This application claims the benefit of priority to Taiwan Patent Application Nos. 109130753 and 110111947, filed on Sep. 8, 2020 and Mar. 31, 2021, respectively. The entire contents of the above identified applications are incorporated herein by reference.
Some references, which may include patents, patent applications and various publications, may be cited and discussed in the description of this disclosure. The citation and/or discussion of such references is provided merely to clarify the description of the present disclosure and is not an admission that any such reference is “prior art” to the disclosure described herein. All references cited and discussed in this specification are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties and to the same extent as if each reference was individually incorporated by reference.
The present disclosure relates to an inductor, and more particularly to a thin film inductor and a manufacturing method thereof.
In a conventional thin film inductor of current technologies, wet printing processes are usually performed to fabricate magnetic layers that are used to cover a coil. However, in the conventional thin film inductor fabricated by the wet printing processes, a thickness of each magnetic layer cannot be effectively controlled, which may result in difficulty of mass production and low fabrication efficiency. Furthermore, since the magnetic layers of the conventional thin film inductor are made of the same material or have the same composition, the characteristics of the conventional thin film inductor cannot be improved effectively.
Accordingly, how the fabrication efficiency of the thin film inductor and the characteristics and quality of the thin film inductor can be improved by a structural design and modification of fabrication processes so as to overcome the abovementioned inadequacies, has become one of the important issues to be addressed in this industry.
In response to the above-referenced technical inadequacies, the present disclosure provides a thin film inductor and a manufacturing method thereof.
In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a thin film inductor. The thin film inductor includes a coil assembly, a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, a third magnetic layer, and a fourth magnetic layer. The coil assembly includes a substrate, a first conductive wire disposed on a first surface of the substrate, and a second conductive wire disposed on a second surface of the substrate. The first and second conductive wires each have a plurality of winding turns. The first magnetic layer is disposed on the first surface, in which the first conductive wire is embedded in the first magnetic layer. A part of the first magnetic layer fills into a gap defined between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the first conductive wire. The second magnetic layer is disposed on the second surface, in which the second conductive wire is embedded in the second magnetic layer. A part of the second magnetic layer fills into a gap defined between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the second conductive wire. The third magnetic layer is disposed on the first magnetic layer, in which the first magnetic layer is disposed between the substrate and the third magnetic layer. The fourth magnetic layer is disposed on the second magnetic layer, in which the second magnetic layer is disposed between the substrate and the fourth magnetic layer. At least two of the first magnetic layer, the second magnetic layer, the third magnetic layer, and the fourth magnetic layer have different compositions.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a thin film inductor. The thin film inductor includes a coil assembly, a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a magnetic core. The coil assembly includes a substrate, a first conductive wire disposed on a first surface of the substrate, and a second conductive wire disposed on a second surface of the substrate. The first conductive wire and the second conductive wire each have a plurality of winding turns. The first magnetic layer is disposed on the first surface, and the first conductive wire is embedded in the first magnetic layer. A part of the first magnetic layer fills into a gap defined between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the first conductive wire. The second magnetic layer is disposed on the second surface, and the second conductive wire is embedded in the second magnetic layer. A part of the second magnetic layer fills into a gap defined between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the second conductive wire. The magnetic core is disposed between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer and located in a through hole of the substrate. The first conductive wire and the second conductive wire are arranged on the substrate to surround the through hole. At least two of the first magnetic layer, the second magnetic layer, and the magnetic core have different compositions.
In yet another aspect, the present disclosure provides a manufacturing method of a thin film inductor. The manufacturing method includes the steps of: providing a first magnetic mixed material and a second magnetic mixed material; drying the first magnetic mixed material and the second magnetic mixed material so as to form a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer; and embedding a first portion of a coil assembly into the first magnetic layer, and embedding a second portion of the coil assembly into the second magnetic layer. The first portion and the second portion each have a plurality of winding turns, a part of the first magnetic layer fills into a gap defined between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the first portion, and a part of the second magnetic layer fills into a gap defined between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the second portion.
Therefore, by virtue of “a part of the first magnetic layer filling into a gap defined between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the first conductive wire, and a part of the second magnetic layer filling into a gap defined between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the second conductive wire,” the characteristics and the quality of the thin film inductor can be improved. Furthermore, in the manufacturing method of the thin film inductor, by virtue of “drying the first magnetic mixed material and the second magnetic mixed material to respectively form the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer,” “embedding a first portion of a coil assembly in the first magnetic layer and embedding a second portion of the coil assembly in the second magnetic layer,” and “a part of the first magnetic layer filling into a gap defined between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the first portion, and a part of the second magnetic layer filling into a gap defined between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the second portion,” the fabrication efficiency, the characteristics and the quality of the thin film inductor can be improved.
