Serpentine Chip Seal Ring Antenna Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
On-chip loop antennas are hindered by metallic chip seal rings, which induce counter currents and reduce magnetic field efficacy due to magnetic coupling and capacitive coupling issues, while modifying the seal ring to prevent contamination is not feasible due to reliability concerns.
Innovation Solution
A serpentine geometry is implemented in the seal ring to increase its reactance, acting as an RF choke, thereby enhancing the operation of the on-chip loop antenna by reducing adverse magnetic coupling effects while maintaining a continuous contamination barrier.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional straight-sided metallic seal ring is used, then the chip is protected from ionic or other contamination, but the seal ring induces counter currents that reduce the magnetic field efficacy of the loop antenna
Solution Approach 1:
The seal ring is transformed from a straight-sided geometry to a serpentine (curved/winding) geometry. This curvature changes the electromagnetic interaction between the seal ring and the loop antenna, reducing the induced counter currents while maintaining the continuous contamination barrier. The serpentine shape effectively decouples the magnetic field interference while preserving the protective function.
2Loss of energy
If the seal ring is modified to reduce magnetic coupling, then antenna performance improves, but the continuous contamination barrier may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The serpentine geometry maintains the continuous nature of the seal ring while introducing curvature that reduces magnetic coupling. The winding path ensures there are no gaps or breaks in the contamination barrier, yet the altered geometry minimizes the inductive interaction with the antenna through increased loop area and reduced direct coupling.
3Loss of energy
If the capacitor voltage is coupled to the seal ring, then the capacitor voltage is shorted out, but cutting a gap in the seal ring to prevent this is not permitted due to reliability concerns
Solution Approach 1:
The serpentine configuration increases the effective distance and alters the coupling path between the capacitor and seal ring, reducing the strength of capacitive coupling. The winding geometry effectively isolates the capacitor voltage from the seal ring while keeping the seal ring continuous and intact, preventing voltage shorting without compromising seal integrity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The serpentine seal ring design improves the efficiency of the on-chip loop antenna by reducing induced currents, maintaining a continuous contamination barrier, and optimizing the antenna's performance, achieving a 100% improvement in radiated power compared to traditional straight-sided seal rings and a 50% loss compared to no seal ring, while ensuring chip reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The presence of the seal ring can significantly reduce the effectiveness of the loop antenna by virtue of the antenna magnetically inducing currents into the seal ring that are opposite to those in the antenna
Implementation Method 2
when there is capacitive coupling from the loop antenna near the capacitor to the nearby chip seal ring, the capacitor voltage is shorted out
Data Source
AI summary
A chip seal ring that maintains the chip seal ring as a continuous barrier to contamination, while at the same time creating a desirable electrical feature in the seal ring that enables the use of an on-chip loop antenna. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the chip seal ring has a serpentine configuration, such as a square wave, triangle wave, or curved geometry, that increases the reactance and resistance of the seal ring so as to mitigate the adverse induced currents created by the magnetic coupling effects between the on-chip antenna and the seal rings, thereby improving the efficiency of an on-chip loop antenna in the presence of the seal ring.