Structure and method for a transformer with magnetic features

• US 9,330,830 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2015
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Yen, Hsiao-Tsung, Lin, Yu-Ling, Lu, Ying-Ta, Chen, Huan-Neng, Chen, Ho-Hsiang
• Primary Examiner(s): YUSHIN, NIKOLAY K
• Application Number:
  US14/659,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20150255207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2027/2809 on stacked layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2804 Printed windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 5/003 Printed circuit coils
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5226 Via connections in a multilevel interconnection structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5227 Inductive arrangements or effects of, or between, wiring layers other inductive arrangements H01L23/645
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/528 Geometry or layout of the interconnection structure H01L27/0207 takes precedence; algorithms G06F30/00
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a first inductor formed on a first substrate; a second inductor formed on a second substrate and conductively coupled with the first inductor as a transformer; and a plurality of micro-bump features configured between the first and second substrates. The plurality of micro-bump features include a magnetic material having a relative permeability substantially greater than one and are configured to enhance coupling between the first and second inductors.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a first inductor;

a second inductor disposed over the first inductor and coupled with the first inductor as a transformer;

a first magnetic feature and a second magnetic feature disposed between the first and second inductors, wherein the first and second magnetic features do not physically contact either the first inductor or the second inductor, and

wherein the first inductor surrounds the first and second magnetic features without overlapping the first and second magnetic features.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a conductive feature disposed between the first and second inductors; and

a dielectric material layer disposed between the first and second inductors, wherein the first magnetic feature, the second magnetic feature, and the conductive feature extend through the dielectric material layer, and wherein the conductive feature is formed of a first material having a first permeability and the first magnetic feature is formed of a second material having a second permeability that is different than the first permeability.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first substrate, wherein the first inductor is disposed on the first substrate;

a second substrate, wherein the second inductor is disposed on the second substrate; and

a conductive feature disposed between the first and second substrates to electrically couple the first and second substrates.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising a dielectric material disposed between the first and second substrates, and

wherein the first and second magnetic features extend through the dielectric material, and

wherein the conducive feature extends through the dielectric material.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the conductive feature is formed of a first material having a first permeability and the first magnetic feature is formed of a second material having a second permeability that is different than the first permeability.

6. A device comprising:

a first inductor;

a second inductor configured to couple with the first inductor as a transformer;

a first via and a second via extending between the first and second inductors, the first and second vias configured to enhance coupling between the first and second inductors, wherein the first and second vias do not physically contact either the first inductor or the second inductor; and

a dielectric material layer separating the first and second vias from physically contacting either the first inductor or the second inductor.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein at least one of the first and second vias includes a magnetic feature.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the first inductor is disposed over a first semiconductor substrate and the second inductor is disposed over a second semiconductor substrate.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the first inductor surrounds the first and second vias without overlapping the first and second vias.

10. The device of claim 6, further comprising a third via extending between the first and second inductors, and

wherein the first and second vias are formed of a different material than the third via.

11. The device of claim 6, wherein the first, second, and third vias extend through the dielectric material, and

wherein the third via is formed of a first material having a first permeability and second via is formed of a second material having a second permeability that is different than the first permeability.

12. The device of claim 6, wherein the first inductor includes a first ring shape structure and the second inductor includes a second ring shape structure.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the first and second ring shape structures do not overlap the first and second vias.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the first and second ring shape structures overlap the first and second vias.

15. A device comprising:

a first inductor;

a second inductor disposed over the first inductor and conductively coupled with the first inductor as a transformer; and

a first magnetic feature and a second magnetic feature disposed between the first and second inductors, wherein the first and second magnetic features are electrically isolated from the first inductor.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the first and second magnetic features are electrically isolated from the second inductor.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the first inductor includes a ring structure having multiple turn sections and wherein the first magnetic feature is overlapped by at least two of the turn sections of the ring structure.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the transformer is disposed within an interconnect structure.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the first magnetic feature has a non-circular cross-sectional profile shape.

20. The device of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of vias extending between the first and second inductors, and

wherein the first and second magnetic features are integrated with the plurality of vias, and

wherein the first magnetic feature is formed of a different material than the plurality of vias.