Sensor stack having a graphical element formed by physical vapor deposition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9871897-B1
Application number	US-201414480115-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 8, 2014
Priority date	Sep 9, 2013
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for creating a sensor stack or element for use in an electronic device. In one example, a method may include providing a substrate made of sapphire; affixing, by physical vapor deposition, a decorative feature on the substrate; providing a silicon layer including a capacitive sensor; and bonding the sensor to the substrate. In one example, the affixing operation may include an icon, logo, symbol or other graphic as the decorative feature. The method may also include reducing the substrate or silicon layer from an initial thickness to a second thickness, the second thickness being thinner that the initiation thickness. The sensor stack may be used or configured as an input button for the electronic device such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, or other computing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming a sensor stack for use in an electronic device, comprising:
affixing, by physical vapor deposition, a decorative feature on a first surface of a substrate formed from a sapphire material;
bonding a silicon layer to the first surface of the substrate, the silicon layer comprising a capacitive touch sensor; and
thinning the substrate after bonding the silicon layer to the substrate to form a touch-sensitive surface.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor stack is configured to identify a fingerprint placed on the touch-sensitive surface.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the affixing operation includes forming one of: an icon and a logo as the decorative feature.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bonding operation includes heat-curing an adhesive disposed between the substrate and the silicon layer to bond the silicon layer to the substrate.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein thinning includes reducing the substrate from an initial thickness to a second thickness, the second thickness being thinner that the initial thickness.

6. A method for creating a sensor chip, comprising:
affixing, by physical vapor deposition, a decorative feature on a substrate;
bonding a silicon layer to the substrate, the silicon layer including a capacitive touch sensor.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the substrate is formed from one of: a glass material and a sapphire material.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the affixing operation includes forming one of: an icon and a logo as the decorative feature.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the bonding operation includes curing an adhesive disposed between the substrate and the silicon layer to bond the silicon layer to the substrate.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the capacitive touch sensor is a fingerprint sensor.

11. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
after bonding the silicon layer to the substrate, reducing the substrate from an initial thickness to a second thickness, the second thickness being thinner than the initial thickness.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is formed from one of: a glass material and a sapphire material.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the capacitive touch sensor is a fingerprint sensor.

14. A method for forming a sensor stack for use in an electronic device, comprising:
affixing, by physical vapor deposition, a decorative feature on a first surface of a substrate formed from a sapphire material;
bonding a silicon layer to the first surface of the substrate, the silicon layer comprising a capacitive touch sensor; and
thinning one of the substrate or the silicon layer after bonding the silicon layer to the substrate.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the sensor stack is configured to identify a fingerprint placed proximate to the sensor stack.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the affixing operation includes forming one of: an icon and a logo as the decorative feature.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the bonding operation includes heat-curing an adhesive disposed between the substrate and the silicon layer to bond the silicon layer to the substrate.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the thinning operation includes reducing one of the substrate and the silicon layer from an initial thickness to a second thickness thinner than the initial thickness.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the substrate is formed from one of: a glass material and a sapphire material.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the sensor stack is configured as a button for the electronic device.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Lyon Benjamin B
• O'Brien Patrick E
• Myers Scott A

Classifications

• B32B2307/20

  having particular electrical or magnetic properties, e.g. piezoelectric · CPC title

• B32B37/24

  with at least one layer not being coherent before laminating, e.g. made up from granular material sprinkled onto a substrate (B32B37/15 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B32B2457/16

  Capacitors · CPC title

• G06F1/1684

  Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675 · CPC title

• G06F1/1626

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title