Claims
- 1. A method of making an integrated circuit inductor, the integrated circuit having a silicon substrate and an oxide layer on the silicon substrate, the method comprising:
depositing an inductive loop on the oxide layer; opening a plurality of apertures in the oxide layer beneath the inductive loop; providing a plurality of bridges to support the inductive loop; and forming a trench in the silicon substrate beneath the bridges.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the trench is formed by etching of the silicon substrate.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the etching is continued until the trench is continuous beneath the extent of the inductive loop.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the bridges are adjacent the apertures and provided by portions of the oxide layer between an inner region within the inductive loop and an outer region of the oxide layer without the inductive loop.
- 5. A method of making an integrated circuit inductor, the integrated circuit having a silicon substrate and an oxide layer on the silicon substrate, the method comprising:
depositing an inductive loop on the oxide layer; making a plurality of apertures in the oxide layer beneath the inductive loop; providing a plurality of bridges adjacent the apertures and provided by portions of the oxide layer formed between an inner region within the inductive loop and an outer region of the oxide layer without the inductive loop, the inductive loop being supported on the bridges; and forming a trench in the silicon substrate beneath the bridges, to provide an air gap between the inductive loop and the silicon substrate.
- 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the apertures and the bridges extend generally radially from the inner region.
- 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the trench extends circumferentially around the inner region.
- 8. The method of claim 5, wherein the inductive loop has a plurality of spirally arranged turns.
- 9. The method of claim 5, wherein the oxide layer includes an underpass connection in one of the bridges from a peripheral connection to another end of the inductor to its inner end.
- 10. A method of making an integrated circuit inductor, the integrated circuit having a silicon substrate and an oxide layer on the silicon substrate, the method comprising:
depositing an inductive loop on the oxide layer; defining a plurality of apertures in the oxide layer beneath the inductive loop, each aperture forming an underpass to a plurality of segments of the inductive loop; providing a plurality of bridges to support the inductive loop; and forming a trench in the silicon substrate beneath the bridges, to provide an air gap between the inductive loop and the silicon substrate.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the bridges are adjacent the apertures and provided by portions of the oxide layer formed between an inner region within the inductive loop and an outer region of the oxide layer without the inductive loop.
- 12. A method of making an integrated circuit inductor, the integrated circuit having a silicon substrate and an oxide layer on the silicon substrate, the method comprising:
depositing an inductive loop on the oxide layer; opening a plurality of apertures in the oxide layer beneath the inductive loop so as to provide a plurality of bridges to support the inductive loop; and forming a trench in the silicon substrate beneath the bridges.
- 13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the trench is formed by etching of the silicon substrate.
- 14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the etching is continued until the trench is continuous beneath the extent of the inductive loop.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
200002874-6 |
May 2000 |
SG |
|
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/737,439, filed Dec. 13, 2000, and which is incorporated by reference.
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09737439 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
Child |
10298418 |
Nov 2002 |
US |