Integrated circuit inductors
First Claim
1. An inductor comprising:
- a substrate having a plurality of surfaces where at least one of the plurality of surfaces is planarized and has a coating; and
a coil operable for generating a magnetic field that is substantially parallel to the planarized surface and that penetrates the coating, the coil is partially embedded in the substrate.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to an inductor comprising a plurality of interconnected conductive segments interwoven with a substrate. The inductance of the inductor is increased through the use of coatings and films of ferromagnetic materials such as magnetic metals, alloys, and oxides. The inductor is compatible with integrated circuit manufacturing techniques and eliminates the need in many systems and circuits for large off chip inductors. A sense and measurement coil, which is fabricated on the same substrate as the inductor, provides the capability to measure the magnetic field or flux produced by the inductor. This on chip measurement capability supplies information that permits circuit engineers to design and fabricate on chip inductors to very tight tolerances.
3 Citations
39 Claims
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1. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate having a plurality of surfaces where at least one of the plurality of surfaces is planarized and has a coating; and
a coil operable for generating a magnetic field that is substantially parallel to the planarized surface and that penetrates the coating, the coil is partially embedded in the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate having a rectangular cross-section and four planar surfaces;
a coating on at least one of the four planar surfaces;
a coil at least partially surrounding the substrate and operable to generate magnetic field substantially parallel to each of the planar surfaces and that penetrates the coating. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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15. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate having a planar surface with a magnetic film;
a coil partially embedded in the substrate and operable for generating a magnetic field substantially parallel to the planar surface and that penetrates the magnetic film.
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20. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate having a plurality of surfaces including at least one planarized surface;
a coating on at least one of the surfaces;
a coil to generate a magnetic field substantially parallel to the at least one planarized surface and that penetrates the coating; and
wherein the coil includes first conductive segments passing through the substrate from one surface to another. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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26. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate with a planar surface;
a coating formed upon the planar surface; and
a conductive path that passes through the substrate, the conductive path operative to generate a magnetic field that is substantially parallel to the planar surface and that penetrates the coating.
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32. An inductor comprising:
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a substrate with a plurality of surfaces;
a coil having an inductance, the coil at least partially surrounding the substrate and a portion of which is embedded in the substrate;
a coating atop the substrate, the coating designed to increase the coil inductance; and
a magnetic field formed by the coil that is substantially parallel to at least one of the plurality of surfaces and that penetrates the coating. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39)
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37. An inductor comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate having at least one planarized surface;
a magnetic film formed atop one of the at least one planarized surface;
a first conductive path formed through the substrate;
a second conductive path formed outside of the substrate and connected to the first conductive path to form a coil operable for generating a magnetic field that is substantially parallel to the at least one planarized surface and that penetrates the magnetic film.
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Specification