In a described example, an integrated circuit includes: a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and an opposite second surface; at least one dielectric layer overlying the first surface of the semiconductor substrate; at least one inductor coil in the at least one dielectric layer with a plurality of coil windings separated by coil spaces, the at least one inductor coil lying in a plane oriented in a first direction parallel to the first surface of the semiconductor substrate, the at least one inductor coil electrically isolated from the semiconductor substrate by a portion of the at least one dielectric layer; and trenches extending into the semiconductor substrate in a second direction at an angle with respect to the first direction, the trenches underlying the inductor coil and filled with dielectric replacement material.

A transformer respectively includes a first isolation barrier, a first inductive element, a second isolation barrier, and a second inductive element. The first isolation barrier and second isolation barrier each comprise multiple isolation layers. The transformer also includes magnetic material including a top magnetic portion disposed above the first isolation barrier. The transformer also includes a bottom magnetic portion disposed below the second inductive element; The transformer further includes an intermediary magnetic portion extending from the top magnetic portion to the bottom magnetic portion via a through-hole within the first isolation barrier, first inductive element, second isolation barrier, and second inductive element. The transformer yet further includes at least one lateral magnetic portion extending from the top magnetic portion to the bottom magnetic portion. The at least one lateral magnetic portion is disposed laterally from the first isolation barrier, first inductive element, second isolation barrier, and second inductive element.

A multi-terminal inductor and method for forming the multi-terminal inductor are provided. In some embodiments, an interconnect structure is arranged over a semiconductor substrate. A passivation layer is arranged over the interconnect structure. A first magnetic layer is arranged over the passivation layer, and a conductive wire laterally extends from a first input/output (I/O) bond structure at a first location to a second I/O bond structure at a second location. A third I/O bond structure branches off of the conductive wire at a third location between the first location and the second location. A connection between the third I/O bond structure and the first I/O bond structure has a first inductance. Alternatively, a connection between the first I/O bond structure and the second I/O bond structure has a second inductance different than the first inductance.

An apparatus and method of forming a magnetic inductor circuit. A substrate is provided and a first magnetic layer is formed in contact with one layer of the substrate. A conductive trace is formed in contact with the first magnetic layer. A sacrificial cooper layer protects the magnetic material from wet chemistry process steps. A conductive connection is formed from the conductive trace to the outside substrate, the conductive connection comprising a horizontal connection formed by in-layer plating. A second magnetic layer is formed in contact with the conductive trace. Instead of a horizontal connection, a vertical conductive connection can be formed that is perpendicular to the magnetic layers, by drilling a first via in a second of the magnetic layers, forming a buildup layer, and drilling a second via through the buildup layer, where the buildup layer protects the magnetic layers from wet chemistry processes.

Coil structures and methods of forming are provided. The coil structure includes a substrate. A plurality of coils is disposed over the substrate, each coil comprising a conductive element that forms a continuous spiral having a hexagonal shape in a plan view of the coil structure. The plurality of coils is arranged in a honeycomb pattern, and each conductive element is electrically connected to an external electrical circuit.

A microelectronic device has bump bonds and an inductor on a die. The microelectronic device includes first lateral conductors extending along a terminal surface of the die, wherein at least some of the first lateral conductors contact at least some of terminals of the die. The microelectronic device also includes conductive columns on the first lateral conductors, extending perpendicularly from the terminal surface, and second lateral conductors on the conductive columns, opposite from the first lateral conductors, extending laterally in a plane parallel to the terminal surface. A first set of the first lateral conductors, the conductive columns, and the second lateral conductors provide the bump bonds of the microelectronic device. A second set of the first lateral conductors, the conductive columns, and the second lateral conductors are electrically coupled in series to form the inductor. Methods of forming the microelectronic device are also disclosed.

A printed circuit board includes a substrate and an inductor, a first through hole defined in the substrate, the inductor including a magnetic core with a middle leg, the middle leg passes through the first through hole, and a conductive trace on at least one conductive layer of the printed circuit board spirally surrounds the first through hole to form conductive coil of the inductor. The present disclosure also provides a motor including a stator, a rotor, and the above described printed circuit board. The inductor is integrated with the printed circuit board, which reduces the size of the board and the motor and reduces material cost and power consumption.

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device 1 includes an Si substrate 11, an inductor 12 formed in wiring layers disposed above the Si substrate 11, and a shield 13 formed so as to surround the inductor 12, in which the shield 13 includes metals 105 to 109 formed in, among the wiring layers, a layer in which the inductor 12 is formed and a layer above that layer, and a silicide 104 formed between the Si substrate 11 and the wiring layers above the Si substrate 11.

A recess in a die backside surface occupies a footprint that accommodates an inductor coil that is formed in metallization above an active surface of the die. Less semiconductive material is therefore close to the inductor coil. A ferromagnetic material is formed in the recess, or a ferromagnetic material is formed on a dielectric layer above the inductor coil. The recess may extend across a die that allows the die to be deflected at the recess.

A multi-phase buck switching converter having grouped pairs of phases, each phase using two magnetically coupled air-core inductors. For each group, a first driver circuit controlling switching of a first power transistor switching circuit coupled to a first air-core inductor output for driving an output load at the first phase. A second driver circuit controlling switching of a second power transistor switching circuit coupled to a second air-core inductor output for driving said output load at the second phase. The first and second phases are spaced 180 apart. The coupled air-core inductors per group of such orientation, separation distance and mutual inductance polarity relative to each other such that magnetic coupling between the two or more inductors at each phase results in a net increase in effective inductance per unit volume. Each air-core inductor is a metal slab of defined length, height and thickness formed using back-end-of-line semiconductor manufacturing process.