SIGNAL COUPLER

• US 20100033022A1
• Filed: 06/11/2009
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Saitou, Hisami
• Application Number:
  US12/482,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20100033022A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/104
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0033 with the coil helically wound around a magnetic core
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2017/048 with encapsulating core, e.g. made of resin and magnetic powder
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2027/2814 with only part of the coil or of the winding in the printed circuit board, e.g. the remaining coil or winding sections can be made of wires or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2038/143 for signals
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45124 Aluminium (Al) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4813 Connecting within a semiconductor or solid-state body, i.e. fly wire, bridge wire
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49052 Different loop heights
• 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 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding

Abstract

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a signal coupler including, a first coil being formed over a semiconductor substrate, the first coil including a first pad-pair and a first metal wiring, the first pad-pair including two first pads, the first metal wiring being perpendicularly configured as a half-loop over the semiconductor substrate, both ends of the first metal wiring being bonded to each of the first pad, respectively, an input circuit being configured in the semiconductor substrate and providing electrical current corresponding to an input signal to the first metal wiring, a second coil being opposed to the first coil and formed over the semiconductor substrate, the second coil including a second pad-pair and a second metal wiring, the second pad-pair including two second pads, the second metal wiring being perpendicularly configured as the half-loop over the semiconductor substrate, both ends of the second metal wiring being bonded to each of the second pad, respectively, the second coil detecting magnetic field variation generated in the vicinity of the first coil and generating an output electrical current corresponding to the magnetic field variation, and an output circuit being configured in the semiconductor substrate and outputting an output signal corresponding to the output electrical current.

Claims

1. A signal coupler comprising;

a first coil being formed over a semiconductor substrate, the first coil including a first pad-pair and a first metal wiring, the first pad-pair including two first pads, the first metal wiring being perpendicularly configured as a half-loop over the semiconductor substrate, both ends of the first metal wiring being bonded to each of the first pad, respectively;

an input circuit being configured in the semiconductor substrate and providing electrical current corresponding to an input signal to the first metal wiring;

a second coil being opposed to the first coil and formed over the semiconductor substrate, the second coil including a second pad-pair and a second metal wiring, the second pad-pair including two second pads, the second metal wiring being perpendicularly configured as the half-loop over the semiconductor substrate, both ends of the second metal wiring being bonded to each of the second pad, respectively, the second coil detecting magnetic field variation generated in the vicinity of the first coil and generating an output electrical current corresponding to the magnetic field variation; and

an output circuit being configured in the semiconductor substrate and outputting an output signal corresponding to the output electrical current.

2. The signal coupler of claim 1, wherein

an insulator is formed between the semiconductor substrate and the first coil and the second coil, the input circuit and the output circuit is covered with the insulator, the first coil and the input circuit are connected each other through a first via-hole formed in the insulator, and the second coil and the output circuit are connected each other through a second via-hole formed in the insulator.

3. The signal coupler of claim 1, wherein

the semiconductor substrate is constituted with a first semiconductor substrate and a second semiconductor substrate, the first coil is configured over the first semiconductor substrate, the input circuit is configured in the first semiconductor substrate, the second coil is configured over the second semiconductor substrate, and the output circuit is configured in the second semiconductor substrate.

4. The signal coupler of claim 1, wherein

the first coil includes a plurality of the first pad-pairs and a plurality of the first metal wirings or the second coil includes a plurality of the second pad-pairs and a plurality of the second metal wirings.

5. A signal coupler comprising;

a first coil including a plurality of turns, being formed over a semiconductor substrate, and being constituted with a plurality of first pad-pairs and a plurality of first metal wirings, each of the first pad-pairs including two first pads and being configured towards a prescribed direction, each of the first metal wirings being perpendicularly formed over the semiconductor substrate as a half-loop, both ends of the first metal wiring being bonded to the first pads, respectively;

an input circuit being configured in the semiconductor substrate, the input circuit providing an electrical current corresponding to an input signal to the first coil;

a second coil including a plurality of turns, being opposed to the first coil, being formed over the semiconductor substrate, and being constituted with a plurality of second pad-pairs and a plurality of second metal wirings, each of the second pad-pairs including two second pads and being configured towards the prescribed direction, each of the second metal wirings being perpendicularly formed over the semiconductor substrate as the half-loop, both ends of the second metal wiring being bonded to the second pads, respectively, the second coil detecting magnetic field variation generated in the vicinity of the first coil and generating an output electrical current corresponding to magnetic field variation; and

an output circuit being formed in the semiconductor substrate and outputting an output electrical current corresponding to an output signal.

