Integrated electronic circuit chip comprising an inductor
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsJean-Christophe Giraudin, Philippe Delpech, Jacky Seiller
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Abstract
An integrated electronic circuit chip having an inductor placed above a protective layer for the metallization levels of the chip, the inductor having a thickness in a direction perpendicular to a surface of a substrate of the chip. The inductor has a reduced electrical resistance and a high quality factor. In addition, an inductor is realized at the same time as the pads for connecting the chip to a supporting board using flip-chip technology.
Claims24
An integrated electronic circuit chip, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a layering of metallization levels superimposed on top of a substrate surface in a direction perpendicular to said surface, with each level comprising electrical connections;
- a protective layer for the metallization levels, deposited on top of a last one of the metallization levels relative to the substrate;
- and
- an inductor arranged above the protective layer, with a thickness of said inductor extending from and beyond an upper surface of the protective layer in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, on a side of the protective layer opposite the substrate,
- wherein said integrated electronic circuit chip further comprises at least a chip connection pad, with said chip connection pad comprising a metal body extending in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate to a height beyond the upper surface of the protective layer at least equal to the thickness of the inductor, and adapted for connecting the circuit chip to a supporting board via a solder bump placed between one end of the metal body and a board connection pad on the supporting board.
A process for implementing an integrated electronic circuit chip, comprising the following steps:
- (1) realizing a layering of metallization levels above a surface of a substrate of said circuit chip, with said levels being superimposed in a direction perpendicular to said surface and each comprising electrical connections;
- (2) realizing a protective layer for the metallization levels, above one of the last of the metallization levels relative to the substrate;
- and
- (3) above the protective layer, realizing an inductor such that said inductor presents, in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, a thickness extending from and beyond an upper surface of the passivation layer on a side opposite the substrate,
- wherein the inductor is realized at the same time as at least one metal body of a connection pad of the circuit chip, with said pad being adapted for connecting said circuit chip to a supporting board via a solder bump placed between one end of the metal body and a board connection pad on the supporting board.
A system on chip, comprising:
- a substrate having a first surface;
- a plurality of metallization layers formed over the first surface of the substrate, each metallization layer comprising at least one electrically connective metal path;
- at least one passivation layer formed over the plurality of metallization layers;
- and
- an inductor formed only on top of the at least one passivation layer to extend from the passivation layer in a direction away from the substrate.
A method of forming a system on chip, comprising:
- providing a substrate having a first surface;
- forming a plurality of metallization layers over the first surface of the substrate, each metallization layer formed to have at least one electrically connective metal path;
- forming at least one passivation layer over the plurality of metallization layers;
- and
- forming an inductor only on top of the at least one passivation layer to extend from the passivation layer in a direction away from the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.