These and other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of the embodiment taken in conjunction with the following drawings and their captions, although variations and modifications therein may be affected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure.
The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.
The present disclosure is more particularly described in the following examples that are intended as illustrative only since numerous modifications and variations therein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Like numbers in the drawings indicate like components throughout the views. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the meaning of “a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural reference, and the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on”. Titles or subtitles can be used herein for the convenience of a reader, which shall have no influence on the scope of the present disclosure.
The terms used herein generally have their ordinary meanings in the art. In the case of conflict, the present document, including any definitions given herein, will prevail. The same thing can be expressed in more than one way. Alternative language and synonyms can be used for any term(s) discussed herein, and no special significance is to be placed upon whether a term is elaborated or discussed herein. A recital of one or more synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. The use of examples anywhere in this specification including examples of any terms is illustrative only, and in no way limits the scope and meaning of the present disclosure or of any exemplified term. Likewise, the present disclosure is not limited to various embodiments given herein. Numbering terms such as “first”, “second” or “third” can be used to describe various components, signals or the like, which are for distinguishing one component/signal from another one only, and are not intended to, nor should be construed to impose any substantive limitations on the components, signals or the like.
Reference is made to
Furthermore, it should be noted that the first conductive wire 12 and the second conductive wire 13 can be connected to each other through at least one conductive via 113 passing through the substrate 11. That is to say, the substrate 11 includes the at least one conductive via 113 extending from the first surface 111 to the second surface 112, and the at least one conductive via 113 is connected between the first and second conductive wires 12, 13. In one embodiment, the at least one conductive via 113 is connected between the innermost turn of the first conductive wire 12 and the innermost turn of the second conductive wire 13. However, the position of the at least one conductive via 113 is not limited in the present disclosure.
As mentioned above, preferably, the coil assembly 1 can further includes an insulating layer 14 covering the first conductive wire 12, the second conductive wire 13, and the substrate 11. As such, both of the first conductive wire 12 and the second conductive wire 13 can be insulated from the first magnetic layer 2, the second magnetic layer 3, the third magnetic layer 4, and the fourth magnetic layer 5, so as to prevent a short circuit.
It is worth mentioning that in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the insulating layer 14 does not fill up a gap between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the first conductive wire 12. Similarly, the insulating layer 14 does not fill up a gap between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the second conductive wire 13. Accordingly, a thickness t1 of the insulating layer 14 is less than the spacing d1 between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the first conductive wire 12 (or the second conductive wire 13). To be more specific, the spacing d1 between any two ones of the winding turns of the first conductive wire 12 (or the second conductive wire 13) is preferably two times greater than the thickness t1 of the insulating layer 14, i.e., the spacing d1, the thickness t1 of the insulating layer 14 satisfy the following relationship: d1>2t1. As such, a part of the first magnetic layer 2 can fill into the gap defined between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the first conductive wire 12. Similarly, a part of the second magnetic layer 3 can fill into the gap defined between any two adjacent ones of the second conductive wire 13.
In one embodiment, the spacing d1 is three times greater than the thickness t1 of the insulating layer 14. Specifically, the spacing can be four times greater than the thickness t1 of the insulating layer 14. That is to say, the thickness t1 can be adjusted according to the spacing d1, and the thickness t1 may range from 0.1 nm to 10 μm. For example, it is assumed that the spacing d1 is 20 μm, the thickness t1 of the insulating layer 14 is not more than 10 μm, preferably, not more than 3 μm. In one embodiment, the thickness t1 of the insulating layer 14 can range from 0.1 μm to 3 μm, which not only maintains an insulating property of the insulating layer 14, but also results in a better inductive characteristics of the thin film inductor U.
