Inductor structure in a semiconductor device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9576718-B2
Application number	US-201514746652-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2015
Priority date	Jun 22, 2015
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

An inductor structure includes a first set of traces corresponding to a first layer of an inductor, a second set of traces corresponding to a second layer of the inductor, and a third set of traces corresponding to a third layer of the inductor that is positioned between the first layer and the second layer. The first set of traces includes a first trace and a second trace that is parallel to the first trace. A dimension of the first trace is different from a corresponding dimension of the second trace. The second set of traces is coupled to the first set of traces. The second set of traces includes a third trace that is coupled to the first trace and to the second trace. The third set of traces is coupled to the first set of traces.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inductor structure comprising:
a first set of traces corresponding to a first layer of an inductor, wherein the first set of traces includes a first trace and a second trace, wherein the first trace is parallel to the second trace, and wherein a dimension of the first trace is different from a corresponding dimension of the second trace;
a second set of traces corresponding to a second layer of the inductor, the second set of traces coupled to the first set of traces, wherein the second set of traces includes a third trace, and wherein the third trace is coupled to the first trace and to the second trace; and
a third set of traces corresponding to a third layer of the inductor, the third set of traces coupled to the first set of traces, wherein the third layer is positioned between the first layer and the second layer.

2. The inductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the dimension of the first trace comprises a length.

3. The inductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the dimension of the first trace comprises a width.

4. The inductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the third set of traces further includes a fourth trace and a fifth trace, wherein the fourth trace is coupled to the second trace, wherein the fourth trace is parallel to the fifth trace, and wherein the fourth trace and the fifth trace have different lengths.

5. The inductor structure of claim 4 , wherein the first trace at least partially overlaps the fifth trace, and wherein the second trace at least partially overlaps the fourth trace.

6. The inductor structure of claim 1 , further comprising a fourth set of traces corresponding to a fourth layer of the inductor, the fourth set of traces coupled to the third set of traces, and wherein the fourth layer is positioned between the first layer and the second layer.

7. The inductor structure of claim 6 , wherein the fourth set of traces includes a sixth trace and a seventh trace, wherein the sixth trace is parallel to the seventh trace, and wherein the third trace is coupled to the sixth trace and to the seventh trace.

8. The inductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the first set of traces further includes an additional trace that is parallel to the first trace and the second trace, wherein the second trace is positioned between the first trace and the additional trace, and wherein the corresponding dimension of the second trace is greater than the dimension of the first trace and less than a second corresponding dimension of the additional trace.

9. The inductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the first set of traces further includes an eighth trace that is parallel to the first trace and to the second trace, wherein the second trace is positioned between the first trace and the eighth trace, wherein the first trace and the second trace are a first distance apart, wherein the second trace and the eighth trace are a second distance apart, and wherein the first distance is different from the second distance.

10. The inductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the first set of traces comprises multiple traces, wherein each trace of the multiple traces has a different length, and wherein the first set of traces have a tapered configuration.

11. The inductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the dimension comprises a length, and wherein a first width of the first trace is different from a second width of the second trace.

12. The inductor structure of claim 11 , wherein the dimension of the first trace is less than the corresponding dimension of the second trace, and wherein the first width is less than the second width.

13. The inductor structure of claim 1 , wherein the first set of traces comprises a first sub-set of traces and a second sub-set of traces, wherein each trace of the first sub-set of traces is parallel to other traces of the first sub-set of traces, and wherein each trace of the second sub-set of traces is non-parallel to other traces of the second sub-set of traces.

14. The inductor structure of claim 13 , wherein the second set of traces comprises a third sub-set of traces and a fourth sub-set of traces, wherein each trace of the third sub-set of traces is parallel to other traces of the third sub-set of traces, and wherein each trace of the fourth sub-set of traces is non-parallel to other traces of the fourth sub-set of traces.

15. An apparatus comprising:
first means for conducting current corresponding to a first layer of an inductor, wherein the first means for conducting current includes a first trace and a second trace, wherein the first trace is parallel to the second trace, and wherein a dimension of the first trace is different from a corresponding dimension of the second trace;
second means for conducting current corresponding to a second layer of the inductor, the second means for conducting current coupled to the first means for conducting current, wherein the second means for conducting current includes a third trace, and wherein the third trace is coupled to the first trace and to the second trace; and
third means for conducting current corresponding to a third layer of the inductor, the third means for conducting current coupled to the first means for conducting current, wherein the third layer is positioned between the first layer and the second layer.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:
first means for coupling the first means for conducting current to the third means for conducting current; and
second means for coupling the first means for conducting current to the second means for conducting current.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the second means for coupling includes a single connector.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:
fourth means for conducting current corresponding to a fourth layer of the inductor, the fourth means for conducting current coupled to the third means for conducting current, wherein the fourth layer is positioned between the first layer and the second layer; and
third means for coupling the third means for conducting current to the fourth means for conducting current.

19. An inductor structure comprising:
a first set of traces corresponding to a first layer of an inductor, the first set of traces including a first sub-set of traces and a second sub-set of traces, wherein each trace of the first sub-set of traces is parallel to other traces of the first sub-set of traces, and wherein at least one trace of the second sub-set of traces is non-parallel to each trace of the first sub-set of traces; and
a second set of traces corresponding to a second layer of the inductor, the second set of traces including a third sub-set of traces and a fourth sub-set of traces, wherein each trace of the third sub-set of traces is parallel to other traces of the third sub-set of traces, and wherein at least one trace of the fourth sub-set of traces is non-parallel to each trace of the third sub-set of traces.

20. The inductor structure of claim 19 , further comprising a first set of connectors, wherein the first set of connectors include a first sub-set of connectors and a second sub-set of connectors, wherein the first sub-set of connectors is configured to couple the first sub-set of traces to the fourth sub-set of traces, and wherein the second sub-set of connectors is configured to couple the second sub-set of traces to the third sub-set of traces.

21. The inductor structure of claim 20 , wherein a particular connector of the first set of connectors comprises a through glass via, a bump, or a c

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Jow Uei-Ming
• Song Young Kyu
• Lee Jong-Hoon
• Yoon Jung Ho
• Choi Sangjo
• Zhang Xiaonan

Classifications

• H01F41/041

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

• H01F27/2804 Primary

  Printed windings · CPC title

• H01F2027/2809

  on stacked layers · CPC title

• H01F17/0006 Primary

  Printed inductances (printed coils for dynamo-electric machines H02K3/26; printed circuits H05K) · CPC title

• H01F17/0013 Primary

  with stacked layers · CPC title