Integrated circuit inductors
First Claim
1. An inductor comprising:
- a substrate;
a pair of substantially parallel rows of conductive columns providing a conductive path through the substrate; and
a plurality of conductive segments interconnecting the pair of substantially parallel rows of conductive columns to form a coil.
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Accused Products
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.
50 Citations
35 Claims
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1. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate;
a pair of substantially parallel rows of conductive columns providing a conductive path through the substrate; and
a plurality of conductive segments interconnecting the pair of substantially parallel rows of conductive columns to form a coil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate;
a ferromagnetic layer in contact with the substrate; and
a highly conductive path interwoven with the substrate, said highly conductive path defined by a pair of substantially parallel rows of conductive columns passing through the substrate and a plurality of conductive segments interconnecting the pair of substantially parallel rows of conductive columns. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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13. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate having a magnetic film formed on a first surface of the substrate;
a pair of substantially parallel rows of conductive columns providing a conductive path through the substrate; and
a plurality of conductive segments interconnecting the pair of substantially parallel rows of conductive columns to form a coil that least partially surrounds the magnetic film.
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20. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate;
a highly conductive path formed from at least one metal conductor, said highly conductive path comprising;
a pair of substantially parallel rows of columns passing through the substrate; and
a plurality of segments interconnecting the pair of substantially parallel rows of conductive columns. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29)
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26. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate;
a magnetic material layer formed atop a surface of the substrate;
an insulating layer formed atop the magnetic material layer;
a pair of substantially parallel rows of conductive columns providing a conductive path through the substrate; and
a plurality of conductive segments interconnecting the pair of substantially parallel rows of conductive columns to form a coil that least partially surrounds the magnetic material layer.
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30. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate having first and second opposite surfaces;
a first magnet material layer formed on the first surface;
a second magnetic material layer formed on the second surface;
a pair of substantially parallel rows of conductive columns providing a conductive path through the substrate; and
a plurality of conductive segments interconnecting the pair of substantially parallel rows of conductive columns to form a coil that least partially surrounds the first and second magnetic material layers. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. An inductor comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate having a rectangular cross-section;
a pair of substantially parallel rows of conductive columns providing a conductive path through the substrate; and
a plurality of conductive segments interconnecting the pair of substantially parallel rows of conductive columns to form a coil. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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Specification