Furthermore, for example, the insulating layer 14 can be formed on the first and second conductive wires 12, 13 by an atomic layer deposition (ALD), a molecular layer deposition (MLD) or a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The insulating layer 14 can be made of organic material, inorganic material, or organic-inorganic hybrid material, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
As mentioned previously, the first magnetic layer 2 is disposed on the first surface 111, and the first conductive wire 12 is embedded in the first magnetic layer 2. The second magnetic layer 3 is disposed on the second surface 112, and the second conductive wire 13 is embedded in the second magnetic layer 3. Furthermore, the third magnetic layer 4 is disposed on the first magnetic layer 2, and the first magnetic layer 2 is disposed between the substrate 11 and the third magnetic layer 4. The fourth magnetic layer 5 is disposed on the second magnetic layer 3, and the second magnetic layer 3 is disposed between the substrate 11 and the fourth magnetic layer 5. At least two ones of the first, second, third, and fourth magnetic layers 2, 3, 4, 5 have different compositions. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the composition of the first magnetic layer 2 is the same as that of the second magnetic layer 3, and the composition of the third magnetic layer 4 is the same as that of the fourth magnetic composition 5. The composition of the first magnetic layer 2 is different from that of the third magnetic layer 4, and the composition of the second magnetic layer 3 is different from that of the fourth magnetic layer 5. It should be noted that the aforementioned “composition” can be material or property. Accordingly, the first magnetic layer 2, the second magnetic layer 3, the third magnetic layer 4, and the fourth magnetic layer 5 can be respectively made of different materials.
As mentioned above, for example, in the present disclosure, a permeability value of the third magnetic layer 4 can be greater than that of the first magnetic layer 2, and a permeability value of the fourth magnetic layer 5 can be greater than that of the second magnetic layer 3. The first and second magnetic layers 2, 3 have the same permeability value, and the third and fourth magnetic layers 4, have the same permeability value. Furthermore, for example, a core loss of the first magnetic layer 2 can be less than that of the third magnetic layer 4, and a core loss of the second magnetic layer 3 can be less than that of the fourth magnetic layer 5. However, it should be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to the abovementioned examples.
As mentioned above, for example, the first magnetic layer 2 includes a first filler 21 and a plurality of first particles 22 disposed in the first filler 21, the second magnetic layer 3 includes a second filler 31 and a plurality of second particles 32 disposed in the second filler 31, the third magnetic layer 4 includes a third filler 41 and a plurality of third particles 42 disposed in the third filler 41, and the fourth magnetic layer 5 includes a fourth filler 51 and a plurality of fourth particles 52 disposed in the fourth filler 51. However, it should be noted that in another embodiment, the first, second, third, and fourth magnetic layers 2, 3, 4, 5 may include another kind of particles in addition to the first, second, third, and fourth particles 22, 32, 42, 52, and the present is not limited to the examples provided herein. For example, for the present disclosure, under a situation where the composition of the first magnetic layer 2 is the same as that of the second magnetic layer 3, and the composition of the third magnetic layer 4 is the same as that of the fourth magnetic layer 5, the first filler 21 and the second filler 31 can be made of the same material or have the same property, and the third filler 41 and the fourth filler 51 can be made of the same material or have the same property. Furthermore, under a situation where the first and third magnetic layers 2, 4 respectively have different compositions, and the second and fourth magnetic layers 3, 5 respectively have different compositions, the first and third fillers 21, 41 can be made of different materials and have different properties, the second and fourth fillers 31, 51 can be made of different materials and have different properties, the first and third particles 22, 42 can be made of different materials and have different properties, and the second and fourth particles 32, 52 can be made of different materials and have different properties.
As mentioned above, for example, the first filler 21, the second filler 31, the third filler 41, and the fourth filler 51 can be made of thermosetting polymer or light-activated curing polymer, such as, but not limited to, epoxy or UV curable adhesive. In addition, for example, each one of the first particles 22, the second particles 32, the third particles 42, and the fourth particles 52 can be magnetic powder, and the material of the magnetic powder may be, for example, Si—Fe alloy, Fe—Si—Cr alloy, Fe—Si—Al alloy, iron, ferrite, amorphous material, nanocrystalline material, or any combination thereof, and the present disclosure is not limited to the examples provided herein. Furthermore, the abovementioned “composition” may mean the size of each of the first particles 22, the second particle 32, the third particle 42, and the fourth particle 52.
As mentioned above, for example, the sizes of the first particles 22 are smaller than those of the third particles 42, and sizes of the second particles 32 are smaller than those of the fourth particles 52, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The smaller the size of each one of the first to fourth particles 22, 32, 42, 52 is, the lower the permeability value is. As such, by using the first and second particles 22, 32 having smaller sizes in the first magnetic layer 2 and the second magnetic layer 3, respectively, a saturation current of the thin film inductor U can be increased. By using the third and fourth particles 42, 52 having larger sizes in the third magnetic layer 4 and the fourth magnetic layer 5, respectively, the inductance of the thin film inductor U can be increased.
