Inductor with magnetic material layers

• US 6,191,468 B1
• Filed: 02/03/1999
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Forbes, Leonard, Ahn, Kie Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Munson, Gene M.
• Application Number:
  US09/243,584
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 257/531, 257/528
• US Class Current: 257/531
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0013 with stacked layers
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4906 Providing winding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49064 by coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49069 Data storage inductor or core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

A spiral inductor fabricated above a semiconductor substrate provides a large inductance while occupying only a small surface area. Including a layer of magnetic material above and below the inductor increases the inductance of the inductor. The magnetic material also acts as barrier that confines electronic noise generated in the spiral inductor to the area occupied by the spiral inductor. Inductance in a pair of stacked spiral inductors is increased by including a layer of magnetic material between the stacked spiral inductors.

Claims

1. An inductor comprising:

a layer of magnetic material deposited on a substrate;

an insulating layer deposited on the magnetic material layer;

an inductor pattern deposited on the insulating layer;

a second insulating layer deposited on the inductor pattern; and

a second magnetic material layer deposited on the second insulating layer.

2. The inductor of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor.

3. The inductor of claim 1, wherein the magnetic material is a ferromagnetic.

4. The inductor of claim 1, wherein the insulating layer is silicon dioxide.

5. The inductor of claim 1, wherein the inductor pattern is a square spiral.

6. The inductor of claim 1, wherein the inductor pattern is a high-conductivity material.

7. An inductor comprising:

a layer of magnetic material deposited on a substrate;

an insulating layer deposited on the magnetic material layer;

an inductor pattern deposited on the insulating layer and above the magnetic material layer;

a second insulating layer deposited on the inductor pattern; and

a second magnetic material layer deposited on the second insulating layer.

8. The inductor of claim 7, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor.

9. The inductor of claim 7, wherein the magnetic material is a ferromagnetic.

10. The inductor of claim 7, wherein the insulating layer is silicon dioxide.

11. The inductor of claim 7, wherein the inductor pattern is a square spiral.

12. The inductor of claim 7, wherein the inductor pattern is a high-conductivity material.

13. An inductor comprising:

a layer of magnetic material deposited on a substrate;

an insulating layer deposited on the magnetic material layer;

an inductor pattern deposited on the insulating layer;

a second insulating layer deposited on the inductor pattern; and

a second magnetic material layer deposited on the second insulating layer and above the inductor pattern.

14. The inductor of claim 13, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor.

15. The inductor of claim 13, wherein the magnetic material is a ferromagnetic.

16. The inductor of claim 13, wherein the insulating layer is silicon dioxide.

17. The inductor of claim 13, wherein the inductor pattern is a square spiral.

18. The inductor of claim 13, wherein the inductor pattern is a high-conductivity material.

19. An inductor comprising:

a layer of magnetic material deposited on a silicon substrate;

an insulating layer deposited on the magnetic material layer;

an inductor pattern deposited on the insulating layer and above the magnetic material layer;

a second insulating layer deposited on the inductor pattern; and

a second magnetic material layer deposited on the second insulating layer and above the inductor pattern.

20. The inductor of claim 19, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor.

21. The inductor of claim 19, wherein the magnetic material is a ferromagnetic.

22. The inductor of claim 19, wherein the insulating layer is silicon dioxide.

23. The inductor of claim 19, herein the inductor pattern is a square spiral.

24. The inductor of claim 19, herein the inductor pattern is a high-conductivity material.

25. An integrated circuit comprising:

an inductor comprising;

a layer of magnetic material deposited on a substrate;

an insulating layer deposited on the magnetic material layer;

an inductor pattern deposited on the insulating layer;

a second insulating layer deposited on the inductor pattern; and

a second magnetic material layer deposited on the second insulating layer; and

an electronic device coupled to the inductor.

26. The integrated circuit of claim 25, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor.

27. The integrated circuit of claim 25, wherein the magnetic material is a ferromagnetic.

28. The integrated circuit of claim 25, wherein the insulating layer is silicon dioxide.

29. The integrated circuit of claim 25, wherein the inductor pattern is a square spiral.

30. The integrated circuit of claim 25, wherein the inductor pattern is a high-conductivity material.

31. An integrated circuit comprising:

an inductor comprising;

a layer of magnetic material deposited on a substrate;

an insulating layer deposited on the magnetic material layer;

an inductor pattern deposited on the insulating layer and above the magnetic material layer;

a second insulating layer deposited on the inductor pattern; and

a second magnetic material layer deposited on the second insulating layer;

and

an electronic device coupled to the inductor.

32. The integrated circuit of claim 31, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor.

33. The integrated circuit of claim 31, wherein the magnetic material is a ferromagnetic.

34. The integrated circuit of claim 31, wherein the insulating layer is silicon dioxide.

35. The integrated circuit of claim 31, wherein the inductor pattern is a square spiral.

36. The integrated circuit of claim 31, wherein the inductor pattern is a high-conductivity material.

37. An integrated circuit comprising:

an inductor comprising;

a layer of magnetic material deposited on a substrate;

an insulating layer deposited on the magnetic material layer;

an inductor pattern deposited on the insulating layer;

a second insulating layer deposited on the inductor pattern; and

a second magnetic material layer deposited on the second insulating layer and above the inductor pattern; and

an electronic device coupled to the inductor.

