# US 12,224,253 B2 · Magnetic inductor device and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,224,253 B2 - Document ID: US12224253B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/480,064 - Filed: 2021-09-20 - Published: 2023-03-23 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-09-20 - Assignees: Intel Corporation - Applicants: Intel Corporation - Inventors: Xin Ning; Brandon C. Marin; Kyu Oh Lee; Siddharth K. Alur; Numair Ahmed; Brent Williams; Mollie Stewart; Nathan Ou; Cary Kuliasha - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224253B2 ## CPC - H10W 44/501: {Inductive arrangements (H10W44/20 takes precedence)} - H01F 17/0013: {with stacked layers} - H01F 27/2804: {Printed windings} - H01F 41/046: {structurally combined with ferromagnetic material} - H10D 1/20: Inductors - H10W 70/095: {of vias therein} - H10W 70/635: {Through-vias} - H10W 70/66: Conductive materials thereof - H10W 70/685: comprising multiple insulating layers - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES ## Abstract Transmission pathways in substrates, and associated methods are shown. Example transmission pathways include a semiconductor substrate with a core, a dielectric layer fixed on the core, at least one first electrical transmission pathway extending through at least one of the dielectric layer and the core. The first pathway includes a magnetic material disposed within the at least the core of the at least one first electrical transmission pathway, at least one second electrical transmission pathway extending through the magnetic material, a nickel layer disposed on inner circumferential surface of the magnetic material at least within the second electrical transmission pathway, a copper layer disposed on at least the nickel layer within the second electrical transmission pathway. The dielectric spacer or the nickel layer separates the copper layer from the magnetic material. At least one third pathway extends through at least one of the dielectric layer and the core separate from the at least one electrical transmission pathway. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A semiconductor substrate comprising: a core; a dielectric layer fixed on the core; at least one first electrical transmission pathway extending through at least one of the dielectric layer and the core, including: a magnetic material disposed within the at least the core of the at least one first electrical transmission pathway; at least one second electrical transmission pathway extending through the magnetic material; a nickel layer disposed on inner circumferential surface of the magnetic material at least within the second electrical transmission pathway; a copper layer disposed on at least the dielectric layer within the second electrical transmission pathway, wherein: the dielectric layer or the nickel layer separates the copper layer from the magnetic material; and at least one third pathway extending through at least one of the dielectric layer and the core separate from the at least one electrical transmission pathway. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The semiconductor substrate of claim 1 wherein the first electrical transmission pathway and second electrical transmission pathway are a component of an inductor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The semiconductor substrate of claim 1 where in the first electrical transmission pathway and second electrical transmission pathway are a component of a magnetic inductor loop. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The semiconductor substrate of claim 1 wherein the dielectric layer is at least one of a polymer, polymer resin, rubber, glass, inorganic nitride passivation, or metal oxide. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The semiconductor substrate of claim 1 wherein the nickel layer includes electroless nickel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The semiconductor substrate of claim 1 wherein the magnetic material is at least one of iron, iron alloys, nickel-zinc alloy, permalloy, silicon steels, ferrites, or amorphous alloys. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The semiconductor substrate of claim 1 wherein the nickel layer is on the magnetic material outside of the second electrical transmission pathway. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The semiconductor substrate of claim 1 wherein the magnetic material is disposed within the rust electrical transmission pathway extending through the dielectric layer and the core. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The semiconductor substrate of claim 1 wherein the nickel layer is on the magnetic material extending from an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate to a lower surface of the semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The semiconductor substrate of claim 9 wherein the nickel layer is disposed within the second electrical transmission pathway and on an upper surface and a lower surface of the semiconductor substrate proximate to the second electrical transmission pathway. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The semiconductor substrate of claim 1 wherein the copper layer is disposed within at least one of the second transmission pathway and third pathway and on an upper surface and a lower surface of the semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The semiconductor substrate of claim 1 wherein the copper layer is on the dielectric layer and on the nickel layer within the electrical transmission pathway. ### Claim 13 A semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor chip coupled to a package substrate; and a voltage regulator circuit at least partially imbedded within the package substrate, the voltage regulator circuit including: an electrical transmission pathway including: a core; a dielectric layer on a lower and an upper surfaces of the core; at least one first electrical transmission pathway in the core, including: a magnetic material disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the at least one electrical transmission pathway; at least one second electrical transmission pathway extending within the magnetic material; a nickel layer disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the magnetic material at least within the second electrical transmission pathway; a copper layer disposed on the nickel layer, wherein: the dielectric spacer separates the copper layer from the magnetic material; and at least one third pathway extending through at least one of the dielectric layer and the core separate from the at least one first electrical transmission pathway. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The semiconductor device of claim 13 wherein the dielectric layer is at least one of a polymer, polymer resin, rubber, glass, inorganic nitride passivation, or metal oxide. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The semiconductor device of claim 13 wherein the nickel layer is electroless nickel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The semiconductor device of claim 13 wherein the magnetic material is a filler selected from at least one of iron, iron alloys, nickel-zinc alloy, permalloy, silicon, steels, ferrites, or amorphous alloys. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The semiconductor device of claim 13 wherein the first electrical transmission pathway is a component of an inductor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The semiconductor device of claim 13 wherein the nickel layer extends outside of the second electrical transmission pathway and on an upper and a lower surface of the magnetic material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The semiconductor device of claim 13 wherein the copper layer is disposed on an upper and a lower surface of the electrical transmission pathway. ### Claim 20 A method of forming a semiconductor substrate comprising: forming at least one first pathway through a core having and upper and lower surface; filling the first pathway with a magnetic material; disposing a dielectric layer on the upper and lower surface of the core; forming at least one second pathway through the dielectric spacer and the magnetic material; disposing a nickel layer on at least an inner circumferential surface of the magnetic material; forming a third pathway separate from at least the first pathway or second pathway; and disposing a copper layer on exposed layers of at least one of the nickel layer and the dielectric layer. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20 further comprising disposing a copper layer on the core before forming the first pathway. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21 further comprising removing the copper layer from at least portion of the core after forming the at least one first pathway and filling the second pathway with magnetic material. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20 further comprising disposing the dielectric layer on the upper and lower surfaces of the core before forming the first pathway. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23 further comprising coating the nickel layer to extend onto exposed surfaces of the dielectric layer outside of the second pathway. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 wherein the copper layer is disposed continuously on the exposed surfaces of the nickel layer and the dielectric layer. ### Claim 26 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20 further comprising etching the copper layer away from an exposed surface of the dielectric layers remote from at least one of the first pathway and second pathway. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20 wherein the at least one second pathway is formed after the dielectric layer and the copper layer are formed on the core.