It is worth mentioning that as shown in
Furthermore, since the first and second conductive wires 12, 13 are respectively embedded in the first and second magnetic layers 2, 3, selecting the first and second particles 22, 32 having smaller sizes can prevent the structures of the first and second conductive wires 12, 13 from being damaged.
Accordingly, the sizes of the first and second particles 22, 32 can be determined according to the spacing d1 and the thickness t1 of the insulating layer 14. For example, the size of the first particle 22 can range from 0.5 μm to 15 μm, the size of the second particle 32 can range from 0.5 μm to 15 μm, the size of the third particle 42 can range from 2 μm to 50 μm, and the size of the fourth particle 52 can range from 2 μm to 50 μm, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Preferably, the size of the first particle 22 ranges from 1 μm to 5 μm, and the size of the third particle 42 ranges from 5 μm to 15 μm, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
Furthermore, it should be noted that when the first, second, third, and fourth magnetic layers 2, 3, 4, 5 each further include another kind of particles that are made of different magnetic materials in addition to the first, second, third, and fourth particles, 22, 32, 42, 52.
Accordingly, in the present disclosure, the characteristics of the thin film inductor U can be modified by adjusting the compositions of the first, second, third and fourth magnetic layers 2, 3, 4, 5. For example, in one embodiment, when the thin film inductor U is required to have a higher withstand current and a lower core loss, the materials of the first and second magnetic layers 2, 3 can be carbon-based iron powder, and the materials of the third and fourth magnetic layers, 4, 5 can be carbon-based iron powder or amorphous material. Moreover, when the thin film inductor U is required to have a higher permeability value and a lower DC resistance, the materials of the first and second magnetic layers 2, 3 can be Fe—Si—Cr alloy, and the materials of the third and fourth magnetic layers 4, 5 can be Fe—Si—Cr alloy or amorphous material. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the examples provided herein.
Reference is made to
To be more specific, the structure of the thin film inductor U shown in
That is to say, in the examples 1-5, the first magnetic layer 2 fills into the gap defined between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the first conductive wire 12, and the second magnetic layer 3 fills into the gap defined between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the second conductive wire 13. As the thickness t1 of the insulating layer 14 increases, the part of the first magnetic layer 2 (or the second magnetic layer 3) filling into the gap defined between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the first conductive wire 12 (or the second conductive wire 13) is decreased. Reference is made to the following Table 1, in which the thicknesses t1 of the insulating layers 14 and initial inductance values (L0) in examples 1-5 and the comparative example before a current is applied are listed.
Reference is made to Table 1, which is to be read in conjunction with
However, compared to examples 1-4, the initial inductance value of the thin film inductor in example 5, in which the thickness t1 (10 μm) of the insulating layer 14 is half the spacing d1 (20 μm), is obviously lower. Accordingly, in one preferable embodiment of the present disclosure, the thickness t1 of the insulating layer 14 preferably does not exceed 5 μm, and more preferably ranges from 0.1 μm to 3 μm.
Furthermore, as shown in
Reference is made to
It should be noted that the more slowly the percentage of the inductance value (L) to the initial inductance values (L0) decreases as the applied current increases, the greater the saturation current (Isat) of the thin film inductor is. As shown in
As shown in
Reference is made to
That is to say, the first curved surface 2s of the first magnetic layer 2 and the second curved surface 3s of the second magnetic layer 3 respectively define two recess regions. Furthermore, the third magnetic layer 4 has a protrusion portion 4P protruding from an inner surface thereof. The protrusion portion 4P is located at a side of the third magnetic layer 4 closer to the substrate 11, and fills into the recess region defined by the first curved surface 2s of the first magnetic layer 2. Similarly, the fourth magnetic layer 5 also has a protrusion portion 5P protruding from an inner surface thereof. The protrusion portion 5P is located at a side of the fourth magnetic layer 5 closer to the substrate 11, and the protrusion portion 5P fills into the recess region defined by the second curved surface 3s of the second magnetic layer 3.
