenna according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein, The side surface of the radiator away from the substrate is copper red.

10. The antenna of any one of claims 1-9, wherein, The material of the substrate of the antenna is modified plastic containing organometallic compounds.

11. A terminal device, comprising: The antenna comprises a shell and a radio frequency module arranged on the shell, the radio frequency module comprises a radio frequency chip and the antenna, and the radio frequency chip is connected to the radiator.

12. The terminal device according to claim 11, characterized by The shell is provided with one or more ventilation holes; The antenna is arranged at the ventilation hole, and the substrate is provided with one or more openings, at least one of the openings communicates with at least one of the ventilation holes.

13. The terminal device according to claim 11 or 12, characterized by The radiator of the antenna is electrically connected to the grounding member in the terminal device through the conductive foam.

14. A method of manufacturing an antenna, characterized by, The antenna comprises a substrate and a radiator, the radiator comprises a copper plating layer and a passivation layer, the copper plating layer is formed on the surface of the substrate and directly contacts the substrate, the passivation layer is arranged on the side surface of the copper plating layer away from the substrate and directly contacts the copper plating layer, and the passivation layer is obtained by passivation treatment on the surface of the copper plating layer; ​ A passivation layer is formed on the side surface of the copper-plated layer opposite to the substrate, the passivation layer is in direct contact with the copper-plated layer, and the passivation layer is obtained by passivation treatment on the surface of the copper-plated layer; The side surface of the radiation body opposite to the substrate is provided with conductive foam, the area where the radiation body is in contact with the conductive foam is conductive; the side surface of the copper-plated layer opposite to the substrate includes a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of recesses formed between adjacent protrusions, the thickness of the area where the passivation layer corresponds to the protrusions is less than the thickness of the area where the passivation layer corresponds to the recesses; The area where the radiation body is in contact with the conductive foam is conductive, which includes: The area where the passivation layer corresponds to the protrusions exposes the copper-plated layer, so that the copper-plated layer and the conductive foam are electrically connected; The area where the passivation layer corresponds to the recesses is attached to the copper-plated layer.

15. The production method according to claim 14, wherein The passivation layer is formed on the side surface of the copper-plated layer opposite to the substrate, which specifically includes: After the copper-plated layer is formed, the substrate is soaked in an organic solderability preservative (OSP) solution to form an OSP protective layer on the side surface of the copper-plated layer opposite to the substrate.

16. The production method according to claim 14, wherein The passivation layer is formed on the side surface of the copper-plated layer opposite to the substrate, which specifically includes: After the copper-plated layer is formed, the substrate is soaked in a passivation solution to form a chemical conversion film on the side surface of the copper-plated layer opposite to the substrate.

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