Inductor for integrated circuit

• US 20020186114A1
• Filed: 07/26/2002
• Published: 12/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: M-Red Inc. (Quest Patent Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Memscap Incorporated
• Inventors: Karam, Jean-Michel, Basteres, Laurent, Mhani, Ahmed, Valentin, Francois
• Granted Patent: US 6,838,970 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 336/200
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0006 Printed inductances printed coils for dynamo-electric machines H02K3/26; printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2017/0046 with a conductive path having a bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/645 Inductive arrangements H01L23/647, H01L23/66 take precedence
• 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

Abstract

An inductive component (1), especially intended to be incorporated into a radiofrequency circuit, comprising:

a substrate layer (2);

a flat inductor formed from a metal strip (3) wound in a spiral;

wherein:

the substrate layer (2) is made of quartz;

the metal strip (3) is made of copper and has a thickness (E₃) of greater than 10 microns.

Claims

1. An inductive component (1), especially intended to be incorporated into a radiofrequency circuit, comprising:

a substrate layer (2);

a flat inductor formed from a metal strip (3) wound in a spiral;

wherein

the substrate layer (2) is made of quartz;

the metal strip (3) is made of copper and has a thickness (E₃) of greater than 10 microns.

2. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal strip (3) has a thickness (E₃) of about 30 microns.

3. The component as claimed in claim 1, which includes a polyimide layer (5) placed between the inductor (3) and the quartz substrate (2), within which polyimide layer that segment (8) of the strip (3) which connects the center (9) of the spiral passes, and an end (10) of the strip (3) forming a connection terminal.

4. The component as claimed in claim 3, wherein the metal strip (3) is covered, on its faces other than those in contact with the substrate (2) or the polyimide layer (5), with a layer of gold (19).

5. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the space (17) between the opposing faces of two adjacent turns (15, 16) is free of material.

6. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the strip (3) is in the form of a Circular spiral.

7. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the strip (3) is wound in two spirals (21, 22) in series, the two spirals (21, 22) being parallel to each other, the spiral (22) closer to the substrate (2) being embedded in a polyimide layer (26).

8. The component as claimed in claim 7, wherein the polyimide layer (26) is covered with a barrier layer made of silica.

9. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two ends of the strip form connection terminals on which spacer elements (45, 46) having a height close to the thickness (E₃) of the metal strip (3) are mounted.

16. An integrated circuit associated with an inductive component as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9 or an integrated transformer as claimed in claims 10 to 15, wherein:

the integrated circuit (40) includes contact pads (41, 42);

and said inductive component (1) or said integrated transformer is mounted on the integrated circuit (40) by means of conducting spacer elements (45, 46) ensuring electrical connection between said contact pads (41, 42) of the integrated circuit and the connection terminals (10) of the inductive component or of the integrated transformer, said inductive component or integrated transformer being oriented with respect to the integrated circuit in such a way that its face including the inductors (3) is facing the integrated circuit (40).

10. An integrated transformer, especially intended to be incorporated into a radiofrequency circuit comprising:

a substrate layer (2);

two flat inductors (50, 51) formed by two metal strips wound in a spiral, said spirals being wound one in the other so that the turns (53, 55) of one of the inductors (51) are positioned between the turns (52, 54) of the other inductor (50),

wherein;

the substrate layer (2) is made of quartz;

the metal strips are made of copper and have a thickness of greater than 10 microns.

11. The integrated transformer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the metal strips have a thickness of about 30 microns.

12. The integrated transformer as claimed in claim 10, which includes a polyimide layer (56) placed between the inductors (50, 51) and the quartz substrate (2), within which polyimide layer the segments (58) of the strips connecting the centers of the inductors (50, 51) pass, and the ends of the strips forming a connection terminal.

13. The transformer as claimed in claims 10 and 12, wherein the metal strips are covered, on their faces other than those in contact with the substrate or the polyimide layer, with a layer of gold.

14. The transformer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the strips are in the form of circular spirals.

15. The transformer as claimed in claim 10, wherein the space between the opposing faces of the turns forming the strips is free of material.

17. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 16, wherein the spacer elements (45, 46) have a height close to the thickness of the strip (3) of the inductive component or of the integrated transformer.

18. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 16, wherein the spacer elements (45, 46) are in the form of a cylinder.

19. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 18, wherein the spacer elements (45, 46) have a diameter whose value is close to three times that of their height.