Three dimensional inductor and transformer

• US 8,143,952 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2009
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, Jonghae, Gu, Shiqun, Henderson, Brian Matthew, Toms, Thomas R., Chua-Eoan, Lew G., Bazarjani, Seyfollah S., Nowak, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PATRICIA T
• Application Number:
  US12/576,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20110084765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 257/531, 257/528, 257/516, 336/200, 330/307
• US Class Current: 330/307
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0013 with stacked layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 19/04 Transformers or mutual inductances suitable for handling frequencies considerably beyond the audio range resonant circuits H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2017/002 Details of via holes for interconnecting the layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/481 Internal lead connections, e.g. via connections, feedthrough structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5227 Inductive arrangements or effects of, or between, wiring layers other inductive arrangements H01L23/645
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0207 Geometrical layout of the components, e.g. computer aided design; custom LSI, semi-custom LSI, standard cell technique
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/10 Inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance

Abstract

A three dimensional on-chip inductor, transformer and radio frequency amplifier are disclosed. The radio frequency amplifier includes a pair of transformers and a transistor. The transformers include at least two inductively coupled inductors. The inductors include a plurality of segments of a first metal layer, a plurality of segments of a second metal layer, a first inductor input, a second inductor input, and a plurality of through silicon vias coupling the plurality of segments of the first metal layer and the plurality of segments of the second metal layer to form a continuous, non-intersecting path between the first inductor input and the second inductor input. The inductors can have a symmetric or asymmetric geometry. The first metal layer can be a metal layer in the back-end-of-line section of the chip. The second metal layer can be located in the redistributed design layer of the chip.

Claims

1. A three dimensional on-chip inductor comprising:

a substrate having a top side and a bottom side, the top side being opposite the bottom side;

a plurality of segments of a first metal layer, the first metal layer being above the top side of the substrate;

a plurality of segments of a second metal layer, the second metal layer being below the bottom side of the substrate;

a first inductor input and a second inductor input; and

a plurality of through silicon vias extending from the top side of the substrate to the bottom side of the substrate and coupling the plurality of segments of the first metal layer and the plurality of segments of the second metal layer to form a continuous, non-intersecting path between the first inductor input and the second inductor input.

2. The on-chip inductor of claim 1, wherein the first metal layer is located in a back-end-of-line section of the chip.

3. The on-chip inductor of claim 1, wherein the second metal layer is located in a redistributed design layer section of the chip.

4. The on-chip inductor of claim 3, wherein the first metal layer is located in a back-end-of-line section of the chip.

5. The on-chip inductor of claim 1, wherein the first and second inductor inputs are located in one of the first metal layer and the second metal layer, and the on-chip inductor has a symmetric geometry around a symmetry line passing between the first and second inductor inputs.

6. The on-chip inductor of claim 1, wherein the on-chip inductor has an asymmetric geometry.

8. The on-chip inductor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of through silicon vias are distributed in a regular array pattern.

9. The on-chip inductor of claim 8, wherein the regular array pattern of through silicon vias are surrounded by a perimeter comprising a plurality of through silicon vias coupled to ground.

22. The on-chip inductor of claim 6, wherein the first inductor input is located in one of the first metal layer and the second metal layer, and the second inductor input is located in a third metal layer.

23. The on-chip inductor of claim 22, wherein the on-chip inductor has a generally spiral shape having a central end and an exterior end, the first inductor input being coupled to the center end of the spiral shape, and the second inductor input being coupled to the exterior end of the spiral shape.

7. A three dimensional on-chip inductor comprising:

a plurality of segments of a first metal layer;

a plurality of segments of a second metal layer;

a first inductor input and a second inductor input; and

a plurality of through silicon vias coupling the plurality of segments of the first metal layer and the plurality of segments of the second metal layer to form a continuous, non-intersecting path between the first inductor input and the second inductor input;

wherein the first inductor input is located in one of the first metal layer and the second metal layer, and the second inductor input is located in a third metal layer.

10. A three dimensional on-chip transformer comprising:

a substrate having a top side and a bottom side, the top side being opposite the bottom side;

a first on-chip inductor and a second on-chip inductor, each of the first and second on-chip inductors comprising

a plurality of first segments in a first metal layer, the first metal layer being above the top side of the substrate;

a plurality of second segments in a second metal layer, the second metal layer being below the bottom side of the substrate;

a first inductor input and a second inductor input, the first and second inductor inputs being located in one of the first metal layer and the second metal layer; and

a plurality of through silicon vias extending from the top side of the substrate to the bottom side of the substrate and coupling the plurality of first segments and the plurality of second segments to form a continuous, non-intersecting path between the first inductor input and the second inductor input;

the first on-chip inductor being inductively coupled to the second on-chip inductor, and the first on-chip inductor not being physically coupled to the second on-chip inductor except through ground.

11. The on-chip transformer of claim 10, wherein the first metal layer is located in a back-end-of-line section of the chip.

12. The on-chip transformer of claim 10, wherein the second metal layer is located in a redistributed design layer section of the chip.

13. The on-chip transformer of claim 12, wherein the first metal layer is located in a back-end-of-line section of the chip.

