This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application Ser. No. 93130516, filed Oct. 8, 2004.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integrated transformer, and more particularly to an integrated transformer with a stack structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
For integrated circuits applied in wireless communication, transformers convert impedance among different signals. In order to effectively reduce circuit interference resulting from common-mode noises, more and more circuits adopt the design of differential signal pairs. Accordingly, transformers must transform single-ended unbalance signals into differential balance signals. One of these transformers is the balance-to-unbalance (BALUN) transformer.
In order to solve the issue in
It is known from
The BALUN transformer 400 still has some disadvantages. In
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an integrated transformer with a stack structure. With symmetric structure of the windings, locations of center taps can be easily determined.
The present invention is also directed to an integrated transformer with a stack structure, wherein the primary side and the secondary side have the same turn ratio and the same parasitic capacitance.
The present invention is directed to an integrated transformer with a stack structure, capable of effectively reducing insertion loss and enhancing coupling capabilities.
The present invention provides an integrated transformer with a stack structure. A top portion of the first winding is disposed over the surface of the middle dielectric layer, comprising a first conductive line of a primary side and a second conductive line of the primary side. Both conductive lines are laid as a first preset pattern and symmetric to each other through a first axis. Wherein, a terminal of the first conductive line of the primary side is a first terminal of the primary side of the integrated transformer, and another terminal of the first conductive line of the primary side is a first plug terminal of the primary side. Similarly, a terminal of the second conductive line of the primary side is a second terminal of the primary side of the integrated transformer, and another terminal of the second conductive line of the primary side is a second plug terminal of the primary side. In addition, a bottom portion of the first winding is disposed over the surface of the bottom dielectric layer, comprising a third conductive line of a primary side and a fourth conductive line of the primary side. Both conductive lines are laid as a second preset pattern and symmetric to each other through a second axis. Wherein, a terminal of the third conductive line of the primary side is a third plug terminal of the primary side, and another terminal of the third conductive line connects with the fourth conductive line of the primary side at the second axis. Another terminal of the fourth conductive line of the primary side is the fourth plug terminal of the primary side. The present invention also comprises a first via plug and a second via plug connecting the first plug terminal of the primary side and the third plug terminal of the primary side, and the second plug terminal of the primary side and the fourth plug terminal of the primary side, respectively. In addition, a top portion of the second winding is disposed over the surface of the middle dielectric layer, comprising a first conductive line of a secondary side and a second conductive line of the secondary side. Both conductive lines are symmetric to each other through a first axis and symmetric to the first conductive line of the primary side and the second conductive line of the primary side through the third axis, respectively. Wherein, a terminal of the first conductive line of the secondary side is a first terminal of the secondary side of the integrated transformer in the present invention, and another terminal of the first conductive line of the secondary side is a first plug terminal of the secondary side. A terminal of the second conductive line of the secondary side is a second terminal of the secondary side of the integrated transformer in the present invention, and another terminal of the second conductive line of the secondary side is a second plug terminal of the secondary side. A bottom portion of the second winding is disposed over the surface of the bottom dielectric layer, comprising a third conductive line of a secondary side and a fourth conductive line of the secondary side. Both conductive lines are symmetric to each other through the second axis and symmetric to the third conductive line of the primary side and the fourth conductive line of the primary side through the fourth axis, respectively. Wherein, a terminal of the third conductive line of the secondary side is a third plug terminal of the secondary side, and another terminal of the third conductive line connects with the fourth conductive line of the secondary side at the second axis. Another terminal of the fourth conductive line of the secondary side is the fourth plug terminal of the secondary side. The present invention also comprises a third via plug and a fourth via plug, connecting the first plug terminal of the secondary side and the third plug terminal of the secondary side, and the second plug terminal of the secondary side and the fourth plug terminal of the secondary side, respectively.
In another aspect, the present invention also provides an integrated transformer with a stack structure, comprising dielectric layers, a first winding and a second winding. Wherein, a portion of the first winding is disposed over a surface of the middle dielectric layer, the remaining portion of the first winding is disposed over a surface of the bottom dielectric layer, and two terminals of the first winding are two terminals of the primary side of the integrated transformer in the present invention. Similarly, a portion of the second winding is disposed over the surface of the middle dielectric layer, and the remaining portion of the second winding is disposed over the surface of the bottom dielectric layer. Two terminals of the second winding are two terminals of the secondary side of the integrated transformer in the present invention. In order to establish a symmetric pattern between these windings, the first winding crosses over the second winding on the surface of the middle dielectric layer, and the same applies on the surface of the bottom dielectric layer. In addition, these two windings lie in parallel, but do not intersect.