Furthermore, in the instant embodiment, a part of a surface of the insulating layer 14 covering the first conductive wire 12 is not covered by the first magnetic layer 2 and is coplanar with a surface of the first magnetic layer 2. Accordingly, the third magnetic layer 4 is in contact with the portion of the insulating layer 14 (covering the first conductive wire 12) and the first magnetic layer 2. Similarly, a part of a surface of another insulating layer 14 covering the second conductive wire 13 is not covered by the second magnetic layer 3 and is coplanar with a surface of the second magnetic layer 3. The fourth magnetic layer 5 is in contact with the another insulating layer 14 (covering the second conductive wire 13) and the second magnetic layer 3. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the aforementioned example.
The third magnetic layer 4 has a third thickness T3 that is one to ten times a first thickness T1 of the first magnetic layer 2, and the fourth magnetic layer 5 has a fourth thickness T4 that is one to ten times the second thickness T2 of the second magnetic layer 3. In the instant embodiment, the first thickness T1 of the first magnetic layer 2 is less than the third thickness T3 of the third magnetic layer 4, and a second thickness T2 of the second magnetic layer 3 is less than the fourth thickness T4 of the fourth magnetic layer 5.
Additionally, the first thickness T1 of the first magnetic layer 2 is about 1 to 1.5 times a thickness of the first conductive wire 12, and the second thickness T2 of the second magnetic layer 3 is about 1 to 1.5 times a thickness of the second conductive wire 13. For example, when the thickness of the first conductive wire 12 (or the second conductive wire 13) is 50 μm, the first thickness T1 (or the second thickness T2) of the first magnetic layer 2 (or the second magnetic layer 3) can range from 50 μm to 75 μm.
In one embodiment, the permeability value of the first magnetic layer 2 is less than that of the third magnetic layer 4, and the permeability value of the second magnetic layer 3 is less than that of the fourth magnetic layer 5. It is worth mentioning that under a condition that the first and second magnetic layers 2, 3 each have a lower permeability value, the thin film inductor U has a higher saturation current, but has a relatively lower inductance. Accordingly, in the instant embodiment, by decreasing the thicknesses of the first and second magnetic layers 2, 3, the first and second magnetic layers 2, 3 each have the recess region formed therein. By respectively filling the protrusion portions 4P, 5P of the third and fourth magnetic layers 4, 5 each having a higher permeability value into the recess regions of the first and second magnetic layers 2, 3, the inductance of the thin film inductor U can be improved without compromising or decreasing the saturation current thereof, thereby optimizing the characteristics of the thin film inductor U.
Reference is made to
As mentioned above, for example, in the embodiment shown in
Subsequently, referring to
Specifically, the first magnetic layer 2 can be divided into a peripheral portion covering the first conductive wire 12 and the central portion covering the magnetic core 6, and the central portion protrudes from the peripheral portion and has the convex surface (the first curved surface 2s). Similarly, the second magnetic layer 3 can be divided into a peripheral portion covering the second conductive wire 13 and the central portion covering the magnetic core 6, and the central portion protrudes from the peripheral portion and has the convex surface (the second curved surface 3s). Accordingly, the first curved surface 2s protrudes from the first conductive wire 12, and the second curved surface 3s protrudes from the second conductive wire 13.
As shown in
Furthermore, in the instant embodiment, the first thickness T1 of the first magnetic layer 2 is about 1 to 1.5 times a thickness of the first conductive wire 12, and the second thickness T2 is about 1 to 1.5 times a thickness of the second conductive wire 13.
Reference is made to
It should be noted that the conditions of the first and second magnetic layers 2, 3 having the same permeability value and the third and fourth magnetic layers 4, 5 having the same permeability value are set for simulation, in which the permeability value of the first magnetic layer 2 is lower than that of the third magnetic layer 4. Furthermore, in the third and fourth embodiments, the permeability value of the magnetic core 6 is set to be the same as that of the third magnetic layer 4 for simulation, i.e., the magnetic core 6 has a higher permeability value than that of the first or second magnetic layers 2, 3.
The simulation results are shown in
Furthermore, compared to the second to fourth embodiments, as the applied current increases, the percentage of the inductance value (L) to the initial inductance value (L0) of the thin film inductor U in the first embodiment decreases more slowly, which represents that the thin film inductor U of the first embodiment has a relatively higher saturation current (Isat).