14. The on-chip transformer of claim 10, wherein the plurality of through silicon vias of the first on-chip inductor are distributed in a regular array pattern, and the plurality of through silicon vias of the second on-chip inductor are distributed in a regular array pattern.

15. The on-chip transformer of claim 14, wherein an outside of the regular array pattern of through silicon vias of the first and second on-chip inductors is surrounded by a perimeter comprising a plurality of through silicon vias coupled to ground, wherein the outside of the regular array pattern of through silicon vias of the first and second on-chip inductors is on the sides of the first and second on-chip inductors that are away from the inductive coupling between the first and second on-chip inductors.

16. A three dimensional on-chip electronic device comprising:

a substrate having a top side and a bottom side, the top side being opposite the bottom side;

a first on-chip inductor comprising a first plurality of first layer segments in a first metal layer, the first metal layer being above the top side of the substrate, a first plurality of second layer segments in a second metal layer, the second metal layer being below the bottom side of the substrate, a first inductor input and a first inductor output, and a first plurality of through silicon vias extending from the top side of the substrate to the bottom side of the substrate and coupling the first plurality of first layer segments and the first plurality of second layer segments to form a continuous, non-intersecting path between the first inductor input and the first inductor output, the first inductor input and the first inductor output being located in one of the first metal layer and the second metal layer, the first inductor output being coupled to ground; and

a second on-chip inductor comprising a second plurality of first layer segments in the first metal layer, a second plurality of second layer segments in the second metal layer, a second inductor input and a second inductor output, and a second plurality of through silicon vias extending from the top side of the substrate to the bottom side of the substrate and coupling the second plurality of first layer segments and the second plurality of second layer segments to form a continuous, non-intersecting path between the second inductor input and the second inductor output, the second inductor input and the second inductor output being located in one of the first metal layer and the second metal layer, the second inductor output being coupled to ground;

the first on-chip inductor being inductively coupled to the second on-chip inductor, and the first on-chip inductor not being physically coupled to the second on-chip inductor except through ground.

17. The three dimensional on-chip electronic device of claim 16, further comprising:

a third on-chip inductor comprising a third plurality of first layer segments in the first metal layer, a third plurality of second layer segments in the second metal layer, a third inductor input and a third inductor output, and a third plurality of through silicon vias coupling the third plurality of first layer segments and the third plurality of second layer segments to form a continuous, non-intersecting path between the third inductor input and the third inductor output, the third inductor input and the third inductor output being located in one of the first metal layer and the second metal layer, the third inductor output being coupled to ground;

a fourth on-chip inductor comprising a fourth plurality of first layer segments in the first metal layer, a fourth plurality of second layer segments in the second metal layer, a fourth inductor input and a fourth inductor output, and a fourth plurality of through silicon vias coupling the fourth plurality of first layer segments and the fourth plurality of second layer segments to form a continuous, non-intersecting path between the fourth inductor input and the fourth inductor output, the fourth inductor input and the fourth inductor output being located in one of the first metal layer and the second metal layer, the fourth inductor output being coupled to ground;

the third on-chip inductor being inductively coupled to the fourth on-chip inductor, and the third on-chip inductor not being physically coupled to the fourth on-chip inductor except through ground; and

a first on-chip transistor comprising a gate, a drain and a source, the gate of the first on-chip transistor being coupled to the second inductor input, the drain of the first on-chip transistor being coupled to the third inductor input, and the source of the first on-chip transistor being coupled to ground.

18. The three dimensional on-chip electronic device of claim 16, wherein the first metal layer is located in a back-end-of-line section of the chip.

19. The three dimensional on-chip electronic device of claim 16, wherein the second metal layer is located in a redistributed design layer of the chip.

20. The three dimensional on-chip electronic device of claim 16, further comprising:

a fifth inductor including a fifth inductor input and a fifth inductor output, the fifth inductor input being coupled to a supply voltage, the fifth inductor output being coupled to the drain of the first on-chip transistor;

a sixth inductor including a sixth inductor input and a sixth inductor output, the sixth inductor input being coupled to the supply voltage; and

a second on-chip transistor including a gate, a drain and a source;

the gate of the second on-chip transistor being coupled to the drain of the first on-chip transistor;

the drain of the second on-chip transistor being coupled to the third inductor input and to the sixth inductor output, the source of the second on-chip transistor being coupled to ground.

21. The three dimensional on-chip electronic device of claim 20, wherein the fifth on-chip inductor comprises a fifth plurality of first segments in the first metal layer, a fifth plurality of second segments in a second metal layer and a fifth plurality of through silicon vias coupling the fifth plurality of first segments and the fifth plurality of second segments to form a continuous, non-intersecting path between the fifth inductor input and the fifth inductor output, the fifth inductor input and the fifth inductor output being located in one of the first metal layer and the second metal layer;

and

the sixth on-chip inductor comprises a sixth plurality of first segments in the first metal layer, a sixth plurality of second segments in the second metal layer and a sixth plurality of through silicon vias coupling the sixth plurality of first segments and the sixth plurality of second segments to form a continuous, non-intersecting path between the sixth inductor input and the sixth inductor output, the sixth inductor input and the sixth inductor output being located in one of the first metal layer and the second metal layer.