6. The signal coupler of claim 5, wherein

an insulator is formed between the semiconductor substrate and the first coil and the second coil are formed on the insulator, the input circuit and the output circuit is covered with the insulator, the first coil and the input circuit are connected each other through a first via-hole formed in the insulator, and the second coil and the output circuit are connected each other through a second via-hole formed in the insulator.

7. The signal coupler of claim 5, wherein

the semiconductor substrate is constituted with a first semiconductor substrate and a second semiconductor substrate, the first coil is configured over the first semiconductor substrate, the input circuit is configured in the first semiconductor substrate, the second coil is configured over the second semiconductor substrate and the output circuit is configured in the second semiconductor substrate.

8. The signal coupler of claim 5, wherein

one first pad of each first pad-pair and the other first pad of each first pad-pair are arranged with align perpendicular to the first pad-pairs, respectively, and/or one second pad of the second pad-pair and the other second pad of the second pad are arranged with align perpendicular to the second pad-pairs, respectively.

9. The signal coupler of claim 5, wherein

the plurality of the first pad-pairs are arranged with a prescribed direction in parallel each other and/or the plurality of second pad-pairs are arranged with a prescribed direction in parallel each other.

10. The signal coupler of claim 9, wherein

a first distance of each first pad-pair is equal each other and/or a second distance of each second pad-pair is equal each other.

11. The signal coupler of claim 9, wherein

one first pad of each first pad-pair and the other first pad of each first pad-pair are arranged with align perpendicular to the first pad-pairs, respectively, and/or one second pad of the second pad-pair and the other second pad f the second pad-pair are perpendicularly arranged with align perpendicular to the second pad-pairs, respectively.

12. The signal coupler of claim 10, wherein

one first pad of the first pad-pair and the other first pad of the first pad-pair are alternately arranged perpendicular to the prescribed direction, and/or one second pad of the second pad-pair and the other second pad of the second pad-pair are alternately arranged perpendicular to the prescribed direction.

13. The signal coupler of claim 9, wherein

the plurality of the first metal wirings are arranged each other in parallel and/or the plurality of the second metal wirings are arranged each other in parallel.

14. The signal coupler of claim 13, wherein

height of each first metal wiring is equal each other and/or height of each second metal wiring is equal each other.

15. The signal coupler of claim 13, wherein

each height of the first metal wirings is different each other and/or each height of the second metal wirings is different each other.

16. The signal coupler of claim 15, wherein

each height of the first metal wirings is decreased to a second coil direction in order and/or each height of the second metal wirings is decreased to a first coil direction in order.

17. The signal coupler of claim 13, wherein

the half-loop formed by each first metal wiring is similar each other and/or the half-loop formed by each second metal wiring is similar each other.

18. The signal coupler of claim 9, wherein

the plurality of first pad-pairs are linearly arranged towards the prescribed direction and each first pad of the first pad-pair is arranged from inside to outside in order, and each height of the first metal wirings is different each other, the height is increased from inside to outside in order and/or the plurality of second pad-pairs are linearly arranged towards the prescribed direction and each second pad of the second pad-pair is arranged from inside to outside in order, and each height of the second metal wirings is different each other, the height is increased from inside to outside in order.

19. The signal coupler of claim 5, further comprising;

a third coil being configured between the first coil and the second coil and opposed to the first coil and the second coil over the semiconductor substrate, the third coil including a third pad-pair and a third metal wiring, the third pad-pair including two third pads, the third metal wiring being perpendicularly configured over the semiconductor substrate as the half-loop, both ends of the third metal wiring being bonded to each of the third pads, respectively.

20. The signal coupler of claim 5, further comprising;

the first coil and the second coil are covered with isolative resin containing a magnetic material.