Proximity coupling without Ohmic contact and applications thereof
View Patent ↗Disclosed herein are systems, apparatuses, and methods for providing a proximity coupling without Ohmic contact. Such a system includes a plurality of wireless-enabled components (WECs) that are wirelessly coupled to each other. Each WEC includes a metal-based element, a substrate, and a semiconductor layer that separates the metal-based element from the substrate. A signal is configured to be transmitted via a proximity coupling (e.g., a magnetic coupling, an electric coupling, and/or an electromagnetic coupling) between the metal-based element and the substrate without an Ohmic contact between the metal-based element and the substrate. In an example, a first subset of the plurality of the WECs is co-located on a first chip, and a second subset of the plurality of the WECs is co-located on a second chip. The first chip and the second chip may be located in a single device or in separate devices.
1. A method, comprising:
wirelessly coupling a first wireless-enabled component (WEC) and a second WEC, wherein the first WEC comprises a metal-based element, a substrate, and a semiconductor layer that separates the metal-based element from the substrate; and
transmitting a signal via a proximity coupling between the metal-based element and the substrate without an Ohmic contact between the metal-based element and the substrate.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal-based element comprises an antenna.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a package substrate.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a printed circuit board.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting comprises:
transmitting the signal via a magnetic coupling between the metal-based element and the substrate without an Ohmic contact between the metal-based element and the substrate.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting comprises:
transmitting the signal via an electric coupling between the metal-based element and the substrate without an Ohmic contact between the metal-based element and the substrate.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting comprises:
transmitting the signal via an electromagnetic coupling between the metal-based element and the substrate without an Ohmic contact between the metal-based element and the substrate.
8. A wireless-enabled component (WEC), comprising:
a metal-based element;
a substrate; and
a semiconductor layer that separates the metal-based element from the substrate,
wherein a signal is configured to be transmitted via a proximity coupling between the metal-based element and the substrate without an Ohmic contact between the metal-based element and the substrate.
9. The WEC of claim 8 , wherein the metal-based element comprises an antenna.
10. The WEC of claim 8 , wherein the substrate comprises a package substrate.
11. The WEC of claim 8 , wherein the substrate comprises a printed circuit board.
12. The WEC of claim 8 , wherein the proximity coupling between the metal-based element and the substrate comprises a magnetic coupling.
13. The WEC of claim 8 , wherein the proximity coupling between the metal-based element and the substrate comprises an electric coupling.
14. The WEC of claim 8 , wherein the proximity coupling between the metal-based element and the substrate comprises an electromagnetic coupling.
15. A system, comprising:
a plurality of wireless-enabled components (WECs) that are wirelessly coupled to each other;
wherein each WEC comprises:
a metal-based element;
a substrate; and
a semiconductor layer that separates the metal-based element from the substrate,
wherein a signal is configured to be transmitted via a proximity coupling between the metal-based element and the substrate without an Ohmic contact between the metal-based element and the substrate.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the metal-based element comprises an antenna.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the substrate comprises at least one of a package substrate and a printed circuit board.
18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the proximity coupling between the metal-based element and the substrate comprises at least one of a magnetic coupling, an electric coupling, and an electromagnetic coupling.
19. The system of claim 15 , wherein:
a first subset of the plurality of the WECs is co-located on a first chip; and
a second subset of the plurality of the WECs is co-located on a second chip.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the first chip and the second chip are located in a single device.
21. The system of claim 19 , wherein the first chip and the second chip are located in separate devices.