The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 23, 2002
Filed:
Dec. 31, 1998
Mike Newton, Palm Bay, FL (US);
Joseph P. Dougherty, State College, PA (US);
Else Breval, State College, PA (US);
Maria Klimkiewicz, State College, PA (US);
Yi Ton Shi, State College, PA (US);
Dean Arakaki, State College, PA (US);
Harris Corporation, Melbourne, FL (US);
Abstract
A method for making an anisotropic dielectric layer includes the steps of: forming a fluid layer comprising a plurality of magnetizable particles, for example, in a fluid capable of solidifying to fix the configuration of the magnetizable particles in a dielectric matrix; aligning the magnetizable particles of the fluid layer in a predetermined configuration by applying a magnetic field thereto; and fixing the aligned magnetizable particles in the predetermined configuration within the dielectric matrix by solidifying the fluid. In one particularly advantageous application, the fluid layer is coated onto a surface portion of an integrated circuit, such as a fingerprint sensor, to provide mechanical protection without effecting the image resolution. In addition, the step of aligning for certain devices preferably comprises aligning the magnetizable particles in a predetermined configuration so that an impedance perpendicular to the anisotropic dielectric layer is less than an impedance parallel to the anisotropic dielectric layer. The magnetizable particles may be mixed in a curable polymer fluid, and the step of fixing the aligned magnetizable particles may comprise curing the curable polymer fluid, such as by applying heat or radiation.