Compact Vertical Inductors Extending in Vertical Planes

• US 20120268229A1
• Filed: 04/21/2011
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Yen, Hsiao-Tsung, Lin, Yu-Ling, Kuo, Chin-Wei, Chen, Mei-Show, Chen, Ho-Hsiang, Jeng, Min-Chie, Chen, Huan-Neng
• Granted Patent: US 9,559,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 336/200
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0013 with stacked layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2017/002 Details of via holes for interconnecting the layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2017/004 with the coil helically wound around an axis without a core
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2027/2809 on stacked layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2804 Printed windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5227 Inductive arrangements or effects of, or between, wiring layers other inductive arrangements H01L23/645
• 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

A device includes a substrate, and a vertical inductor over the substrate. The vertical inductor includes a plurality of parts formed of metal, wherein each of the parts extends in one of a plurality of planes perpendicular to a major surface of the substrate. Metal lines interconnect neighboring ones of the plurality of parts of the vertical inductor.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a substrate; and

a vertical inductor over the substrate and comprising;

a plurality of parts formed of metal, wherein each of the parts extends in one of a plurality of planes perpendicular to a major surface of the substrate; and

metal lines interconnecting neighboring ones of the plurality of parts.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of planes are parallel to each other.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of parts comprises:

a first metal line in a first metal layer;

a second metal line in a second metal layer over the first metal layer and vertically overlapping the first metal line; and

two metal columns interconnecting the first and the second metal lines and form a near-ring structure with the first and the second metal lines, wherein the near-ring structure comprises a break therein.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of parts comprises a spiral metal feature, with outer portions of the spiral metal feature surrounding inner portions of the spiral metal feature.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the plurality of parts comprises:

a first part comprising a first spiral metal feature; and

a second part neighboring the first part and comprising a second spiral metal feature, wherein the first and the second parts are configured so that a same current flows from outer portions to inner portions of the first spiral metal feature, and from inner portions to outer portions of the second spiral metal feature.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of parts comprises a rectangular-shaped structure comprising a metal ring with a break in the rectangular-shaped structure, and wherein the each of the plurality of parts does not comprise portions that are inside and electrically connected to the rectangular-shaped structure.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the inductor further comprises:

an additional vertical inductor over the substrate and comprising;

a plurality of additional parts formed of metal, wherein each of the additional parts extends in one of additional plurality of planes perpendicular to the major surface of the substrate; and

additional metal lines interconnecting neighboring ones of the plurality of additional parts, wherein the vertical inductor and the additional vertical inductor are interconnected to form a single inductor.

8. A device comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of metal layers over the substrate; and

a vertical inductor comprising;

a plurality of parts formed of metal;

a spiral metal feature in each of the plurality of parts, wherein the spiral metal feature comprises a plurality of metal lines in the plurality of metal layers and a plurality of vias interconnecting the plurality of metal lines, and wherein the spiral metal feature extends along a vertical plane perpendicular to a major surface of the substrate; and

metal lines interconnecting the plurality of parts.

9. The device of claim 8, with an axis of the spiral metal features of the plurality of parts extends in a direction parallel to a major surface of the substrate.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of parts comprises:

a first part comprising a first spiral metal feature; and

a second part neighboring the first part and comprising a second spiral metal feature, wherein the first and the second parts are configured so that a same current flows from outer portions to inner portions of the first spiral metal feature, and from inner portions to outer portions of the second spiral metal feature.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of parts comprises a first part, and a second part and a third part on opposite sides of the first part, and wherein the device further comprises:

a first metal line connecting the first part to the second part; and

a second metal line connecting the second part to the third part, wherein the first and the second metal lines have lengthwise directions parallel to the major surface of the substrate.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the vertical planes of the plurality of parts are parallel to each other.

13. A device comprising:

a substrate; and

a first vertical inductor over the substrate and comprising a first coil formed of metal, with a first axis of the first coil extending in a first direction parallel to a major surface of the substrate.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first coil comprises:

a plurality of rectangular metal structures extending in different vertical planes, wherein each of the rectangular metal structures comprises;

a first metal line in a first metal layer and forming a first side of a rectangle;

a second metal line in a second metal layer over the first metal layer and forming a second side of the rectangle; and

two metal columns forming a third side and a fourth side of the rectangle.

15. The device of claim 14 further comprising a plurality of metal lines, wherein each pair of neighboring ones of the plurality of rectangular metal structures is interconnected by one of the plurality of metal lines.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein each pair of neighboring ones of the plurality of rectangular metal structures is interconnected by only one of the plurality of metal lines.

17. The device of claim 13 further comprising:

a second vertical inductor over the substrate and comprising a second coil formed of metal, with a second axis of the second coil extending in a second direction parallel to the major surface of the substrate; and

a metal line interconnecting the first vertical inductor and the second vertical inductor to form a single inductor.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the metal line forms a center tab of the single inductor.