Method and structure for forming relatively dense conductive layers
First Claim
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1. An integrated circuit comprising:
- a substrate;
a plurality of integrated circuit layers formed above the substrate;
an inductor at least partially formed in another integrated circuit layer above the substrate;
at least one region of low conductor density vertically displaced from the inductor and including at least one portion of each of the plurality of integrated circuit layers;
at least one transitional region including at least one portion of each of the plurality integrated circuit layers, the at least one transitional region disposed adjacent to the at least one region of low conductor density in each of the integrated circuit layers;
at least one region of high conductor density including at least one portion of each of the plurality of integrated circuit layers, the at least one region of high conductor density disposed adjacent to the at least one transitional region, the at least one transitional region disposed between the at least one region of low conductor density and the at least one region of high conductor density; and
a plurality of conductive structures formed in the at least one transitional region, the plurality of conductive structures being electrically isolated from each other;
wherein the inductor is vertically displaced from the plurality of integrated circuit layers including the at least one region of low conductor density, the at least one region of high conductor density, and the at least one transitional region;
wherein the at least one region of high conductor density has a conductor density in the range of 20% to 80%,wherein the at least one region of low conductor density is substantially void of conductive structures.
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Abstract
A region of high metal density may be placed in metal layers proximate to an area of low metal density below an inductor on an integrated circuit without violating manufacturing design rules for reducing manufacturing defects and without substantially impacting performance of the inductor. These results are achieved by including a transitional region that includes conductive structures electrically isolated from each other between the region of high metal density and the region of low metal density. The transitional region has a structure that allows a negligible amount of current flow to be induced in the structure.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. An integrated circuit comprising:
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a substrate; a plurality of integrated circuit layers formed above the substrate; an inductor at least partially formed in another integrated circuit layer above the substrate; at least one region of low conductor density vertically displaced from the inductor and including at least one portion of each of the plurality of integrated circuit layers; at least one transitional region including at least one portion of each of the plurality integrated circuit layers, the at least one transitional region disposed adjacent to the at least one region of low conductor density in each of the integrated circuit layers; at least one region of high conductor density including at least one portion of each of the plurality of integrated circuit layers, the at least one region of high conductor density disposed adjacent to the at least one transitional region, the at least one transitional region disposed between the at least one region of low conductor density and the at least one region of high conductor density; and a plurality of conductive structures formed in the at least one transitional region, the plurality of conductive structures being electrically isolated from each other; wherein the inductor is vertically displaced from the plurality of integrated circuit layers including the at least one region of low conductor density, the at least one region of high conductor density, and the at least one transitional region; wherein the at least one region of high conductor density has a conductor density in the range of 20% to 80%, wherein the at least one region of low conductor density is substantially void of conductive structures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 21, 27, 28)
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15. An apparatus comprising:
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a substrate; a plurality of integrated circuit layers formed above the substrate; an inductor at least partially formed in another integrated circuit layer above the substrate; at least one region of low conductor density vertically displaced from the inductor and including at least one portion of each of the plurality of integrated circuit layers; at least one region of high conductor density including at least one portion of each of the plurality of integrated circuit layers; and at least one means for protecting from manufacturing defects the at least one region of high conductor density, the means for protecting being formed in the plurality of integrated circuit layers and formed proximate to the at least one region of low conductor density, the means for protecting inducing substantially no current in response to an electromagnetic field generated by the inductor, wherein the inductor is vertically displaced from the plurality of integrated circuit layers including the at least one region of low conductor density, the at least one region of high conductor density, and the at least one means from protecting; wherein the at least one region of high conductor density includes conductive layers having conductor density in the range of 20% to 80%, wherein the at least one region of low conductor density is void of conductive structures. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30)
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19. An integrated circuit comprising:
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a substrate; plurality of integrated circuit layers formed above the substrate; an inductor at least partially formed in another integrated circuit layer above the substrate; at least one region of low conductor density vertically displaced from the inductor and including at least one portion of each of the plurality of integrated circuit layers; at least one transitional region including at least one portion of each of the plurality of integrated circuit layers, the at least one transitional region disposed adjacent to the at least one region of low conductor density in each of the integrated circuit layers; at least one region of high conductor density including at least one portion of each of the plurality of integrated circuit layers, the at least one region of high conductor density disposed immediately adjacent to the at least one transitional region, the at least one transitional region disposed immediately adjacent to the at least one region of low conductor density and disposed between the at least one region of low conductor density and the at least one region of high conductor density; and a plurality of conductive structures formed in the at least one transitional region, the plurality of conductive structures being electrically isolated from each other; wherein the inductor is vertically displaced from the plurality of integrated circuit layers including the at least one region of low conductor density, the at least one region of high conductor density, and the at least one transitional region; wherein the at least one region of high conductor density has a conductor density in the range of 20% to 80%, wherein the at least one region of low conductor density is substantially void of conductive structures. - View Dependent Claims (20, 22, 26, 31, 32)
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Specification