Accordingly, the first conductive line of the primary side is symmetric to the second conductive line of the primary side through the first axis, and the third conductive line of the primary side is symmetric to the fourth conductive line of the primary side through the second axis. In addition, first conductive line of the secondary side and the second conductive line of the secondary side are symmetric to the first conductive line of the primary side and the second conductive line of the primary side through the third axis, respectively. The third conductive line of the secondary side and the fourth conductive line of the secondary side are symmetric to the third conductive line of the primary side and the fourth conductive line of the primary side through the fourth axis, respectively. Due to the symmetric pattern of the primary side and the secondary side, the locations of center taps can be easily determined.
Because portions of both first winding and the second winding are disposed over the surface of the bottom dielectric layer and the surface of the middle dielectric layer, the primary side and the secondary side of the present invention have the same parasitic capacitance. Electrical characteristics can thus be well controlled. Moreover, these windings have horizontal and vertical electromagnetic coupling, so insertion loss can be reduced and coupling capabilities are enhanced.
The winding structure according to the present invention is a two-layer structure. Each layer may be a signal conductive line or multi-layer conductive lines connected in parallel so that the conductive lines may cross over each other. Accordingly, the top dielectric portion and the middle dielectric portion may comprise a single metal coil or multiple metal coils, and the dielectric layers.
The above and other features of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention that is provided in communication with the accompanying drawings.
First Embodiment
In this embodiment, the structure of these two windings of the present invention is a two-layer structure. One of ordinary skill in the art should understand that each layer may comprise a single conductive line or multiple conductive lines connected in parallel so that they can cross over each other. Accordingly, the structure in the top dielectric layer 505c and the middle dielectric layer 505b may be a combination of a single metal coil or a multi-layer metal coil, and the dielectric layer.
Referring to
According to
The top portion 501b of the first winding 501 is disposed over the surface of the bottom dielectric layer 505a, comprising a third conductive line a5–a6 of the primary side P and a fourth conductive line a7–a8 of the primary side P. The third conductive line a5–a6 of the primary side P and the fourth conductive line a7–a8 of the primary side P are laid as the second preset pattern and symmetric to each other through the axis X2. Wherein, the a6 terminal of the third conductive line of the primary side P and the a8 terminal of the fourth conductive line of the primary side P are connected at the axis X2, where the center tap CT of the integrated transformer 500 is disposed. In addition, the a5 terminal of the third conductive line of the primary side P is the third plug terminal of the primary side, and connects with the first plug terminal of the primary side P, i.e., the a2 terminal of the first conductive line of the primary side P, through the via plug 513. The terminal a7 of the fourth conductive line of the primary side P is the fourth plug terminal of the primary side P, and connects with the second plug terminal of the primary side P, i.e., the terminal a4 of the second conductive line of the primary side P, through the via plug 511.
In the second winding 503, the top portion 503a of the second winding 503, i.e., the top portion of the secondary side S, is disposed over the surface of the middle dielectric layer 505b, comprising a first conductive line b1–b2 of the secondary side S and a second conductive line b3–b4 of the secondary side S. They are laid as the first preset pattern. That is, the first conductive line of the secondary side S is symmetric to the second conductive line of the secondary side S through the axis X1. Moreover, the first conductive line of the secondary side S and the second conductive line of the secondary side S are symmetric to first conductive line of the primary side P and the second conductive line of the primary side P through the axis Y1, respectively. In addition, the b1 terminal of the first conductive line of the secondary side S is the first terminal of the secondary side S of the integrated transformer 500. The b2 terminal of the first conductive line of the secondary side S is the first plug terminal of the secondary side S. The b3 terminal of the second conductive line of the secondary side S is the second terminal of the secondary side S of the integrated transformer 500. The b4 terminal of the first conductive line of the secondary side is the second plug terminal of the secondary side S.
