Method for producing flexible integrated circuits which may be provided contiguously

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for producing integrated circuits which are mechanically flexible and can be provided contiguously on a common flexible carrier substrate. The method includes a step of continuously providing a first flexible substrate which has conductor-line patterns, and a step of mounting the integrated circuits on the first flexible substrate and connecting the integrated circuits to the conductor-line patterns of the first flexible substrate, and a step of covering the circuits mounted on the first flexible substrate with a second flexible substrate, recesses being provided in the first or second flexible substrates in order to make the conductor-line patterns of the first flexible substrate accessible. The step of covering has the sub-step of continuously providing a flexible film with recesses and laminating same onto the flexible integrated circuits mounted on the first flexible substrate, or a sub-step of applying, by a printing technique, a cover on the flexible integrated circuits mounted on the first flexible substrate.

1 . A method for producing integrated circuits which are mechanically flexible and can be provided contiguously on a common flexible carrier substrate, comprising:
 continuously providing a first flexible substrate having conductor-line patterns,   mounting the integrated circuits on the first flexible substrate and connecting the integrated circuits to the conductor-line patterns of the first flexible substrate, and   covering the circuits mounted on the first flexible substrate with a second flexible substrate, recesses being generated in the first flexible substrate or being provided or generated in the second flexible substrate in order to make the conductor-line patterns of the first flexible substrate accessible, comprising the following sub-steps:
 continuously providing a flexible film with or without recesses and laminating same onto the flexible integrated circuits mounted on the first flexible substrate, or 
 applying, by a printing technique, a cover to the flexible integrated circuits mounted on the first flexible substrate. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing a bonding material in the recesses of the flexible first or second substrates.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 continuously reeling up the packaged integrated circuits, which are mechanically flexible and arranged contiguously on the common flexible carrier substrate.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the recesses in the flexible film are provided by means of plasma etching, laser patterning and/or photolithographic patterning. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of applying by means of a printing technique is performed by means of a screen printing, thick-film or thin-film technique. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the step of covering the integrated circuits mounted on the first flexible substrate, an adhesive layer is furthermore applied to the integrated circuits mounted on the first flexible substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises an insulating hot-setting adhesive. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the bonding material comprises a conducting hot-setting adhesive material. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 hot-laminating the integrated circuits mounted on the first flexible substrate and covered by the second flexible substrate.   
     
     
         10 . A method for producing electronic assemblies with packaged integrated circuits which are mechanically flexible and can be provided contiguously on a common carrier substrate, comprising:
 continuously providing the flexible packaged integrated circuits, the flexible packaged integrated circuits being arranged between first and second flexible substrates and connected to conductor-line patterns of the first flexible substrate, recesses being provided in the first or second flexible substrates in order to make the conductor-line patterns of the first flexible substrate accessible, and   mounting one of the provided packaged integrated circuits on one of the electronic assemblies, comprising the following sub-steps:
 mechanically and electrically connecting the one packaged integrated circuit to the one electronic assembly; and 
 separating the packaged electrical circuit from the packaged integrated circuits supplied contiguously. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the step of continuously providing is performed by unreeling the packaged integrated circuits from a reel arrangement. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the step of separating is performed by die-cutting the packaged integrated circuits. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the step of die-cutting is performed by means of a heatable punching tool. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the steps of mechanically and electrically connecting coincide in one manufacturing step and are performed by means of soldering, gluing, bonding and/or welding. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the steps of mechanically and electrically connecting and of separating coincide in one manufacturing step. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the step of mechanically and electrically connecting comprises the following sub-steps:
 applying a conductive thermoplastic bonding material as the bonding material.   
     
     
         17 . A method for producing packaged integrated circuits which are mechanically flexible and can be provided contiguously on a common flexible carrier substrate, comprising:
 continuously providing a first flexible substrate having conductor-line patterns,   mounting the flexible integrated circuits on the first flexible substrate and connecting the integrated circuits to the conductor-line patterns of the first flexible substrate, and   covering the circuits mounted on the first flexible substrate with a second flexible substrate, recesses being provided or generated in the second flexible substrate in order to make the conductor-line patterns of the first flexible substrate accessible, comprising the following sub-steps:
 continuously providing a flexible film as the second flexible substrate with or without recesses and laminating same onto the flexible integrated circuits mounted on the first flexible substrate, or 
 applying, by a printing technique, a cover as the second flexible substrate to the flexible integrated circuits mounted on the first flexible substrate.