Integrated circuit inductors

• US 20020095773A1
• 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 7,158,004 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 integrated circuit comprising:

a partially magnetic substrate having a circuit formed thereon; and

a conductive material interwoven with the partially magnetic substrate and operable for generating a magnetic field in the partially magnetic substrate, and the conductive material operably coupled to the circuit.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the conductive material comprises at least one of gold, copper and aluminum.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the conductive material is in the form of a coil comprising first parallel segments passing through the substrate and second parallel segments exterior to the substrate.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 3, further including a magnetic film formed on the substrate and traversed by the second parallel segments

5. The integrated circuit of claim 4, wherein the magnetic film comprises nickel and iron.

6. An integrated circuit comprising:

a partially magnetic substrate having first and second regions;

conductive material interwoven with the first region to define a coil capable of generating a magnetic field in the substrate;

a coating covering a portion of the first region of the substrate and at least partially surrounded by a portion of the coil; and

a circuit formed on the second region and operatively coupled to the coil.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 6, wherein the coating includes a magnetic film designed to increase an inductance of the coil.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 6, further including an insulating layer covering the coating and a portion of the coil.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 6, wherein the conductive material comprises at least one of copper, gold and aluminum.

10. An integrated circuit comprising:

a partially magnetic substrate;

a plurality of holes connecting opposite sides of the substrate;

a conductive path interwoven through the substrate through the plurality of holes to form a coil surrounding a select volume of the substrate and operative to create a magnetic field within the select volume; and

a circuit formed on the substrate remote from the coil and operatively connected to the coil.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 10, further including a coating formed on a surface of the substrate and surrounded by a portion of the coil that passes over the surface of the substrate.

12. The integrated circuit of claim 11, wherein the coating includes a magnetic film.

13. The integrated circuit of claim 12, wherein the coating includes an insulating layer.

14. The integrated circuit of claim 10, wherein the conductive path comprises one or more conductive materials.

16. The integrated circuit of claim 15, wherein the conductive material is one of gold, copper and aluminum.

17. The integrated circuit of claim 15, wherein the portion of the coil exterior to the substrate traverses a magnetic film.

18. The integrated circuit of claim 17, wherein the magnetic film is a magnetic oxide.

19. The integrated circuit of claim 17, wherein the magnetic film comprises nickel and iron.

15. An integrated circuit comprising:

a partially magnetic substrate;

a conductive material formed in the substrate to form a coil surrounding a portion of the substrate, with a portion of the coil formed exterior to the substrate, the coil operable to form a magnetic field within the substrate; and

a circuit formed on the substrate and connected to leads extending from the coil.

20. An integrated circuit comprising:

a partially magnetic substrate;

a circuit formed on a first region of the substrate;

a conductive path interwoven with a second region of the substrate to form a magnetic field within the substrate; and

wherein the conductive path is electrically connected to the circuit.

21. The integrated circuit of claim 20, wherein the partially magnetic substrate has a crystalline structure.

22. The integrated circuit of claim 20, wherein the partially magnetic substrate has an amorphous structure.

23. The integrated circuit of claim 20, further including a magnetic film formed atop the substrate, the magnetic film traversed by a portion of the conductive path.

24. The integrated circuit of claim 23, further including an insulating layer covering the magnetic film.

26. The integrated circuit of claim 25, wherein the substrate includes a planar surface with a magnetic film formed thereon, and a portion of the triangular coil traverses the magnetic film.

27. The integrated circuit of claim 25, wherein the conductive path includes a conductive material selected from the group of materials consisting of:

gold, copper and aluminum.

28. The integrated circuit of claim 25, further including a sense inductor formed on the substrate and magnetically coupled to the triangular coil.

29. The integrated circuit of claim 25, further including a sense inductor formed at least partially within the substrate and magnetically coupled to the triangular coil.

25. An integrated circuit comprising:

a partially magnetic substrate;

a conductive path in the form of a triangular coil interwoven with the magnetic substrate and operable to generate a magnetic field within the substrate; and

a circuit connected to the conductive path.

30. An integrated circuit comprising:

a partially magnetic substrate;

first and second sets of parallel perforations connecting opposite sides of the substrate;

a rectangular conductive coil interwoven with the substrate through the first and second sets of parallel perforations, the coil operable to create a magnetic field in the substrate; and

a circuit formed on the substrate and connected to the coil.

31. The integrated circuit of claim 30, wherein the substrate includes a planar surface with a magnetic film formed thereon, and a portion of the rectangular coil traverses the magnetic film.

32. The integrated circuit of claim 30, wherein the conductive path includes a conductive material selected from the group of materials consisting of:

gold, copper and aluminum.

33. The integrated circuit of claim 30, further including a sense inductor formed on the substrate and magnetically coupled to the rectangular coil.

34. The integrated circuit of claim 30, further including a sense inductor formed at least partially within the substrate and magnetically coupled to the rectangular coil.