US 12,394,565 B2
Fabrication of an integrated transformer
Alan Roth, Leander, TX (US); and Eric Soenen, Austin, TX (US)
Assigned to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Jan. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/648,091.
Application 16/023,703 is a division of application No. 15/067,784, filed on Mar. 11, 2016, granted, now 10,636,560, issued on Apr. 28, 2020.
Application 17/648,091 is a continuation of application No. 16/023,703, filed on Jun. 29, 2018, granted, now 11,227,713.
Prior Publication US 2022/0139607 A1, May 5, 2022
Int. Cl. H01F 41/04 (2006.01); G05F 1/656 (2006.01); H01F 27/24 (2006.01); H01F 27/28 (2006.01); H01F 41/08 (2006.01); H01F 17/00 (2006.01); H10D 1/20 (2025.01)
CPC H01F 41/041 (2013.01) [G05F 1/656 (2013.01); H01F 27/24 (2013.01); H01F 27/2804 (2013.01); H01F 27/2823 (2013.01); H01F 41/046 (2013.01); H01F 41/08 (2013.01); H01F 17/0006 (2013.01); H10D 1/20 (2025.01); Y10T 29/4902 (2015.01); Y10T 29/49071 (2015.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
forming a first plurality of conductors within a first layer of a semiconductor layer stack along a first horizontal direction, wherein the first plurality of conductors form a first portion of a primary winding of an integrated transformer to provide a primary path for a first electronic circuit;
forming a magnetic core along a second horizontal direction that is orthogonal to the first direction within a second layer of the semiconductor layer stack that is beneath the first layer of the semiconductor layer stack, the forming of the magnetic core comprising:
depositing one or more magnetic or ferromagnetic materials over the first plurality of conductors; and
patterning the one or more magnetic or ferromagnetic materials to form the magnetic core orthogonal to the first plurality of conductors;
forming a second plurality of conductors along the first horizontal direction and parallel with the first plurality of conductors within a third layer of the semiconductor layer stack that is beneath the second layer of the semiconductor layer stack to form a second portion of the primary winding to provide a return path for the first electronic circuit, the second plurality of conductors being formed within the third layer of the semiconductor layer stack to be orthogonal to the magnetic core and to be laterally displaced from the plurality of first conductors such that the plurality of first conductors and the plurality of second conductors do not overlap each other in a vertical direction passing through the magnetic core; and
forming a coupling element within the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer of the semiconductor layer stack to wrap around the magnetic core to form a secondary winding of the integrated transformer, the coupling element including a first connection within the first layer of the semiconductor layer stack and a second connection within the second layer of the semiconductor layer stack to electrically connect the secondary winding of the integrated transformer to a second electronic circuit.