Inductor formed in an integrated circuit

• US 7,678,639 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bell Semiconductor, LLC (Hilco Inc. (d/b/a Hilco Global))
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harris, Edward Belden, Vitkavage, Susan Clay, Steiner, Kurt George, Merchant, Sailesh Mansinh
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tuyen
• Application Number:
  US12/340,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20090100668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 336/65, 336/200, 336/232, 257/531, 438/210, 438706-724
• US Class Current: 438/210
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/041 Printed circuit coils apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in general H05K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05001 Internal layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05027 the internal layer extending out of an opening
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0508 being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05124 Aluminium [Al] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05166 Titanium [Ti] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05181 Tantalum [Ta] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05184 Tungsten [W] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05572 the external layer extending out of an opening
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/056 with a principal constituent of the material being a metal or a metalloid, e.g. boron [B], silicon [Si], germanium [Ge], arsenic [As], antimony [Sb], tellurium [Te] and polonium [Po], and alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45124 Aluminium (Al) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5227 Inductive arrangements or effects of, or between, wiring layers other inductive arrangements H01L23/645
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/03 Manufacturing methods
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/05 of an individual bonding area
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/10 Bump connectors bumps on insulating substrates, e.g. chip carriers, H01L23/49816; Manufacturing methods related thereto
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/13 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/08 including only semiconductor components of a single kind
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/10 : Inductors
• 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 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01015 : Phosphorus [P]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01022 : Titanium [Ti]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01027 : Cobalt [Co]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01068 : Erbium [Er]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01073 : Tantalum [Ta]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 : Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01075 : Rhenium [Re]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/04941 : TiN
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/04953 : TaN
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 : being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19042 : being an inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30105 : Capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 : Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 : Electromagnet, transformer or inductor

Abstract

An inductor formed within an integrated circuit and a method for forming the inductor. The inductor comprises an underlying layer of aluminum formed in a first metallization layer and patterned and etched into the desired shape. In one embodiment the aluminum line comprises a spiral shape. According to a damascene process, a conductive runner, preferably of copper, is formed in a dielectric layer overlying the aluminum line and in electrical contact therewith. The aluminum line and the conductive runner cooperate to form the inductor. In another embodiment the aluminum line and the conductive runner are formed in a vertically spaced-apart orientation, with tungsten plugs or conductive vias formed to provide electrical connection therebetween. A method for forming the inductor comprises forming an aluminum conductive line and forming a conductive runner over the conductive line.

Claims

1. A method for forming an inductor in a semiconductor integrated circuit, the method comprising:

forming a first inductor line on a metallization dielectric layer, the first inductor line having terminal end pads;

forming a dielectric layer over the first inductor line and the terminal end pads;

forming a first opening in the dielectric layer to expose the first inductor line, wherein the length of the opening is substantially co-extensive with the first inductor line;

filling the first opening with a conductive material to form a second inductor line that is in electrical communication and substantially co-extensive with the first inductor line and wherein the first and second inductor lines are cooperable to cause an inductive effect;

forming second openings in the dielectric layer to expose the terminal end pads subsequent to forming the second inductor line; and

filling the second openings with a conductive material to form contacts for the first and second inductor lines.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein filling the second openings comprises forming a solder bump.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first inductor line comprises aluminum.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second inductor line comprises copper.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein filling the first opening to form the second inductor line includes electroplating copper in the first opening.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first inductor line has a serpentine configuration and the terminal end pads includes a first end pad located on an outer edge of the serpentine configuration and a second end pad located within an interior of the serpentine configuration.