METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A TRANSFORMER IN AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT PACKAGE

• US 20090156157A1
• Filed: 12/12/2007
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Maryam, Rofougaran, Ahmadreza
• Granted Patent: US 8,270,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/334
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/08 Loading coils for telecommunication circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 21/12 discontinuously variable, e.g. tapped
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2804 Printed windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device antennas per se H01Q
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73204 the bump connector being embedded into the layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49822 Multilayer substrates multilayer metallisation on monolayer substrate H01L23/498
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49838 Geometry or layout
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• 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 2924/1461 MEMS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15321 being a ball array, e.g. BGA
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19105 in a side-by-side arrangement on a common die mounting substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for a transformer in an integrated circuit package are provided. In this regard, signals may be transmitted and/or received via an antenna communicatively coupled to a transformer embedded in multi-layer integrated circuit package. The windings ratio of the transformer may be configured based on an impedance of the antenna, an impedance of a transmitter coupled to the transformer, an impedance of an LNA coupled to the transformer, and/or a power level of the received and/or transmitted signals. The windings ratio may be configured via one or more switching elements which may be MEMS switches embedded in the multi-layer IC package. The transformer may comprise a plurality of loops fabricated on a corresponding plurality of metal layers in the multi-layer IC package, and the loops may be communicatively coupled with one or more vias. The multi-layer IC package may comprise ferromagnetic and/or ferromagnetic materials.

Claims

1. A method for signal processing, the method comprising:

transmitting and/or receiving signals via an antenna communicatively coupled to a transformer embedded in multi-layer integrated circuit package, where an integrated circuit is bonded to said multi-layer integrated circuit package.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring a windings ratio of said transformer based on an impedance of said antenna.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring a windings ratio of said transformer based on an impedance of a transmitter coupled to said transformer.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring a windings ratio of said transformer based on an impedance of a receiver coupled to said transformer.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring a windings ratio of said transformer based on power of transmitted and/or received signals.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring a windings ratio of said transformer via one or more switching elements.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said switching elements comprise micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) switches within and/or on said multi-layer IC package.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said transformer comprises a plurality of loops fabricated on a corresponding plurality of metal layers in said multi-layer integrated circuit package.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein said loops are communicatively coupled with one or more vias in said multi-layer integrated circuit package.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein ferromagnetic material is embedded in said multi-layer package.

11. A system for signal processing, the system comprising:

a transformer embedded in a multi-layer integrated circuit package, wherein said transformer enables transmitting and/or receiving signals via an antenna, and an integrated circuit is bonded to said multi-layer integrated circuit package.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein a windings ratio of said transformer is configurable.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein one or more switching elements within and/or on said multi-layer integrated circuit package enable configuring said windings ratio.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein an integrated circuit bonded to said multi-layer IC package comprises logic, circuitry, and/or code for configuring a windings ratio of said transformer.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein a windings ratio of said transformer is configured based on an impedance of a transmitter communicatively coupled to said transformer.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein a windings ratio of said transformer is configured based on an impedance of a receiver communicatively coupled to said transformer.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein a windings ratio of said transformer is configured based on a power level of transmitted and/or received signals.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein said transformer comprises a plurality of loops fabricated on a corresponding plurality of metal layers in said multi-layer integrated circuit package.

19. The system according to claim 15, wherein said loops are communicatively coupled with one or more vias in said multi-layer integrated circuit package.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein ferromagnetic material is embedded in said multi-layer package.