Reference is made to
It should be noted that generally speaking, the higher the permeability value of the material located at a central region (a region surrounded by the first and second conductive wires 12, 13) of the coil assembly 1, the higher the initial inductance value. Furthermore, in general, the thin film inductor having a higher initial inductance value usually has a relatively lower saturation current. However, based on the simulation results, the thin film inductor U of the third embodiment includes the magnetic core 6 located at the central region and having a higher permeability value, but the initial inductance value of the thin film inductor U in the second embodiment is higher than that of the thin film inductor U in the third embodiment.
Furthermore, referring to
Reference is made to
Furthermore, the first magnetic layer 2 includes a first filler 21 and a plurality of first particles 22 disposed in the first filler 21, the second magnetic layer 3 includes a second filler 31 and a plurality of second particles 32 disposed in the second filler 31, and the magnetic core 6 includes a fifth filler 61 and a plurality of fifth particles 62 disposed in the fifth filler 61, in which the size of each of the fifth particles 62. Furthermore, it should be noted that the coil assembly 1, the structures of the first magnetic layer 2, and the second magnetic layer 3 shown in
Subsequently, referring to
Reference is made to
Subsequently, referring to
Subsequently, in the step S102, the first magnetic mixed material 2′ and the second magnetic mixed material 3′ are dried to respectively form a first magnetic layer 2 and a second magnetic layer 3. For example, the first magnetic mixed material 2′ and the second magnetic mixed material 3′ can be dried by means of natural drying, light drying, or thermal drying (for example, but not limited to, baking), so as to form the cured and/or shaped first magnetic layer 2 and the second magnetic layer 3. Furthermore, by controlling viscosities and volumes of the first and second magnetic mixed materials 2′, 3′, the thicknesses and the shapes of the first and second magnetic layers 2, 3 can be controlled.
Subsequently, referring to
Referring to
Subsequently, referring to
Reference is made to
Subsequently, referring to
Subsequently, in the step S202, the first magnetic mixed material 2′ and the second magnetic mixed material 3′ are dried to respectively form a first magnetic layer 2 and a second magnetic layer 3, and the third magnetic mixed material 4′ and the fourth magnetic mixed material 5′ are dried to respectively form the third magnetic layer 4 and the fourth magnetic layer 5. For example, the first magnetic mixed material 2′, the second magnetic mixed material 3′, the third magnetic mixed material 4′ and the fourth magnetic mixed material 5′ can be dried by means of natural drying or thermal drying (for example, but not limited to, baking), so as to dry and/or shape the first magnetic layer 2, the second magnetic layer 3, the third magnetic layer 4, and the fourth magnetic layer 5. Furthermore, by controlling viscosities and volumes of the first, second, third and fourth magnetic mixed materials 2′, 3′, 4′, 5′, the thickness and the shape of each of the first, second, third and fourth magnetic layers 2, 3, 4, 5 can be controlled.
Furthermore, it should be noted that in the second embodiment, the means as provided in the step S103 can be utilized to individually compress the first magnetic layer 2, the second magnetic layer 3, the third magnetic layer 4, and the fourth magnetic layer 5, so as to increase densities of the first magnetic layer 2, the second magnetic layer 3, the third magnetic layer 4, and the fourth magnetic layer 5, respectively. However, whether or not the first magnetic layer 2, the second magnetic layer 3, the third magnetic layer 4, and the fourth magnetic layer 5 are compressed is not limited in the present disclosure. Furthermore, by individually compressing the first to fourth magnetic layers 2-5, the first to fourth magnetic layers 2-5 can have different densities, respectively. That is to say, when the magnetic layers (the first to fourth magnetic layers 2-5) are required to have different characteristics, by individually compressing the magnetic layers, the densities of the magnetic layers can be adjusted individually, such that the magnetic layers have different permeability values, respectively.
