Inductor for integrated circuit

• US 6,456,183 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2000
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: M-Red Inc. (Quest Patent Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Memscap SA and Planhead-Silmag PHS SA
• Inventors: Karam, Jean-Michel, Valentin, François, Basteres, Laurent, Mhani, Ahmed
• Primary Examiner(s): MAI, ANH T
• Application Number:
  US09/511,748
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 336/200, 336/223, 336/232
• US Class Current: 336/200
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0006 Printed inductances printed coils for dynamo-electric machines H02K3/26; printed circuits H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2017/0046 with a conductive path having a bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/645 Inductive arrangements H01L23/647, H01L23/66 take precedence
• 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

An inductor assembly for use in RF and microwave circuits wherein the inductor is formed of a first spiral wound metal strip that is mounted on a flat surface of a quartz substrate. The metal strip is formed of copper and has a height above the flat surface that is about 30 microns.

Claims

1. An inductor assembly suitable for use in radiofrequency and microwave circuits that includes:

a substrate,

an inductor having an end terminal and being formed of a first metal strip that is wound in a spiral and being mounted upon a flat surface of said substrate,

said substrate being formed of quartz,

said spiral wound metal inductor being formed of copper;

said first metal strip having a height equal to or greater than 10 microns; and

raised spacer elements for mounting said end terminals of the inductor upon an integrated circuit.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said inductor has a rectangular cross-section and a uniform height of about 30 microns above the flat surface of the substrate.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein faces of said inductor exposed to atmosphere are coated with a layer of gold.

4. The assembly of claim 2 wherein a space is provided between adjacent winding of said spiral wound first metal strip.

5. The assembly of claim 1 that further includes a polyimide layer mounted upon the flat surface of said substrate between said substrate and said first metal strip.

6. The assembly of claim 5 that further includes a first end terminal connected to an outer end of said inductor and a second end terminal connected to an inner end of said inductor by an elongated connector segment that passes through said polyimide layer.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said spiral is circular in form.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said integrated circuit board includes contact pads to which said raised spacer elements are connected to provide an electrical connection between said inductor terminals and said board.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein said spacer elements are cylindrical in form.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the diameter of said spacer elements are about equal to three times the height of said spacer elements.