Fingerprint sensing device with protective coating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9449214-B2
Application number	US-201414894162-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2014
Priority date	Jul 11, 2013
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

A sensing device comprising a plurality of sensing elements, each of the sensing elements being configured to provide a signal indicative of an electromagnetic coupling between the sensing element and a finger placed on a surface of the sensing device, a first layer arranged to cover the plurality of sensing elements, the first layer comprising a plurality of recesses, and a second layer arranged to cover the first layer, the second layer having hydrophobic surface properties. There is also provided a method for manufacturing such a sensing device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fingerprint sensing device comprising:
an array of sensing elements, each of said sensing elements being configured to provide a signal indicative of an electromagnetic coupling between said sensing element and a finger placed on a surface of the fingerprint sensing device;
a first dielectric layer arranged to cover said array of sensing elements, said first dielectric layer comprising a plurality of recesses at a top surface of the first dielectric layer, said recesses being distributed across said array of sensing elements with a spacing between adjacent ones of said recesses being less than 400 μm; and
a top hydrophobic layer arranged on said top surface of the first dielectric layer, in said recesses and between said recesses, to provide said surface of the fingerprint sensing device on which said finger is placed, such that when said top hydrophobic layer is worn away through use of said fingerprint sensing device, hydrophobic material will remain in said recesses where it is protected from wear and tear.

2. The fingerprint sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein said first dielectric layer is more abrasion resistant than said top hydrophobic layer.

3. The fingerprint sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of said top hydrophobic layer is smaller than a maximum depth of each of said recesses.

4. The fingerprint sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein a depth of each of said recesses is at least 5 μm.

5. The fingerprint sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein each of said recesses extends partially through said first dielectric layer without penetrating through the first dielectric layer.

6. The fingerprint sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of said first dielectric layer is at least 50 μm.

7. The fingerprint sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein each of said recesses has a substantially circular cross-section in a plane parallel to said surface of the fingerprint sensing device on which said finger is placed.

8. The sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein said recesses are provided in the form of a plurality of elongated grooves, each groove extending at least a distance corresponding to a side of one of said sensing elements.

9. The sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein said recesses are arranged in alignment with boundaries between adjacent ones of said sensing elements.

10. The sensing device according to claim 9 , wherein said recesses are provided as a grid of continuous grooves extending across said fingerprint sensing device, said grooves being aligned with boundaries between said sensing elements.

11. The sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein a minimum width of each of said recesses is at least 10 μm.

12. The sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein said top hydrophobic layer additionally has oleophobic surface properties.

13. The sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of said top hydrophobic layer is less than 100 nm.

14. A method for manufacturing a fingerprint sensing device, said method comprising:
providing a substrate comprising a plurality of sensing elements on a top surface of said substrate;
providing a first dielectric layer on the top surface of said substrate to cover said sensing elements;
forming a plurality of recesses in said first dielectric layer, said recesses being distributed across said plurality of sensing elements with a spacing between adjacent ones of said recesses being less than 400 μm; and
providing a top hydrophobic layer on said first dielectric layer, in said recesses and between said recesses.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said recesses are formed by removing material from said first dielectric layer.

Assignees

• Fingerprint Cards Ab

Inventors

• Lundahl Karl

Classifications

• H10W76/48

  Fillings including materials for absorbing or reacting with moisture or other undesired substances · CPC title

• H10W74/134

  the encapsulations being in grooves in the semiconductor body · CPC title

• H10W74/00

  Encapsulations, e.g. protective coatings · CPC title

• H10W42/121

  protecting against mechanical damage (H10W76/00, H10W74/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• H10W42/00

  Arrangements for protection of devices (arrangements for thermal protection H10W40/00) · CPC title