Thin-film device

Abstract

A thin-film device incorporates a device main body and four terminal electrodes. The device main body has four side surfaces. The terminal electrodes are disposed to touch respective portions of the side surfaces. The device main body includes a lower conductor layer used to form a first passive element and an upper conductor layer used to form a second passive element. At each side surface of the device main body, an end face of the lower conductor layer and an end face of the upper conductor layer are electrically and physically connected to each other. The terminal electrodes touch the end faces of the lower and upper conductor layers, and are thereby connected to the lower and upper conductor layers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a thin-film device of a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is another cross-sectional view of the thin-film device of the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the thin-film device of the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a top view of lower conductor layers that the thin-film device of the first embodiment of the invention includes.

FIG. 5 is a top view of an insulating layer that the thin-film device of the first embodiment of the invention includes.

FIG. 6 is a top view of a dielectric film that the thin-film device of the first embodiment of the invention includes.

FIG. 7 is a top view of upper conductor layers that the thin-film device of the first embodiment of the invention includes.

FIG. 8 is a top view of a protection film that the thin-film device of the first embodiment of the invention includes.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the circuit configuration of the thin-film device of the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view for describing a method of manufacturing the thin-film device of the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a step that follows the step of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a thin-film device of a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13 is another cross-sectional view of the thin-film device of the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 14 is a top view of the thin-film device of the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 15 is a top view of lower conductor layers that the thin-film device of the second embodiment of the invention includes.

FIG. 16 is a top view of an insulating layer that the thin-film device of the second embodiment of the invention includes.

FIG. 17 is a top view of a dielectric film that the thin-film device of the second embodiment of the invention includes.

FIG. 18 is a top view of upper conductor layers that the thin-film device of the second embodiment of the invention includes.

FIG. 19 is a top view of a protection film that the thin-film device of the second embodiment of the invention includes.

FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram illustrating the circuit configuration of the thin-film device of the second embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. A thin-film device comprising: a layered structure having a side surface and including a plurality of conductor layers disposed at different levels along a direction in which the layers are stacked and an insulating layer disposed between two of the conductor layers located adjacent to each other along the direction in which the layers are stacked; anda terminal electrode disposed to touch the side surface of the layered structure, wherein:the layered structure incorporates a first passive element and a second passive element each of which is formed using at least one of the conductor layers;the plurality of conductor layers include a first conductor layer used to form the first passive element, and a second conductor layer used to form the second passive element and disposed at a level different from a level at which the first conductor layer is disposed along the direction in which the layers are stacked; andat the side surface of the layered structure, an end face of the first conductor layer and an end face of the second conductor layer are electrically and physically connected to each other, and the terminal electrode touches the end face of the first conductor layer and the end face of the second conductor layer and is thereby connected to the first and second conductor layers.

2. The thin-film device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second passive elements are capacitors different from each other.

3. The thin-film device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second passive elements are inductors different from each other.

4. The thin-film device according to claim 1, wherein the maximum number of the conductor layers aligned along the direction in which the layers are stacked is two.

5. A thin-film device comprising: a layered structure having a side surface and including a plurality of conductor layers disposed at different levels along a direction in which the layers are stacked and an insulating layer disposed between two of the conductor layers located adjacent to each other along the direction in which the layers are stacked; anda terminal electrode disposed to touch the side surface of the layered structure, wherein:the layered structure incorporates a passive element formed using at least one of the conductor layers;the plurality of conductor layers include a first conductor layer used to form the passive element, and a second conductor layer that is not used to form the passive element and that is disposed at a level different from a level at which the first conductor layer is disposed along the direction in which the layers are stacked; andat the side surface of the layered structure, an end face of the first conductor layer and an end face of the second conductor layer are electrically and physically connected to each other, and the terminal electrode touches the end face of the first conductor layer and the end face of the second conductor layer and is thereby connected to the first and second conductor layers.

6. The thin-film device according to claim 5, wherein the maximum number of the conductor layers aligned along the direction in which the layers are stacked is two.