Showing papers by "Hans Norström published in 1997"

Conductors for integrated circuits

Abstract: The quality factor (Q-value) of spiral inductors or coils (305) in IC-circuits is improved by partially removing the semiconducting substrate (301) under the inductor (305) by etching trenches (303), which are refilled with an isolating material. Hence, the losses caused by the substrate (301) are reduced and the quality factor is increased accordingly. The parasitic capacitance to the substrate (301) is also reduced, increasing the resonance frequency of the inductor (305) and extending the useful frequency range of operation of the inductor. Furthermore, by utilizing the uppermost metals of a multi-layer metal structure in the circuit, additional reduction of losses and parasitic capacitance are also achieved. The use of trenches (303) under metal patterns for loss and capacitance reduction is not limited to spiral inductor layouts, and can be used for any metal line, bond pad, etc.

Semiconductor device shielded by an array of electrically conducting pins and a method to manufacture such a device

Abstract: Low-resistant contacts (205) are made from the surface of a semiconductor component (201), down into the substrate (203) thereof, by means of etching a hole down into the substrate (203), which then, for example, by means of CVD deposition is filled with a metal, e.g. tungsten. Moreover, by further locating such substrate contacts at close distances around a component (201) or a block or a group of components, a very good electrical shielding against other components or blocks of components located on the same substrate is obtained. Shielding can also be obtained vertically upwards by means of applying a metal layer on top of the component. The metal plugs obtained in this manner can also be used for lateral shielding of electrical signal conductors in a semiconductor structure.

Conducteurs pour circuits integres

Abstract: On augmente le facteur de qualite (valeur Q) d'inductances spirales ou de bobines (305) dans des circuits integres (CI) en enlevant partiellement le substrat semi-conducteur (301) sous l'inductance (305) en formant des tranchees (303) par attaque chimique, tranchees qui sont remplies ulterieurement d'un materiau isolant. Ainsi, on reduit les pertes provoquees par le substrat (301) et on augmente en consequence le facteur de qualite. On reduit egalement la capacite parasite par rapport au substrat (301), on augmente ainsi la frequence de resonance de l'inductance (305) et on elargit la plage de frequence de fonctionnement de celle-ci. De plus, en utilisant les metaux les plus a l'exterieur d'une structure metallique multicouche du circuit, on obtient une reduction supplementaire des pertes et de la capacite parasite. L'utilisation de tranchees (303) sous des motifs metalliques pour la reduction des pertes et de la capacite ne se limite par a des implantations d'inductances spirales et peut s'appliquer aussi a toute ligne de metallisation, plot de connexion etc.