Compact Vertical Inductors Extending in Vertical Planes

• US 20170140867A1
• Filed: 01/30/2017
• Published: 05/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2011
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Kuo, Chin-Wei, Chen, Ho-Hsiang, Yen, Hsiao-Tsung, Chen, Huan-Neng, Chen, Mei-Show, Lin, Yu-Ling, Jeng, Min-Chie
• Granted Patent: US 10,276,295 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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. An inductor comprising:

a first spiral feature in a first plane over a substrate;

a second spiral feature in a second plane over the substrate; and

a third spiral feature in a third plane over the substrate, each of the first plane, the second plane, and the third plane being perpendicular to a major surface of the substrate, wherein each spiral feature comprises a first metal line, the first metal line extending continuously between adjacent spiral features of the first spiral feature, the second spiral feature, and the third spiral feature, the first metal line forming a part of each of the adjacent spiral features.

2. The inductor of claim 1, wherein each spiral feature comprises the first metal line in a first metallization layer and a second metal line in a second metallization layer, the first metal line being electrically coupled to the second metal line by a plurality of vias.

3. The inductor of claim 2, wherein the second metal line is a straight metal line in single plane.

4. The inductor of claim 3, wherein the second metal line is closer to the substrate than the first metal line.

5. The inductor of claim 3, wherein the first metal line comprises a first segment in one plane, a second segment in another plane, and an intermediate segment connecting the first segment to the second segment.

6. The inductor of claim 1, wherein the first spiral feature has a different shape than the second spiral feature, wherein the first plane is adjacent to the second plane.

7. The inductor of claim 6, wherein the third spiral feature has a different shape than the first spiral feature and the second spiral feature, wherein the third plane is adjacent the second plane.

8. A inductor comprising:

a first spiral feature in a first plane over a substrate;

a second spiral feature in a second plane over the substrate; and

a third spiral feature in a third plane over the substrate, each of the first plane, the second plane, and the third plane being perpendicular to a major surface of the substrate;

wherein the first spiral feature and the second spiral feature comprise a first metal line, the first metal line extending in the first plane from a first via and in the second plane to a second via, the first metal line comprising a first interconnect segment extending from the first plane to the second plane; and

wherein the second spiral feature and the third spiral feature comprise a second metal line, the second metal line extending in the second plane from a third via and in the third plane to a fourth via, the second metal line comprising a second interconnect segment extending from the second plane to the third plane.

9. The inductor of claim 8, wherein the first spiral feature comprises a third metal line, the third metal line not extending between the first plane and an adjacent plane.

10. The inductor of claim 9, wherein the first metal line and the third metal line are separated by a plurality of metallization layers, the first metal line being electrically coupled to the third metal line by a plurality of metal pads and vias.

11. The inductor of claim 8, wherein a first gap in the first spiral feature in the first plane is at a different relative location than a second gap in the second spiral feature in the second plane, the first spiral feature and the second spiral feature being adjacent spiral features.

14. The inductor of claim 8, further comprising a first port line and a second port line, a longitudinal axis of the first port line intersecting a longitudinal axis of the second port line.

19. The inductor of claim 8, further comprising a first port line and a second port line, a first longitudinal axis of the first port line intersecting a second longitudinal axis of the second port line.

20. The inductor of claim 19, wherein the first longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the second longitudinal axis.

12. The inductor of claim ii, wherein a third gap in the third spiral feature in the first plane is at a different relative location than the second gap in the second spiral feature in the second plane, the third spiral feature and the second spiral feature being adjacent spiral features.

13. The inductor of claim 12, wherein the first gap is at a different relative location than the third gap.

15. An inductor comprising:

a first spiral feature in a first plane over a substrate, the first spiral feature comprising a first lower line and a first upper line electrically coupled by a first conductive column;

a second spiral feature in a second plane over the substrate, the second spiral feature comprising a second lower line and a second upper line electrically coupled by a second conductive column; and

a third spiral feature in a third plane over the substrate, the third spiral feature comprising a third lower line and a third upper line electrically coupled by a third conductive column, each of the first plane, the second plane, and the third plane being perpendicular to a major surface of the substrate;

wherein the first upper line extends along the first plane and the second plane, the second upper line extends along the second plane and the third plane;

wherein the first upper line is coupled to the second lower line by a fourth conductive column; and

wherein the second upper line is coupled to the third lower line by a fifth conductive column.

16. The inductor of claim 15, wherein the first lower line, the second lower line and the third lower line are a same length.

17. The inductor of claim 15, wherein the first conductive column comprises at least one metal pad and a plurality of metal vias.

18. The inductor of claim 15, wherein a gap in the second plane between the first upper line and the second upper line is at a different relative location than a gap in the third plane between the second upper line and the third upper line.