Controlling impedance and phase shift of a transmission line
AssigneeNXP USA, Inc.
InventorsJasper Pijl-Peeters, Xin Yang, Mustafa Acar, Konstantinos Giannakidis
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Abstract
An electronic component includes a transmission structure and a shield structure below the transmission structure. The transmission structure includes a central trace and a pair of lateral traces. The shield structure includes multiple switchable shield elements that extend below the central trace. At least one of the shield elements is selectively electrically connectable to a lateral shield trace, causing the component to assume multiple values of characteristic impedance and phase shift. An associated device and a method of operation are further disclosed.
Claims21
1-15. (canceled)
An electronic component, comprising:
- a transmission structure having a first conductive trace with a proximal end and a distal end, a second conductive trace spaced apart from and extending parallel to a first side of the first conductive trace, and a third conductive trace spaced apart from and extending parallel to a second side of the first conductive trace such that the first conductive trace extends between the second conductive trace and the third conductive trace;
- a shield structure disposed beneath the transmission structure, the shield structure including a fourth conductive trace below and extending parallel to the second conductive trace, a fifth conductive trace below and extending parallel to the third conductive trace, and a plurality of conductive shield elements arranged in a line that extends below and parallel to the first conductive trace, wherein the plurality of conductive shield elements are spaced apart from one another and are disposed between the fourth conductive trace and the fifth conductive trace;
- and
- a plurality of shunt switches, including a first shunt switch arranged to selectively electrically connect a first shield element of the plurality of conductive shield elements to one of the fourth conductive trace and the fifth conductive trace.
A semiconductor device comprising a die, the die including:
- a transmission structure formed in a metallization layer of the die, the transmission structure having a first conductive trace with a proximal end and a distal end, a second conductive trace spaced apart from and extending parallel to a first side of the first conductive trace, and a third conductive trace spaced apart from and extending parallel to a second side of the first conductive trace such that the first conductive trace extends between the second conductive trace and the third conductive trace;
- a shield structure formed in at least one additional metallization layer of the die disposed beneath the first metallization layer, the shield structure including a plurality of conductive shield elements spaced apart from one another and arranged in a line that extends below and parallel to the first conductive trace;
- and
- a plurality of shunt switches, including a first shunt switch arranged to selectively electrically connect a first shield element of the plurality of conductive shield elements to at least one of the first conductive trace and the second conductive trace.
A method of operating an electronic component that includes a transmission structure and a shield structure below the transmission structure, the shield structure having a pair of lateral shield traces and multiple switchable shield elements that extend between the pair of lateral shield traces and below a central trace of the transmission structure, the method comprising:
- establishing first switch settings that (i) establish a first combination of connection states between the shield elements and the lateral shield traces and (ii) establish a first combination of switch states between pairs of adjacent shield elements, the first switch settings causing the electronic component to assume a first characteristic impedance and a first phase shift;
- and
- establishing second switch settings that (i) establish a second combination of connection states between the shield elements and the lateral shield traces and (ii) establish a second combination of switch states between pairs of adjacent shield elements, the second switch settings causing the electronic component to assume a second characteristic impedance different from the first characteristic impedance and a second phase shift different from the first phase shift.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.