WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE USING VOLTAGE SWITCHABLE DIELECTRIC MATERIAL
A wireless communication device, such as an RFID tag, is provided material that is dielectric, unless a voltage is applied that exceeds the materials characteristic voltage level. In the presence of such voltage, the material becomes conductive. The integration of such material into the device may be mechanical and/or electrical.
1 . A method for forming a wireless communication device, the method comprising:
forming a substrate to include a layer of material, wherein the material has a characteristic of switching from being dielectric to being conductive when a voltage is applied to the material that exceeds a characteristic voltage level;
forming a layer of resistive material over the layer of material;
selectively removing resistive material to pattern an exposed region on the layer of resistive material, wherein the exposed regions are to underlie any one or more of (i) one or more logic elements that are to be embedded in the device, (ii) an antenna element, (iii) interconnect elements between the one or more logic elements and the antenna element, (iv) a power source, or (v) interconnect elements between the power source and the one or more or more logic elements or the antenna element;
applying the voltage that exceeds the characteristic voltage to the material with the layer of resistive material and the pattern; and
while the voltage is applied, applying ionic media to the substrate to form conductive elements in at least a portion of the exposed regions patterned on the substrate over the voltage switchable material.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein applying ionic media to the substrate includes performing one of (i) an electroplating process in which the substrate is submerged into an electrolytic solution, (ii) a powder coating process in which charged powder particles are applied to the exposed regions of the substrate; (iii) an electro-spray process in which an ionic spray is applied to the substrate; or (iv) a vapor deposition process.