# US 2014/0152410 A1 · Integrated tunable inductors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0152410 A1 - Document ID: US20140152410A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/094,173 - Filed: 2013-12-02 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03 - Assignees: Arizona Board of Regents, a body corporate of the State of Arizona Acting for and on behalf of Arizo - Applicants: Arizona Board of Regents, a body corporate of the State of Arizona acting for and on behalf of Arizo - Inventors: Hongbin Yu; Hao Wu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140152410A1 ## CPC - H01F 29/146: {Constructional details} - H01F 1/0306: {Metals or alloys, e.g. LAVES phase alloys of the MgCu2-type (H01F1/0304 takes precedence)} - H01F 5/00: Coils (superconducting coils H01F6/06; fixed inductances of the signal type H01F17/00) - H01F 21/08: by varying the permeability of the core, e.g. by varying magnetic bias - H01F 41/046: {structurally combined with ferromagnetic material} - Y10T 29/4902: Electromagnet, transformer or inductor - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An integrated inductor can be tunable via a control current which alters the magnetic flux density in a permeable magnetic material. The resulting inductor can be adjusted in-circuit, and may be suitable for applications such as dc-dc converters, RF circuits, or filters requiring operation at high frequencies and across wide bandwidths. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An integrated tunable inductor, comprising: a substrate configured to receive an inductor; an inductor located proximate to the substrate; a magnetic material located proximate to the inductor; a first control line located proximate to the magnetic material, wherein the first control line is configured for the conduction of an electric current; and a controller configured to tune the magnitude of the electric current. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises quartz. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first control line is oriented to induce an electromagnetic field parallel to an axis of the magnetic material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first control line is oriented to induce an electromagnetic field parallel to an easy axis of the magnetic material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first control line is oriented to induce an electromagnetic field parallel to a hard axis of the magnetic material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the inductor is a planar inductor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a second control line located proximate to the inductor, wherein the first control line is oriented parallel to a hard axis of the magnetic material, and wherein the second control line is oriented parallel to an easy axis of the magnetic material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the magnetic material comprises a continuous ring surrounding a portion of the inductor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the magnetic material comprises a bar structure traversing a portion of the inductor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the planar inductor comprises a concentric planar spiral. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the inductor comprises at least one of: a strip line structure, a solenoidal structure, a toroidal structure, a finger structure, or a bar structure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the magnetic material comprises CoZrTaB. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the magnetic material is electrically insulated from the inductor by a layer of insulating material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the insulating material is polyamide. ### Claim 15 A method of varying the inductance of an integrated tunable inductor, the method comprising: passing a first current through a first control line located proximate to an inductor; inducing a first electromagnetic field to radiate from the control line and traverse a first magnetic material located proximate to the inductor, wherein the first magnetic material has a variable magnetic flux density; varying the magnitude of the first current in response to the inducing a first electromagnetic field; changing the variable magnetic flux density of the magnetic material in response to the varying the magnitude of the first current; and altering the capacity of the inductor to store energy in a second electromagnetic field radiating from the inductor and traversing the first magnetic material in response to the changing the variable magnetic flux density. ### Claim 16 A method of manufacturing a planar inductor, the method comprising: configuring a substrate to receive an inductor; forming an inductor on the substrate by depositing a conductive material on the substrate; positioning a first control line proximate to the inductor, wherein the first control line is configured for the conduction of a first electric current; connecting a controller in electrical communication with the first control line; and configuring the controller to tune the magnitude of the first electric current. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: positioning a second control line proximate to the inductor, wherein the second control line is configured for the conduction of a second electric current; connecting the controller in electrical communication with the second control line; and configuring the controller to tune the magnitude of the second electric current. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising depositing an insulating material between the inductor and the first control line. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the depositing a conductive material on the substrate comprises transferring material to the substrate by magnetron sputtering. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising: applying an external DC magnetic field during the magnetron sputtering; and configuring the conductive material to exhibit uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in response to the applying an external DC magnetic field.