Varying thickness inductor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016358709-A1
Application number	US-201615242007-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 19, 2016
Priority date	Aug 30, 2013
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method includes forming a first conductive spiral and a second conductive spiral of a spiral inductor coupled to a substrate. The second conductive spiral overlays the first conductive spiral. A first portion of an innermost turn of the spiral inductor has a first thickness in a direction perpendicular to the substrate. The first portion of the innermost turn includes a first portion of the first conductive spiral and does not include the second conductive spiral. A second portion of the innermost turn includes a first portion of the second conductive spiral. A portion of an outermost turn of the spiral inductor has a second thickness in the direction perpendicular to the substrate. The second thickness is greater than the first thickness. The portion of the outermost turn includes a second portion of the first conductive spiral and a second portion of the second conductive spiral.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
forming a first conductive spiral of a spiral inductor coupled to a substrate; and forming a second conductive spiral of the spiral inductor, wherein the second conductive spiral overlays the first conductive spiral, wherein a first portion of an innermost turn of the spiral inductor has a first thickness in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, wherein the first portion of the innermost turn includes a first portion of the first conductive spiral and does not include the second conductive spiral, wherein a second portion of the innermost turn includes a first portion of the second conductive spiral, wherein a portion of an outermost turn of the spiral inductor has a second thickness in the direction perpendicular to the substrate, wherein the second thickness is greater than the first thickness, and wherein the portion of the outermost turn includes a second portion of the first conductive spiral and a second portion of the second conductive spiral.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the first conductive spiral and forming the second conductive spiral are initiated by a processor integrated into an electronic device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive spiral defines a first coil and the second conductive spiral defines a second coil, and further comprising forming a passivation layer including a first portion between the first conductive spiral and the second conductive spiral, wherein the second portion of the innermost turn includes a third portion of the first conductive spiral and a second portion of the passivation layer overlaying the third portion of the first conductive spiral, the second portion of the innermost turn not including the second conductive spiral.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming a passivation layer including a portion between the first conductive spiral and the second conductive spiral; and forming a via through the passivation layer.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising electrically connecting the first conductive spiral to the second conductive spiral by forming the via.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a conductive layer between the first conductive spiral and the second conductive spiral, wherein a third portion of the innermost turn of the spiral inductor has a third thickness in the direction perpendicular to the substrate, wherein the third thickness is less than the second thickness and greater than the first thickness, wherein the third portion of the innermost turn includes a third portion of the first conductive spiral, the conductive layer, and the second conductive spiral.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first portion of the innermost turn does not include the conductive layer.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the portion of the outermost turn of the spiral inductor includes the conductive layer.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the conductive layer comprises a discontinuous spiral.

10 . A method comprising:
forming a conductive spiral of a spiral inductor coupled to a substrate; and forming a conductive layer of the spiral inductor above the conductive spiral, wherein a first portion of an innermost turn of the spiral inductor has a first thickness in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, wherein a second portion of the innermost turn has a second thickness in the direction perpendicular to the substrate, wherein the second thickness is greater than the first thickness, and wherein a thickness of the spiral inductor increases according to a gradient from the first thickness to the second thickness.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the conductive layer comprises a discontinuous spiral.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein forming the conductive spiral and forming the conductive layer are initiated by a processor integrated into an electronic device.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the conductive spiral includes a first conductive spiral, and wherein the conductive layer comprises a second conductive spiral.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising forming a passivation layer including a portion between the first conductive spiral and the second conductive spiral.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising forming a via through the passivation layer.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising electrically connecting the first conductive spiral to the second conductive spiral by forming a via through the passivation layer.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein a third portion of the innermost turn of the spiral inductor has a third thickness in the direction perpendicular to the substrate, wherein the third thickness is less than the second thickness and greater than the first thickness.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the third portion of the innermost turn includes the first conductive spiral, the conductive layer, and the second conductive spiral.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the first portion of the innermost turn does not include the conductive layer.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the conductive layer comprises an input lead, an output lead, or a combination thereof.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Kim Daeik Daniel
• Zuo Chengjie
• Yun Changhan Hobie
• Velez Mario Francisco
• Mikulka Robert Paul
• Zhang Xiangdong
• Kim Jonghae
• Lan Je-Hsiung

Classifications

• H01F17/0013 Primary

  with stacked layers · CPC title

• H01F27/2804

  Printed windings · CPC title

• H01F2027/2809

  on stacked layers · CPC title

• H01F41/041 Primary

  Printed circuit coils (apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in general H05K3/00) · CPC title

• H01F2017/0053

  with means to reduce eddy currents · CPC title