On-chip transformers

• US 5,877,667 A
• Filed: 08/01/1996
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Wollesen, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, Michael L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAI, ANH T
• Application Number:
  US08/691,053
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 336/200, 336/232, 336/223, 336/181, 336/183
• US Class Current: 336/200
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 17/0033 with the coil helically wound around a magnetic core

Abstract

Various embodiments of on chip-transformers constructed in separate metal layers in an insulator that serves as a dielectric which is formed on a substrate such as a silicon substrate. Windings with currents flowing in a first direction are constructed in a first metal layer and windings with currents flowing a second direction are constructed in a second metal layer. Windings in the first metal layer are connected to windings in the second metal layer by connectors such as vias. The transformer can be constructed in a balun layout, an autotransformer layout, a layout with the secondary separated from the primary, a layout with the secondary separated the primary and rotated with respect to an axis of the primary, a layout in which the transformer is a two stage transformer and with the first stage constructed orthogonal to the second stage, or a transformer in which the windings are constructed in a toroidal layout.

Claims

1. An on-chip transformer, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a dielectric layer formed on the semiconductor substrate;

a transformer having primary and secondary windings formed in the dielectric layer;

a first portion of the primary windings and a first portion of the secondary windings are formed in a first portion of the dielectric layer forming a first metal layer; and

a second portion of the primary windings and a second portion of the secondary windings are formed in a second portion of the dielectric layer forming a second metal layer.

2. The on-chip transformer of claim 1, wherein:

current flowing in the first portion of the primary windings formed in the first metal layer and current flowing in the first portion of the secondary windings formed in the first metal layer flows in a first direction; and

current flowing in the second portion of the primary windings formed in the second metal layer and current flowing in the second portion of the secondary windings formed in the second metal layer flows in a second direction.

3. The on-chip transformer of claim 2, wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction.

4. The on-chip transformer of claim 3, having a coupling coefficient.

5. The on-chip transformer of claim 4, wherein said coupling coefficient is a function of the current flowing in first and second