Reference is made to
Reference is made to
It should be noted that in the step S203, the first thickness T1 of the first magnetic layer 2 and the second thickness T2 of the second magnetic layer 3 can be adjusted so as to form different thin film inductors U having different structures after performing the step S204. For example, when the first thickness T1 of the first magnetic layer 2 may be 2 to 2.5 times that of the first portion (the first conductive wire 12), and the second thickness T2 of the second magnetic layer 3 may be 2 to 2.5 times that of the second portion (second conductive wire 13), the thin film inductor U shown in
Subsequently, in the step S205, the third magnetic layer 4 is trimmed to a third thickness T3 and the fourth magnetic layer 5 is trimmed to a fourth thickness T4, i.e., the outer covering layers of the thin film inductor U can be trimmed. That is to say, by any grinding means that has been described in the previous embodiment, the third magnetic layer 4 can be trimmed to the third thickness T3 and the fourth magnetic layer 5 can be trimmed to the fourth thickness T4, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Furthermore, it should be noted that in the present disclosure, the step S205 is optional, and can be omitted in another embodiment. Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that when the thin film inductor U further includes more magnetic layers (such as a fifth magnetic layer, a sixth magnetic layer, a seventh magnetic layer or an eighth magnetic layer, and so on, that is not shown in the figures), in the step S205, the outer covering layers of the thin film inductor U, i.e., the outermost magnetic layers respectively located at two opposite sides of the thin film inductor U, are trimmed.
Reference is made to
Reference is made to
Subsequently, referring to
Subsequently, referring to
It should be noted that by adjusting a sum of the thicknesses of the two portions of the magnetic core 6 that are respectively disposed on the first and second magnetic layers 2, 3, after the step S305 is performed, different thin film inductors U with different structures can be fabricated. For example, when one of the portions of the magnetic core 6 has thickness that is 0.8 to 1 times that of the first portion (the first conductive wire 12), the thin film inductor U shown in
Subsequently, in the step S306, the third magnetic layer 4 is trimmed to a third thickness T3, and the fourth magnetic layer 5 is trimmed to a fourth thickness T4. That is to say, the outer covering layers of the thin film inductor U that are respectively located at the outermost sides of the film inductor U are trimmed. That is to say, by performing the step S306, the entire thickness and the surface flatness of the thin film inductor U can be modified. Furthermore, it should be noted that in the present embodiment, the step S306 is optional and can be omitted in another embodiment.
Reference is made to
Reference is made to
Subsequently, referring to
Subsequently, in the step S404, the first magnetic layer 2 is trimmed to a first thickness T1 and the second magnetic layer 3 is trimmed to a second thickness T2. That is to say, the entire thickness and surface flatness of the thin film inductor U can be modified by performing the step S404. Furthermore, it should be noted that in the present disclosure, the step S404 is optional, and can be omitted in another embodiment.
In conclusion, one of the advantages of the present disclosure is that in the thin film inductor U provided herein, by virtue of “a part of the first magnetic layer filling into a gap defined between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the first conductive wire, and a part of the second magnetic layer filling into a gap defined between any two adjacent ones of the winding turns of the second conductive wire,” the thin film inductor U can have a greater inductance value and a higher saturation current.
Furthermore, by virtue of “at least two of the first magnetic layer 2, the second magnetic layer 3, the third magnetic layer 4, and the fourth magnetic layer 5 having different compositions” or “at least two of the first magnetic layer 2, the second magnetic layer 3, and the magnetic core 6 having different compositions,” the thin film inductor U can includes two or more combinations of material systems. As such, the composition of each magnetic layer can be designed according to the requirements of the practical products, which is not only beneficial to customization, but results in improvement of the thin film inductor U in characteristics and quality.
Furthermore, by virtue of “the first magnetic layer 2 and the second magnetic layer 3 respectively having a first curved surface 2s and a second curved surface 3s,” the inductance value and the saturation current of the thin film inductor U can be further improved, such that the thin film inductor U has better characteristics.
Furthermore, in the manufacturing method of the thin film inductor U in the present disclosure, by virtue of “drying the first magnetic mixed material 2′ and the second magnetic mixed material 3′ to respectively form the first magnetic layer 2 and the second magnetic layer 3; and embedding a first portion of a coil assembly 1 in the first magnetic layer 2 and embedding a second portion of the coil assembly 1 in the second magnetic layer 3,” the fabrication efficiency, the characteristics and the quality of the thin film inductor can be improved.
To be more specifically, by controlling viscosities and volumes of the first, second, third, and fourth magnetic mixed materials 2′-5′, the thicknesses and the shapes of the first, second, third, and fourth magnetic layers 2-5 can be controlled. Furthermore, the first, second, third, and fourth magnetic mixed materials 2′-5′ can be dried at the same time, so as to form the first, second, third, and fourth magnetic layers 2-5 to improve the fabrication efficiency of the magnetic layers.
The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.
The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the disclosure and their practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the disclosure and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from its spirit and scope.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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109130753 | Sep 2020 | TW | national |
110111947 | Mar 2021 | TW | national |