The top portion 503b of the second winding 503, i.e. the bottom portion of the secondary side S, is disposed over the surface of the bottom dielectric layer 505a, comprising a third conductive line b5–b6 of the secondary side S and a fourth conductive line b7–b8 of the secondary side S. Similarly, the third conductive line of the secondary side S is symmetric to the fourth conductive line of the secondary side S through the axis X2. Moreover, the third conductive line of the secondary side S and the fourth conductive line of the secondary side S are symmetric to the third conductive line of the primary side P and the fourth conductive line of the primary side P through the axis Y2, respectively. Wherein, the b6 terminal of the third conductive line of the secondary side S and the b8 terminal of the fourth conductive line of the secondary side S is connected at the axis X2, where the center tap CT of the integrated transformer 500 is disposed. In addition, the b5 terminal of the third conductive line of the secondary side S is the third plug terminal of the secondary side S, and connects with the first plug terminal of the secondary side S, i.e. the b2 terminal of the first conductive line of the secondary side S, through the via plug 515. The b7 terminal of the fourth conductive line of the secondary side S is the fourth plug terminal of the secondary side S, and connects with the second plug terminal of the secondary side S, i.e. the b4 terminal of the second conductive line of the secondary side S, through the via plug 517.
In this embodiment, these axes X1 and Y1, and these axes X2 and Y2 may vertical to each other, respectively. In addition, the axis X2 can be a vertical projection of the axis X1 on the bottom of the dielectric layer 505b. Additionally, the axis Y2 can be a vertical projection of the axis Y1 on the bottom of the dielectric layer 505.
The integrated transformer of the present invention can serve as a BALUN transformer. That is, the first terminal or the second terminal of the primary side P of the integrated transformer 500 may be grounded, and the center tap CT where the third conductive line of the secondary side S and the fourth conductive line of the secondary side S are connected, can be coupled to the reference voltage. Accordingly, the integrated transformer 500 can receive unbalance signals at the primary side P and output inversed balance signals at two terminals of the secondary side S. Based on the same theory, the integrated transformer 500 may also transfer balance signals into unbalance signals. Detailed descriptions are not repeated.
According to the structure of the present embodiment, the number of coils over the surface of the middle dielectric layer and the surface of the bottom dielectric layer on the primary side P can be of odd number, such as 1, 3, 5, . . . etc. Accordingly, the total number of coils over the surface of the middle dielectric layer and the surface of the bottom dielectric layer on the primary side P is an even number, such as 2, 6, 10, . . . etc. The structure of the second side S is similar, and detailed descriptions are not repeated.
To provide more conductive coils combination to meet different requirement, the present invention provides several embodiments. One of ordinary skill in the art, after viewing the present invention, should understand how to modify the winding method and the number of coils. All these modifications fall within the scope of the present invention.
Second Embodiment
In
Third Embodiment
In
Fourth Embodiment
Fifth Embodiment
Sixth Embodiment
Accordingly, the present invention has at least the following merits:
1. The present invention provides an integrated transformer with a stack structure, which occupies a smaller area.
2. In the present invention, the first conductive line of the primary side and the third conductive line of the primary side are symmetric to the second conductive line of the primary side and the fourth conductive line of the primary side through axes X1 and X2, respectively. In addition, the first conductive line of the secondary side and the third conductive line of the secondary side are also symmetric to the second conductive line of the secondary side and the fourth conductive line of the secondary side through axes X1 and X2, respectively. Moreover, the first conductive line of the secondary side and the third conductive line of the secondary side are symmetric to the first conductive line of the primary side and the third conductive line of the primary side through the axis Y1, respectively. The second conductive line of the secondary side and the fourth conductive line of the secondary side are symmetric to the second conductive line of the primary side and the fourth conductive line of the primary side through axis Y2, respectively. Accordingly, the locations of the center taps can be easily determined.
3. Portions of the first winding and the second winding are disposed over the surface of the middle dielectric layer, and the remaining portions of the first winding and the second winding are disposed over the surface of the bottom dielectric layer. Therefore, the parasitic capacitance on the primary side and the secondary side are substantial equivalent. The devices of the present invention have better characteristics.
4. According to the real requirements, the present invention may include different numbers of conductive coils on the primary side and the secondary side.
5. In the present invention, these windings have horizontal and vertical electromagnetic coupling. Therefore, the insertion loss can be reduced and the coupling capabilities can also be enhanced.
Although the present invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claims should be constructed broadly to include other variants and embodiments of the invention which may be made by those skilled in the field of this art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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93130516 A | Oct 2004 | TW | national |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20060077028 A1 | Apr 2006 | US |