Integrated circuit inductors

• US 20020095770A1
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Ahn, Kie Y., Forbes, Leonard
• Granted Patent: US 7,388,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/604
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0033 with the coil helically wound around a magnetic core
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2804 Printed windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 37/00 Fixed inductances not covered by group H01F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/08 including only semiconductor components of a single kind
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 257/924 with passive device, e.g. capacitor, or battery, as integral part of housing or housing element, e.g. cap
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49037 Using reference point/surface to facilitate measuring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49069 Data storage inductor or core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49071 by winding or coiling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49073 by assembling coil and core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49075 including permanent magnet or core

Abstract

The invention relates to an inductor comprising a plurality of interconnected conductive segments interwoven with a substrate. The inductance of the inductor is increased through the use of coatings and films of ferromagnetic materials such as magnetic metals, alloys, and oxides. The inductor is compatible with integrated circuit manufacturing techniques and eliminates the need in many systems and circuits for large off chip inductors. A sense and measurement coil, which is fabricated on the same substrate as the inductor, provides the capability to measure the magnetic field or flux produced by the inductor. This on chip measurement capability supplies information that permits circuit engineers to design and fabricate on chip inductors to very tight tolerances.

Claims

1. An inductor comprising:

a coil having a core area; and

a partially coated substrate filling the core area.

5. The inductor of claim 1, wherein the partially coated substrate includes a magnetic material

6. The inductor of claim 5, wherein the magnetic material is a magnetic oxide.

7. The inductor of claim 5, wherein the partially coated substrate includes an insulator layer.

8. The inductor of claim 1, wherein the coil is partially embedded in the substrate.

9. The inductor of claim 1, wherein the core comprises a semiconductor material.

2. An inductor comprising:

a coil operable for creating a magnetic flux; and

a substrate having a surface coating coupled to the magnetic flux.

3. The inductor of claim 2, wherein the surface coating is a magnetic material.

4. The inductor of claim 3, wherein the coil comprises a plurality of interconnected metal segments fabricated from a material selected form the group consisting of gold and copper.

10. The inductor of claim 2, wherein the coil is partially embedded in the substrate.

11. The inductor of claim 2, wherein the surface coating includes a magnetic oxide.

12. The inductor of claim 11, wherein the surface coating includes an insulator layer.

13. The inductor of claim 2, wherein the surface coating covers first and second sides of the substrate.

15. The inductor of claim 14, wherein the coating includes a magnetic material.

16. The inductor of claim 15, wherein the coating includes a first insulating layer arranged between the magnetic material and the coil.

17. The inductor of claim 16, further including a second insulating layer adjacent the coil on a side opposite the first insulating layer.

18. The inductor of claim 14, wherein the coil is partially embedded in the substrate.

19. The inductor of claim 14, further including leads connected to the coil.

20. The inductor of claim 14, further including a circuit connected to the leads.

14. An inductor comprising:

a coil with a core area and capable of generating a magnetic flux;

a substrate with a coating filling the core area; and

wherein at least a portion of the coating is coupled to the coil via the magnetic flux.

21. An inductor comprising:

a substrate having a surface coating; and

a conductive path at least partially surrounding the substrate, the conductive path capable of creating a magnetic flux that couples to the substrate and surface coating.

22. The inductor of claim 21, wherein the surface coating comprises a magnetic material covered by an insulating material.

23. The inductor of claim 22, wherein the magnetic material is a magnetic oxide.

24. The inductor of claim 22, wherein the insulating material is an inorganic oxide.

25. The inductor of claim 22, wherein the insulating material comprises polyimide.

26. The inductor of claim 21, wherein the conductive path includes first conductive segments that pass through the substrate.

27. The inductor of claim 26, wherein the conductive path includes second conductive segments exterior to the substrate that connect to the first conductive segments to form a coil.

29. The inductor of claim 28, wherein one of the one or more layers includes a magnetic material arranged immediately adjacent the substrate.

30. The inductor of claim 29, including an insulating layer covering the magnetic material.

31. The inductor of claim 29, wherein the magnetic material comprises nickel and iron.

32. The inductor of claim 28, wherein the coil is partially embedded in the substrate.

33. The inductor of claim 28, further including a sense inductor magnetically coupled to the coil.

35. The inductor of claim 34, wherein the substrate comprises a material selected from the group of materials consisting of:

silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide, and silicon carbide.

36. The inductor of claim 34, wherein the partially coated substrate includes a layer of magnetic material.

37. The inductor of claim 34, wherein the conductive path comprises first conductive segments embedded in the substrate and second conductive segments connected to the first conductive segments to form a coil.

39. The inductor of claim 38, wherein the coil has a rectangular cross-section.

40. The inductor of claim 38, wherein the coil has a triangular cross-section.

41. The inductor of claim 38, further including leads connected to the coil.

42. The inductor of claim 41, further including a circuit connected to the leads.

28. An inductor comprising:

a substrate partially coated with one or more layers; and

a coil at least partially surrounding the substrate so that the substrate fills a core area of the coil and is magnetically coupled to the coil.

34. An inductor comprising:

a conductive path comprising first and second conductive segments, the conductive path having a core area and operable to produce a magnetic field within the core area;

a partially coated substrate filling the core area and magnetically coupled to the conductive path; and

wherein at least a portion of the conductive path is embedded in the substrate.

38. An inductor comprising:

first and second conductive segments connected to form a coil with a core area and an inductance;

a substrate arranged in the core area, with the first conductive segments passing through the substrate; and

at least one layer of magnetic material formed upon the substrate to increase the inductance of the coil.