In accordance with certain embodiments, a semiconductor die is adhered directly to a yielding substrate with a pressure-activated adhesive notwithstanding any nonplanarity of the surface of the semiconductor die or non-coplanarity of the semiconductor die contacts.

Electronic devices with yielding substrates

This paper presents a galvanically isolated power transfer system based on two inductively coupled CMOS oscillators with on-chip isolation transformer. The oscillators share the same current and are loaded by an integrated transformer that performs the combining of the oscillation signals at its secondary winding output. By using a thick inter-metal oxide layer for the integrated transformer, a galvanic isolation rating as high as 5 kV is guaranteed. Thanks to the proposed circuit topology, a 300-mW dc-ac power conversion performance with an excellent 36.5% power efficiency was achieved in a 0.8- $\mu{\rm m}$ CMOS technology at 5-V power supply. A complete dc-dc converter was also demonstrated by including a rectifier on a second die. An output power of 200 mW at 8-V output voltage with power efficiency better than 27% was measured.

Current-Reuse Transformer-Coupled Oscillators With Output Power Combining for Galvanically Isolated Power Transfer Systems

Embodiments of inductive communication devices include first and second IC die and an inductive coupling substrate. The first IC die has a first coil. The inductive coupling substrate has a second coil and a first signal communication interface (e.g., a third coil or a contact). The second IC die has a second signal communication interface (e.g., a fourth coil or a contact). The first IC die and the inductive coupling substrate are arranged so that the first and second coils are aligned across a gap between the first IC die and the inductive coupling substrate. A dielectric component is positioned within the gap between the first and second coils to galvanically isolate the first IC die and the inductive coupling substrate. During operation, signals are conveyed between the first and second IC die through inductive coupling between the coils and communication through the signal communication interfaces.

Die-to-die inductive communication devices and methods

A method for producing a rounded conductor line of a semiconductor component is disclosed. In that method, a partially completed semiconductor component is provided. The partially completed semiconductor component has a bottom side and a top side spaced distant from the bottom side in a vertical direction. Also provided is an etchant. On the top side, a dielectric layer is arranged. The dielectric layer has at least two different regions that show different etch rates when they are etched with the etchant. Subsequently, a trench is formed in the dielectric layer such that the trench intersects each of the different regions. Then, the trench is widened by etching the trench with the etchant at different etch rates. By filling the widened trench with an electrically conductive material, a conductor line is formed.

Method for Producing a Conductor Line

An apparatus includes first and second oscillator circuits. A transformer has a primary winding coupling the first oscillator circuit to the second oscillator circuit and a secondary winding. A first outgoing communications circuit is coupled to the second oscillator circuit and drives an amplitude modulated data signal thereto. A first incoming communications circuit is coupled to the primary winding of the transformer. A second outgoing communications circuit is coupled to the secondary winding drives an amplitude modulated data signal thereto. A second incoming communications circuit is coupled to the secondary winding. The secondary winding is magnetically coupled with the primary winding so the secondary winding receives an output power and an incoming data transmission based upon the amplitude modulated data signal, and so the primary winding receives an incoming high speed data transmission based upon the amplitude modulated data signal.

Power oscillator apparatus with transformer-based power combining for galvanically-isolated bidirectional data communication and power transfer

A galvanic-isolated coupling of circuit portions is accomplished on the basis of a stacked chip configuration. The semiconductor chips thus can be fabricated on the basis of any appropriate process technology, thereby incorporating one or more coupling elements, such as primary or secondary coils of a micro transformer, wherein the final characteristics of the micro transformer are adjusted during the wafer bond process.

Microstructure device comprising a face to face electromagnetic near field coupling between stacked device portions and method of forming the device

A galvanic-isolated coupling of circuit portions is accomplished on the basis of a stacked chip configuration. The semiconductor chips (200A,200B) thus can be fabricated on the basis of any appropriate process technology, thereby incorporating one or more coupling elements (220A,220B), such as primary or secondary coils of a micro transformer, wherein the final characteristics of the micro transformer are adjusted during the wafer bond process.

A microstructure device comprising semiconductor devices stacked face to face and coupled by electromagnetic near field and method of forming the microstructure device

Barbaro Marano

Papers

Microstructure device comprising a face to face electromagnetic near field coupling between stacked device portions and method of forming the device

A microstructure device comprising semiconductor devices stacked face to face and coupled by electromagnetic near field and method of forming the microstructure device