Chip card composition

How the chip comes into the plastic card

You would like to know how smart cards are made? It’s a long way from silicon wafers to smart cards. Here you will learn how chip cards are structured. We explain the NFC (RFID contactless) as well as the IC-contact and dual interface technology.

Different chip types in smart cards

Basically, a distinction is made between contactless NFC (RFID), contact smart cards and dual interface cards. Whereby contactless NFC (RFID) cards manage to work without a visible chip and can transmit stored data without contact to a terminal. Contacted smart cards, have a visible chip (best known from bank cards) and must be plugged into a corresponding terminal. Dual interface cards have a visible and an invisible chip and combine both technologies.

Contacted IC chip cards and smart cards

In the case of a contact-type IC chip card, a cavity is milled into a conventional plastic card and then the corresponding chip is inserted with an adhesive. To do this, the plastic card must comply with ISO standard ISO-7816 and have a minimum thickness of 0.8mm or 800μ. Simple memory chips or cryptographic processor chips for secure applications can be used.

RFID / NFC cards

RFID cards fundamentally differ from contact cards. The chip card is read or written without physical contact to the device, resulting in less wear and a longer life. In addition, in the case of an RFID / NFC card, the chip is usually implanted “invisibly” into the card. The chip is “welded in” during the lamination production process.

Hybrid chip cards

Hybrid cards can link different technologies together, here it depends on which ones are combined. Depending on the storage medium, the card is structured differently. If one combines a contact-type chip with a contactless chip, the invisible contactless chip is welded in during the production process. The visible contact chip is then glued into the free-milled location. The chips are not connected.

Dual interface chip cards

Dual interface cards have two production options. Either via the direct contact of the antenna to the chip (flexible bump or wire bonding) or via the “inductive coupling” method. With the “Flexbump”, the chip with the module is firmly connected to the antenna already laminated in the card. In the case of inducitive coupling technique, the chip module itself already has a small miniature antenna which interacts with the large antenna in the card body and thus transmits the data and energy.