Integrated circuit inductors

• US 6,357,107 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2001
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Ahn, Kie Y., Forbes, Leonard
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Viet Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/821,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20010018794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• Field of Search: 296/05, 296/06, 296/07, 257/527, 257/528, 257/531, 365/63
• US Class Current: 29/604
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0033 with the coil helically wound around a magnetic core
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2804 Printed windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 37/00 Fixed inductances not covered by group H01F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/08 including only semiconductor components of a single kind
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 257/924 with passive device, e.g. capacitor, or battery, as integral part of housing or housing element, e.g. cap
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49037 Using reference point/surface to facilitate measuring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49069 Data storage inductor or core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49071 by winding or coiling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49073 by assembling coil and core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49075 including permanent magnet or core

Abstract

The invention relates to an inductor comprising a plurality of interconnected conductive segments interwoven with a substrate. The inductance of the inductor is increased through the use of coatings and films of ferromagnetic materials such as magnetic metals, alloys, and oxides. The inductor is compatible with integrated circuit manufacturing techniques and eliminates the need in many systems and circuits for large off chip inductors. A sense and measurement coil, which is fabricated on the same substrate as the inductor, provides the capability to measure the magnetic field or flux produced by the inductor. This on chip measurement capability supplies information that permits circuit engineers to design and fabricate on chip inductors to very tight tolerances.

Claims

1. An inductor comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having a crystalline structure and a plurality of perforations; and

a highly conductive metal path woven through the plurality of perforations of the semiconductor substrate, and at least partially diffused into the crystalline structure.

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

3. The inductor of claim 2, wherein the highly conductive metal path is fabricated from copper.

4. The inductor of claim 1, further comprising:

an insulating material partially filling each of the plurality of perforations.

5. The inductor of claim 4, wherein the insulating material is polyimide.

6. An inductor comprising:

a perforated substrate; and

a conductive material interwoven with the perforated substrate and at least partially diffused into the perforated substrate.

7. The inductor of claim 6, wherein the conductive material is gold.

8. The inductor of claim 6, wherein the perforated substrate comprises a plurality of perforations having a circular shape.

9. An inductor comprising:

a silicon substrate having a crystalline structure and a plurality of perforations; and

a conductive metal path woven through the plurality of perforations, and the conductive metal path at least partially diffused into the crystalline structure.

10. The inductor of claim 9, wherein the conductive metal path comprises copper.

11. The inductor of claim 10, further comprising:

an insulating material partially filling each of the plurality of perforations.

12. An inductor comprising:

a gallium arsenide substrate having a plurality of perforations; and

a conductive metal path woven through the plurality of perforations.

13. The inductor of claim 12, further comprising:

an insulating material substantially lining each of the plurality of perforations.

14. The inductor of claim 13, wherein the insulating material comprises polyimide.

15. An inductor comprising:

a silicon carbide substrate having a plurality of perforations; and

a conductive metal path woven through the plurality of perforations.

16. The inductor of claim 15, wherein the conductive metal path is fabricated from copper.

17. The inductor of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of perforations is substantially triangular.

18. An inductor comprising:

a perforated substrate; and

gold interwoven with the perforated substrate and at least partially diffused into the perforated substrate.

19. The inductor of claim 18, wherein the perforated substrate comprises a plurality of perforations, each of the plurality of perforations having a substantially rectangular shape.

20. The inductor of claim 19, wherein the perforated substrate comprises gallium arsenide.

21. An inductor comprising:

a perforated substrate including a plurality of perforations; and

copper filling the plurality of perforations and at least partially diffused into the perforated substrate.

22. The inductor of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of perforations has a substantially triangular shape.

23. The inductor of claim 22, wherein each of the plurality of perforations is at least partially filled with an insulator.

24. The inductor of claim 23, wherein the insulator comprises polyimide.