Integrated circuit inductors
First Claim
1. An inductor comprising:
- a substrate having a plurality of substantially parallel holes, a plurality of substantially parallel surfaces, and a second plurality of substantially parallel surfaces approximately perpendicular to the plurality of substantially parallel surfaces;
a coil intersecting the plurality of substantially parallel surfaces and filling the plurality of substantially parallel holes; and
at least two leads operable for coupling to the coil from at least one of the second plurality of substantially parallel surfaces.
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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.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate having a plurality of substantially parallel holes, a plurality of substantially parallel surfaces, and a second plurality of substantially parallel surfaces approximately perpendicular to the plurality of substantially parallel surfaces;
a coil intersecting the plurality of substantially parallel surfaces and filling the plurality of substantially parallel holes; and
at least two leads operable for coupling to the coil from at least one of the second plurality of substantially parallel surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate with substantially parallel holes connecting first and second opposing substrate surfaces and running parallel to third and fourth opposing substrate surfaces;
a coil intersecting the first and second opposing substrate surfaces and filling the substantially parallel holes; and
at least two leads operable for coupling to the coil from at least one of the first, second, third and fourth substrate surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36)
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12. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate with a rectangular cross-section and upper and lower opposing surfaces;
a plurality of substantially parallel holes connecting the upper and lower surfaces;
a first coil segment formed in the plurality of holes;
a second coil segment comprising a plurality of conductive segments arranged over the upper and lower surfaces so as to connect to the first coil segments to form a conductive path; and
at least two leads operable for coupling to at least one of the first and second coil segments.
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18. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate having a plurality of substantially parallel holes connecting first and second opposing substrate surfaces;
a conductive path defined by first conductive segments that fill the plurality of substantially parallel holes and by second conductive segments connected to the first conductive segments so as to form a coil; and
at least two leads connected to the conductive path.
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24. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate;
a plurality of substantially parallel holes passing through the substrate;
a rectangular cross-section coil formed from a conductive segment that passes through the plurality of holes; and
at least two leads coupled to the rectangular cross-section coil.
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29. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate with a first set of substantially parallel holes connecting opposing substantially parallel substrate surfaces first metal conductor segments formed in the plurality of holes;
second metal conductor segments connecting the first metal conductor segments to form a conductive path in the form of a main coil; and
at least two leads operable for coupling to at least one of the first and second metal conductor segments.
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34. An inductor comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate having a rectangular cross-section and opposing upper and lower surfaces;
a plurality of substantially parallel holes connecting the upper and lower surfaces;
a conductive path comprising vertical conductive segments of material that fill the plurality of substantially parallel holes;
first substantially horizontal parallel coil segments arranged on the lower surface that connect the vertical conductive segments;
second substantially horizontal parallel coil segments arranged on the upper surface that connect the vertical conductive segments to form a conductive coil; and
at least two leads operable for coupling to at least one of the first and second coil segments.
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Specification