Integrated circuit having a micromagnetic device and method of manufacture therefor

• US 20020037434A1
• Filed: 10/15/2001
• Published: 03/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bell Semiconductor, LLC (Hilco Inc. (d/b/a Hilco Global))
• Original Assignee: Anatoly Feygenson, Ashraf W. Lotfi, Dean P. Kossives, Lynn F. Schneemeyer, Michael L. Steigerwald, R. Bruce Van Dover
• Inventors: Lotfi, Ashraf W., Steigerwald, Michael L., Kossives, Dean P., Van Dover, R. Bruce, Schneemeyer, Lynn F., Feygenson, Anatoly
• Granted Patent: US 6,696,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/692
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0006 Printed inductances printed coils for dynamo-electric machines H02K3/26; printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/046 structurally combined with ferromagnetic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5227 Inductive arrangements or effects of, or between, wiring layers other inductive arrangements H01L23/645
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/645 Inductive arrangements H01L23/647, H01L23/66 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/016 Thin-film circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/08 including only semiconductor components of a single kind
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/09701 Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24917 including metal layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31681 Next to polyester, polyamide or polyimide [e.g., alkyd, glue, or nylon, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/325 Magnetic layer next to second metal compound-containing layer

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit and an integrated circuit employing the same. In one embodiment, the method of manufacturing the integrated circuit includes (1) conformally mapping a micromagnetic device, including a ferromagnetic core, to determine appropriate dimensions therefor, (2) depositing an adhesive over an insulator coupled to a substrate of the integrated circuit and (3) forming the ferromagnetic core of the appropriate dimensions over the adhesive.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit formed on a substrate having an insulator coupled thereto, comprising:

conformally mapping a micromagnetic device, including a ferromagnetic core, to determine appropriate dimensions therefor;

depositing an adhesive over said insulator; and

forming said ferromagnetic core of said appropriate dimensions over said adhesive.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said conformally mapping comprises transforming said appropriate dimensions to a hyperelliptical representation.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein said conformally mapping further comprises reducing said hyperelliptical representation to at least one elliptical integral.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein said conformally mapping further comprises solving said at least one elliptical integral to render at least an approximation of a fringing magnetic field magnitude of said micromagnetic device.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said micromagnetic device further comprises at least one winding proximate said ferromagnetic core.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein said micromagnetic device is selected from the group consisting of:

an inductor,

and a transformer.

7. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising depositing an insulator between said at least one winding and said ferromagnetic core.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising forming a passivation layer over said substrate.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said passivation layer includes an organic polymer.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said adhesive is a metallic adhesive.

11. An integrated circuit formed on a substrate, comprising:

an insulator formed over said substrate;

an adhesive formed over said substrate; and

a micromagnetic device including a ferromagnetic core coupled to said adhesive, said adhesive forming a bond between said insulator and said ferromagnetic core, said micromagnetic device employing a conformal mapping technique to determine appropriate dimensions therefor.

12. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 11 wherein said conformal mapping technique comprises transforming said appropriate dimensions to a hyperelliptical representation.

13. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 12 wherein said conformal mapping technique further comprises reducing said hyperelliptical representation to at least one elliptical integral.

14. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 13 wherein said conformal mapping technique further comprises solving said at least one elliptical integral to render at least an approximation of a fringing magnetic field magnitude of said micromagnetic device.

15. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 11 wherein said micromagnetic device further comprises at least one winding proximate said ferromagnetic core.

16. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 15 wherein said micromagnetic device is selected from the group consisting of:

an inductor,

and a transformer.

17. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 15 further comprising an insulator between said at least one winding and said ferromagnetic core.

18. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 11 further comprising a passivation layer formed over said substrate.

19. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 18 wherein said passivation layer includes an organic polymer.

20. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 11 wherein said adhesive is a metallic adhesive.

21. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 11 wherein said integrated circuit is selected from the group consisting of:

a power processing circuit, and

a data transmission circuit.