RFID label with release liner window, and method of making
An RFID label includes a release liner having an opening or window, to allow placement of an interposer through the window, and in contact with end portions of an antenna. By coupling the interposer to the antenna through the window in the release liner, the coupling may be performed at a later point than usual in the fabrication of the label. This allows the label to be fabricated with less wear and tear on the interposer, which is a relatively expensive and fragile part of the antenna. In addition, testing of the interposers before applying them to a web of labels may save costs by eliminating waste of material. Testing of the straps alone can allow prediction of performance of the finished label.
1. A method of making an REID label, the method comprising:
forming an antenna on a substrate;
applying an adhesive over at least part of the antenna;
after applying the adhesive, coupling an interposer to the antenna, wherein the interposer includes a chip and conductive interposer leads coupled to the chip;
testing performance of the interposer before coupling the interposer to the antenna; and
adhering a release liner to the adhesive.
2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the interposer is coupled to the antenna after the release liner is adhered to the adhesive;
wherein the coupling the interposer to the antenna includes placing the interposer in an opening of the release liner; and
further comprising, after the coupling, covering the interposer with a flap of the release liner.
3. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the interposer is coupled to the antenna after the release liner is adhered to the adhesive;
wherein the coupling the interposer to the antenna includes placing the interposer in an opening of the release liner; and
further comprising, after the coupling, covering the interposer with a cover.
4. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the interposer is coupled to the antenna after the release liner is adhered to the adhesive;
wherein the coupling is preceded by partially peeling away the release liner to allow placement of the interposer; and
wherein the coupling is followed by re-adhering the release liner to the adhesive, thereby covering the interposer with the release liner.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coupling includes reactive coupling between the interposer leads and the antenna ends.
6. The method of claim 5 ,
wherein the adhesive is non-conductive adhesive layer covering substantially all of the antenna; and
wherein the reactive coupling is across the non-conductive adhesive layer.
7. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the adhesive is a patterned conductive adhesive; and
wherein the adhering the release liner includes adhering with the conductive adhesive.
8. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the adhesive is a patterned adhesive layer that leaves antenna ends of the antenna uncovered; and
wherein the coupling the interposer to the antenna includes using an electrically-conductive adhesive to connect the interposer leads to the antenna ends.
9. The method of claim 8 ,
wherein the interposer is coupled to the antenna after the release liner is adhered to the adhesive;
wherein the adhering the release liner includes leaving at least some of the patterned adhesive layer uncovered; and
wherein the coupling the interposer to the antenna also includes using the uncovered adhesive to adhere to the interposer to at least one of the antenna or the substrate.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the conductive adhesive includes an isotropic conductive paste.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coupling of the interposer to the antenna includes chip-down coupling.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the interposer has a high-strength adhesive, stronger than the adhesive on the at least part of the antenna, on a back side of the interposer that is away from the antenna and the substrate.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the interposer has a lower profile on the substrate than does the release liner.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the chip-down coupling includes placing at least pan of the chip into a recess or hole in the substrate.
15. The method of claim 14 ,
wherein the recess or hole is a hole; and
further comprising punching the hole in the substrate.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of the method are pans of a roll-to-roll process.
17. An RFID label comprising:
a substrate;
an antenna on the substrate;
a patterned adhesive overlying at least pan of the antenna and the substrate wherein the patterned adhesive has an open area leaving at least pans of the antenna ends uncovered by adhesive;
an interposer coupled to antenna ends of the antenna and the interposer is also adhesively coupled to pans of the patterned adhesive;
a release liner adhered to the adhesive;
a conductive adhesive that couples interposer leads of the interposer to the antenna ends;
wherein the release liner has an opening therein in which the interposer is located and the release liner opening is larger than the patterned adhesive open area.
18. The RFID label of claim 17 , wherein the release liner opening circumscribes the patterned adhesive open area.
19. The RFID label of claim 17 , wherein the conductive adhesive includes an isotropic conductive paste.
20. An RFID label, comprising:
a substrate;
an antenna on the substrate the antenna having antenna ends;
an adhesive overlying at least part of the antenna and the substrate, the adhesive having an opening over the antenna ends;
an interposer coupled to antenna ends of the antenna; and
a release liner adhered to the adhesive;
wherein the release liner has an opening therein in which the interposer is located and the opening in the release liner is larger than the opening in the adhesive; and
wherein the interposer has interposer leads that are reactively coupled to the antenna ends.
21. A method of making an REID label, the method comprising:
forming an antenna on a substrate;
applying an adhesive over at least part of the antenna and the adhesive is a patterned adhesive layer that leaves antenna ends of the antenna uncovered;
after applying the adhesive, coupling an interposer to the antenna, wherein the interposer includes a chip and conductive interposer leads coupled to the chip and the coupling the interposer to the antenna includes reactive coupling between the interposer leads and the antenna ends; and
adhering a release liner to the adhesive.
22. The method of claim 21 further comprising testing performance of the interposer before coupling the interposer to the antenna.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the testing performance of the interposer substitutes for testing of the RFID label.