Digital-to-analog converter, manufacturing method thereof, and successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025175187-A1
Application number	US-202418780509-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 23, 2024
Priority date	Nov 28, 2023
Publication date	May 29, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A capacitive digital-to-analog converter (CDAC) comprising a capacitive structure and a control logic circuit coupled to each other is provided. The control logic circuit comprises switch groups that each comprises first and second switch circuits. The first and second switch circuits each comprise first, second terminals, a first via and a control terminal. The first terminal is configured to receive a source voltage or a ground voltage through a first metal layer of the CDAC. The second terminal is configured to be coupled to the capacitive structure through the first via extending in a vertical direction. The control terminal is configured to receive one of a plurality of turn-on signals through a second metal layer of the CDAC. The capacitive structure is located at least in a third metal layer of the CDAC. The third metal layer is located above the first and second metal layers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A capacitive digital-to-analog converter (CDAC), comprising:
a capacitive structure; and a control logic circuit, coupled to the capacitive structure and comprising a plurality of switch groups, wherein each of the plurality of switch groups comprises a first switch circuit and a second switch circuit, and each of the first switch circuit and the second switch circuit comprises:
a first terminal, configured to receive a source voltage or a ground voltage through a first metal layer of the CDAC;
a second terminal, configured to be coupled to the capacitive structure;
a first via, extending along a vertical direction and configured to provide a connection between the second terminal and the capacitive structure; and
a control terminal, configured to receive one of a plurality of turn-on signals through a second metal layer of the CDAC,
wherein the capacitive structure is located at least in a third metal layer of the CDAC, and in the vertical direction, the third metal layer is located above the first metal layer and the second metal layer, wherein the vertical direction is vertical to plane directions of the first metal layer, the second metal layer and the third metal layer.

2 . The CDAC of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of switch groups further comprises a third switch circuit, and the third switch circuit comprises:
a first terminal, configured to receive a common mode voltage through the first metal layer, wherein the common mode voltage, the source voltage and the ground voltage are different from each other; a second terminal, configured to be coupled to the capacitive structure; a first via, extending along the vertical direction and configured to provide a connection between the second terminal and the capacitive structure; and a control terminal, configured to receive another of the plurality of turn-on signals through the second metal layer.

3 . The CDAC of claim 2 , wherein one of the first switch circuit, the second switch circuit and the third switch circuit of each of the plurality of switch groups is turned on according to the plurality of turn-on signals, and the other two of the first switch circuit, the second switch circuit and the third switch circuit are turned off according to the plurality of turn-on signals.

4 . The CDAC of claim 3 , wherein
N first switch circuits of N of the plurality of switch groups are turned on or turned off synchronously, N second switch circuits of the N of the plurality of switch groups are turned on or turned off synchronously, and N third switch circuits of the N of the plurality of switch groups are turned on or turned off synchronously; other 2N first switch circuits of 2N of the plurality of switch groups are turned on or turned off synchronously, other 2N second switch circuits of the 2N of the plurality of switch groups are turned on or turned off synchronously, and other 2N third switch circuits of the 2N of the plurality of switch groups are turned on or turned off synchronously; and yet other 4N first switch circuits of 4N of the plurality of switch groups are turned on or turned off synchronously, yet other 4N second switch circuits of the 4N of the plurality of switch groups are turned on or turned off synchronously, and yet other 4N third switch circuits of the 4N of the plurality of switch groups are turned on or turned off synchronously, wherein N is a positive integer.

5 . The CDAC of claim 1 , further comprising at least one shielding layer, wherein the at least one shielding layer is configured to receive the source voltage or the ground voltage, and configured to shield the capacitive structure and the control logic circuit,
wherein in the vertical direction, the third metal layer is located above the at least one shielding layer, and the at least one shielding layer is located above the first metal layer and the second metal layer.

6 . The CDAC of claim 1 , wherein the first vias of the first switch circuit and the second switch circuit extend through the first metal layer, the second metal layer and the third metal layer along the vertical direction.

7 . The CDAC of claim 6 , wherein the capacitive structure is located in the third metal layer and a fourth metal layer of the CDAC, wherein in the vertical direction, the fourth metal layer is located above the third metal layer, and the third metal layer and the fourth metal layer are coupled to each other through a second via extending along the vertical direction.

8 . The CDAC of claim 1 , further comprising a signal receiving layer and a third via, wherein in the vertical direction, the signal receiving layer is located above the second metal layer and coupled to the second metal layer through the third via, and is configured to receive the plurality of turn-on signals from an external circuit and transmit the plurality of turn-on signals to the second metal layer through the third via.

9 . A manufacturing method for manufacturing a capacitive digital-to-analog converter (CDAC), comprising:
forming a control logic circuit comprising a plurality of switch groups, comprising:
forming a plurality of first switch circuits, wherein a first terminal of each of the plurality of first switch circuits is configured to receive a source voltage through a first metal layer of the CDAC, and a control terminal of each of the plurality of first switch circuits is configured to receive one of a plurality of turn-on signals through a second metal layer of the CDAC; and
forming a plurality of second switch circuits, wherein a first terminal of each of the plurality of second switch circuits is configured to receive a ground voltage through the first metal layer, and a control terminal of each of the plurality of second switch circuits is configured to receive another of the plurality of turn-on signals through the second metal layer; and
forming a capacitive structure, wherein the capacitive structure is located at least in a third metal layer of the CDAC and coupled to a plurality of second terminals of the plurality of first switch circuits and the plurality of second switch circuits through a plurality of first vias extending along a vertical direction, wherein in the vertical direction, the third metal layer is located above the first metal layer and the second metal layer, and the vertical direction is vertical to plane directions of the first metal layer, the second metal layer and the third metal layer.

10 . The manufacturing method of claim 9 , wherein forming the control logic circuit comprising the plurality of switch groups further comprises:
forming a plurality of third switch circuits, wherein a first terminal of each of the plurality of third switch circuits is configured to receive a common mode voltage through the first metal layer, a second terminal of each of the plurality of third switch circuits is coupled to the capacitive structure through the first metal layer, and a control terminal of each of the plurality of third switch circuits is configured to receive yet another of the plurality of turn-on signals through the second metal layer; and coupling the capacitive structure to a plurality of second terminals of the plurality of third switch circuits through the plurality of first vias, wherein the common mode voltage, the source voltage and the ground voltage are different from each other.

11 . The manufacturing method of claim 9 , further comprising:
forming at least one shielding layer to shield the capacitive structure and the control logic circuit, wherein the at least one shielding layer is configured to receive the source voltage or the ground voltage, and wherein in the vertical dire

Assignees

• Realtek Semiconductor Corp

Inventors

• Hong Wei-Cian

Classifications

• H03M1/468

  in which the input S/H circuit is merged with the feedback DAC array · CPC title

• H03M1/462 Primary

  Details of the control circuitry, e.g. of the successive approximation register · CPC title

• H03M1/466 Primary

  using switched capacitors · CPC title