38. The integrated circuit of claim 37, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor.

39. The integrated circuit of claim 37, wherein the magnetic material is a ferromagnetic.

40. The integrated circuit of claim 37, wherein the insulating layer is silicon dioxide.

41. The integrated circuit of claim 37, wherein the inductor pattern is a square spiral.

42. The integrated circuit of claim 37, wherein the inductor pattern is a high-conductivity material.

43. An integrated circuit comprising:

an inductor comprising;

a layer of magnetic material deposited on a silicon substrate;

an insulating layer deposited on the magnetic material layer;

an inductor pattern deposited on the insulating layer and above the magnetic material layer;

a second insulating layer deposited on the inductor pattern; and

a second magnetic material layer deposited on the second insulating layer and above the inductor pattern; and

an electronic device coupled to the inductor.

44. The integrated circuit of claim 43, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor.

45. The integrated circuit of claim 43, wherein the magnetic material is a ferromagnetic.

46. The integrated circuit of claim 43, wherein the insulating layer is silicon dioxide.

47. The integrated circuit of claim 43, wherein the inductor pattern is a square spiral.

48. The integrated circuit of claim 43, wherein the inductor pattern is a high-conductivity material.

49. An inductor comprising:

a layer of magnetic material deposited on a substrate;

an insulating layer deposited on the magnetic material layer;

a plurality of sandwich structures vertically stacked on the insulating layer, the structures comprising;

an inductor pattern;

an insulating layer deposited on the inductor pattern;

a layer of magnetic material deposited on the insulating layer; and

an insulating layer deposited on the magnetic material layer; and

a conducting path through the structures such that each inductor pattern is serially connected to the inductor pattern above by the conducting path, and such that a current flowing in the serially connected inductor patterns creates a reinforcing magnetic field in the magnetic material between adjacent inductor patterns.

50. The inductor of claim 49, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor.

51. The inductor of claim 49, wherein the magnetic material is a ferromagnetic.

52. The inductor of claim 49, wherein the insulating layer is silicon dioxide.

53. The inductor of claim 49, wherein the inductor pattern is a square spiral.

54. The inductor of claim 49, wherein the inductor pattern is a high-conductivity material.

55. An inductor comprising:

a layer of magnetic material deposited on a substrate;

an insulating layer deposited on the magnetic material layer;

a plurality of sandwich structures vertically stacked on the insulating layer, the structures comprising;

an inductor pattern;

an insulating layer deposited on the inductor pattern;

a layer of magnetic material deposited on the insulating layer and above the inductor pattern; and

an insulating layer deposited on the magnetic material layer; and

a conducting path through the structures such that each inductor pattern is serially connected to the inductor pattern above by the conducting path, and such that a current flowing in the serially connected inductor patterns creates a reinforcing magnetic field in the magnetic material between adjacent inductor patterns.

56. The inductor of claim 55, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor.

57. The inductor of claim 55, wherein the magnetic material is a ferromagnetic.

58. The inductor of claim 55, wherein the insulating layer is silicon dioxide.

59. The inductor of claim 55, wherein the inductor pattern is a square spiral.

60. The inductor of claim 55, wherein the inductor pattern is a high-conductivity material.

61. An inductor comprising:

a layer of magnetic material deposited on a substrate;

an insulating layer deposited on the magnetic material layer;

a plurality of sandwich structures vertically stacked on the insulating layer and above the magnetic material layer, the structures comprising;

an inductor pattern;

an insulating layer deposited on the inductor pattern;

a layer of magnetic material deposited on the insulating layer; and

an insulating layer deposited on the magnetic material layer; and

a conducting path through the structures such that each inductor pattern is serially connected to the inductor pattern above by the conducting path, and such that a current flowing in the serially connected inductor patterns creates a reinforcing magnetic field in the magnetic material between adjacent inductor patterns.

62. The inductor of claim 61, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor.

63. The inductor of claim 61, wherein the magnetic material is a ferromagnetic.

64. The inductor of claim 61, wherein the insulating layer is silicon dioxide.

65. The inductor of claim 61, wherein the inductor pattern is a square spiral.

66. The inductor of claim 61, wherein the inductor pattern is a high-conductivity material.

67. An inductor comprising:

a layer of magnetic material deposited on a silicon substrate;

an insulating layer deposited on the magnetic material layer; and

a plurality of sandwich structures vertically stacked on the insulating layer and above the magnetic material layer, the structures comprising;

an inductor pattern;

an insulating layer deposited on the inductor pattern;

a layer of magnetic material deposited on the insulating layer and above the inductor pattern;

an insulating layer deposited on the magnetic material layer; and

a conducting path through the structures such that each inductor pattern is serially connected to the inductor pattern above by the conducting path, and such that a current flowing in the serially connected inductor patterns creates a reinforcing magnetic field in the magnetic material between adjacent inductor patterns.

68. The inductor of claim 67, wherein the substrate is a semiconductor.

69. The inductor of claim 67, wherein the magnetic material is a ferromagnetic.

70. The inductor of claim 67, wherein the insulating layer is silicon dioxide.

71. The inductor of claim 67, wherein the inductor pattern is a square spiral.

72. The inductor of claim 67, wherein the inductor pattern is a high-conductivity material.