INTEGRATED TRANSFORMER

• US 20090015363A1
• Filed: 09/25/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donald S. Gardner
• Original Assignee: Donald S. Gardner
• Inventors: Gardner, Donald S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,791,447 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: H01F 2017/008 Electric or magnetic shielding of printed inductances
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/042 by thin film techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/046 structurally combined with ferromagnetic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/522 including external interconnections consisting of a multilayer structure of conductive and insulating layers inseparably formed on the semiconductor body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5227 Inductive arrangements or effects of, or between, wiring layers other inductive arrangements H01L23/645
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/552 Protection against radiation, e.g. light or electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/645 Inductive arrangements H01L23/647, H01L23/66 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/08 including only semiconductor components of a single kind
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/10 Inductors
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49032 Fabricating head structure or component thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49043 Depositing magnetic layer or coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49044 Plural magnetic deposition layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49048 Machining magnetic material [e.g., grinding, etching, polishing]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49052 by etching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49073 by assembling coil and core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49075 : including permanent magnet or core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49078 : Laminated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49156 : with selective destruction of conductive paths

Abstract

A transformer comprises a substrate comprising a semiconductor material, a first conductor over the substrate, a second conductor over the substrate, and a magnetic layer over the substrate. The first conductor defines a generally spiral-shaped signal path having at least one turn. The second conductor defines a generally spiral-shaped signal path having at least one turn.

Claims

1. A transformer comprising:

a substrate comprising a semiconductor material;

a first conductor over the substrate, the first conductor defining a generally spiral-shaped signal path having at least one turn;

a second conductor over the substrate, the second conductor defining a generally spiral-shaped signal path having at least one turn, wherein at least a portion of the at least one turn of the first conductor is positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the at least one turn of the second conductor; and

a first magnetic layer between the substrate and the conductors.

2. The transformer of claim 1, wherein the at least one turn of the first conductor is positioned on the same level as the at least one turn of the second conductor.

3. The transformer of claim 1, comprising at least one slot in the first magnetic layer.

4. The transformer of claim 1, further comprising

a second magnetic layer over the conductors.

5. The transformer of claim 1, wherein the at least one turn of the first conductor crosses over the at least one turn of the second conductor.

6. The transformer of claim 1, wherein the magnetic layer comprises cobalt.

7. A method comprising:

forming a first magnetic layer over a substrate comprising a semiconductor material;

forming a first conductor over the first magnetic layer such that the first conductor defines a generally spiral-shaped signal path having at least one turn;

forming a second conductor over the first magnetic layer such that the second conductor defines a generally spiral-shaped signal path having at least one turn, wherein at least a portion of the at least one turn of the first conductor is positioned adjacent to at least a portion of the at least one turn of the second conductor.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one turn of the first conductor is positioned on the same level as the at least one turn of the second conductor.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising

forming at least one slot in the first magnetic layer.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising

forming a second magnetic layer over the first conductor and the second conductor.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the magnetic layer comprises cobalt.