Patent Application
20140347025
A voltage regulator is a device designed to automatically provide a relatively constant voltage level. A variety of designs can be utilized for voltage regulators including feed forward designs and control loops. Voltage regulators can also utilize electrical components and/or electromechanical components.
Voltage regulators are used in a variety of devices. They are used in power supplies to stabilize DC voltages utilized by circuits and processors. Voltage regulators are also utilized in power distribution systems to provide power at needed or usable voltage levels.
A variety of characteristics are important to the operation of voltage regulators. These include reliability, power consumption, voltage regulation performance, stability, and the like. Often, improving one characteristic is done at the expense of another.
The description herein is made with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are generally utilized to refer to like elements throughout, and wherein the various structures are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to facilitate understanding. It may be evident, however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more aspects described herein may be practiced with a lesser degree of these specific details. In other instances, known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to facilitate understanding.
Systems and methods are disclosed that include an integrated voltage regulator (IVR) system with an inner conductive core and surrounding magnetic winding. The IVR system is produced with a lower cost while obtaining suitable voltage regulation and other IVR characteristics. These characteristics include, for example, drastically improving electric power consumption saving characteristics, relatively smaller form factor, shorter interconnect path, faster operation speed and broader frequency bandwidth. The power consumption savings characteristics are helpful for portable, mobile, cloud computing device packages and the like.
The system 100 includes a digital pulse-width modulation (DPWM) component 102, non-linear (NL) controls 104, coupled-magnetic-core inductors 106, and a feedback compensator 108. In one example, the system 100 is formed within a single package. The DPWM component 102 receives an INPUT that includes, for example, a reference signal and a voltage input signal. In one example, the INPUT includes a voltage identifier code (VIC). The DPWM component 102 also receives a voltage feedback signals (VFB). The VFB can include delay and/or voltage compensation information. The DPWM component 102 generates a plurality of pulse width modulated voltage signals 110 according to the INPUT and the VFB. The pulse width modulated voltage signals 110 are generated according to the VIC, in one example.
The non-linear controls 104 include a plurality of individual non-linear controllers and receive the pulse width modulated signals 110. Further, the non-linear controls 104 generate a plurality of bridge signals 112. The bridge signals 112 are generally provided one for one, meaning that a bridge signal is provided for each individual non-linear control. The bridge signals 112 are provided in the form of an analog voltage signal.
The coupled-magnetic-core inductors 106 include a plurality of inductive coils or inductors, typically one per bridge signal. In one example, the core inductors 106 are arranged into two sets of four coupled power inductors. The coupled-magnetic-core inductors 106 receive the bridge signals 112 and generate an output voltage or signal 114. The output signal 114 is provided at a selected, regulated voltage level. The output signal 114 can be provided to a load, such as a processor, electronic circuit, and the like.
The feedback compensator 108 also receives the output signal 114 and generates a voltage feedback signal VFB. The VFB includes delay compensation information and the like. The feedback compensator 108 can also provide feedback information to the non-linear controls 104.
In other approaches, magnetic core inductors are provided as a separate, discrete component from the other components of a voltage regulator. However, using separate, discrete components substantially increases the overall production cost. For example, using separate, discrete components may more than double the overall cost.
Integrating the coupled-magnetic-core inductors 106 with the other components of the system 100 improves a variety of characteristics, as described above. For example, the form factor (size), speed, voltage IR drop, power consumption and manufacturing cost can be drastically reduced.
The method 200 is described in conjunction with
The method 200 begins at block 202, wherein an insulating layer, such as a bonded or coated layer, is formed on or over a carrier layer. The insulating layer is comprised of a suitable material. The carrier layer includes a silicon wafer, a silicon dioxide wafer, and/or another suitable carrier material. In one example, the carrier layer is a 0.5 to 32 inch diameter wafer or panel. The upper layer is a glass substrate or the bonded or coated layer is comprised of a non-conductive or insulating material. In one example, the bonded or coated layer is formed by high-resistivity silicon, glass wafer or substrate, spin-on-glass (SOG), spin-on dielectric (SOD), polymer, ceramic, or low temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC), and the like, on the carrier layer. Some examples of suitable thicknesses for the bonded or coated layer include 0.5 to 1000 micro meters, however it is appreciated that other suitable thicknesses can be utilized.
The carrier layer is integrated with other components of an integrated voltage regulator including non-linear controllers, feedback mechanisms, DPWM components, such as are described above with regards to
Returning to
The core area 308 includes the plurality of vias, referred to as core vias. The core vias are designated at 308a, 308b, 308c, and 308d and are collectively referred to as the core area 308.
Additionally, this view also shows a line A-A, from where the cross sectional views are based.
Returning now to
Returning to
Returning to
In one example, the conductive inner core is formed using copper (Cu) and/or a copper alloy. For this example, the copper is formed in the core area using a Cu seeding and Cu electrochemical plating processes followed by a Cu chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process to remove excess copper material.
The fill material is removed from the trench area at block 212. A suitable process is used to selectively remove the fill material from only the trench area without substantially removing the conductive inner core. In one example, plasma etching is used to selectively remove the fill material from the trench area. In another example, a solution is used to selectively remove the fill material.
Returning to the method 200, a magnetic winding coil is formed in the trench area at block 214. The magnetic winding coil is comprised of a magnetic material, such as NiZnCu—Fe2o4, YBi—Fe5o12, NiFe, and the like. The magnetic coil is formed within the trench area using a suitable process, such as spin coating, electroplating deposition, sputtering, chemical vapor deposition, and the like. Thereafter, excess magnetic material is removed using a suitable process, such as chemical mechanical planarization. The thickness of the magnetic core matches a thickness of the insulating layer 304, such as about 1 to 20 micro meters thick, in one example.
An example of a suitable spin coating method is to spin coat 40% Ni, 40% Zn and 20% Cu—Fe3O4. An example of another spin coating method is to spin coat 80% Y and 20% Bi and Fe5O12. An example of a suitable electroplating deposition is to electroplate Ni and Fe to yield low hysteresis and relatively high permeability. An example of a suitable sputtering method includes sputtering Ni and Fe and co-sputtering CoTaZr. It is appreciated that variations in the above magnetic coil formation process and magnetic material are contemplated.
It is appreciated that the magnetic winding can be utilized as part of the coupled-magnetic-core inductors 106, describe above.
It is further appreciated that redistribution layers (RDL) are formed to interconnect the core vias of the conductive inner core. The redistribution layers can be formed in the carrier layer prior to formation of the bonded or coated layer and/or over the insulating layer in the core area after formation of the conductive inner core.
It is appreciated that suitable variations of the method 200 are contemplated.
It will be appreciated that while reference is made throughout this document to exemplary structures in discussing aspects of methodologies described herein (e.g., the structure presented in above figures, while discussing the methodology set forth in above), that those methodologies are not to be limited by the corresponding structures presented. Rather, the methodologies (and structures) are to be considered independent of one another and able to stand alone and be practiced without regard to any of the particular aspects depicted in the Figs.
Also, equivalent alterations and/or modifications may occur to those skilled in the art based upon a reading and/or understanding of the specification and annexed drawings. The disclosure herein includes all such modifications and alterations and is generally not intended to be limited thereby. For example, although the figures provided herein, are illustrated and described to have a particular doping type, it will be appreciated that alternative doping types may be utilized as will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art.
An integrated voltage regulator system includes a control system and coupled-magnetic-core inductors. The control system is in a package. The coupled-magnetic-core inductors are also in the package. The control system is configured to utilize the coupled-magnetic-core inductors to generate a selected regulated voltage.
An integrated coupled-magnetic-core inductor formed within a package is disclosed. The inductor includes a package, a first layer (a bonded or coated layer or insulating substrate/layer), a trench area, a magnetic winding coil, a core area and conductive core vias. The first layer is formed on a carrier layer within the package. The trench area is formed within the first layer. The magnetic winding coil is formed within the trench area. The core area is formed within the bonded or coated layer. The core area is inside the trench area. Conductive core vias are formed within the core area.
A method of fabricating coupled-magnetic-core inductors for an integrated voltage regulator is disclosed. An insulating layer (bonded or coated layer) is attached upon a carrier layer within a package. The bonded or coated layer is patterned to form a core area and a trench area. A conductive inner core is formed within the core area. A magnetic winding coil is formed within the trench area.
While a particular feature or aspect may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature or aspect may be combined with one or more other features and/or aspects of other implementations as may be desired. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes”, “having”, “has”, “with”, and/or variants thereof are used herein, such terms are intended to be inclusive in meaning—like “comprising.” Also, “exemplary” is merely meant to mean an example, rather than the best. It is also to be appreciated that features, layers and/or elements depicted herein are illustrated with particular dimensions and/or orientations relative to one another for purposes of simplicity and ease of understanding, and that the actual dimensions and/or orientations may differ substantially from that illustrated herein.
