US 12,451,424 B2
Integrated inductor with a stacked metal wire
Yaojian Leng, Portland, OR (US); and Justin Sato, West Linn, OR (US)
Assigned to Microchip Technology Incorporated, Chandler, AZ (US)
Filed by Microchip Technology Incorporated, Chandler, AZ (US)
Filed on Apr. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/140,198.
Application 18/140,198 is a division of application No. 17/117,288, filed on Dec. 10, 2020, granted, now 11,670,583.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/034,547, filed on Jun. 4, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0268269 A1, Aug. 24, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 23/522 (2006.01); H01F 27/28 (2006.01); H01F 27/32 (2006.01); H01L 23/532 (2006.01); H10D 1/20 (2025.01)
CPC H01L 23/5227 (2013.01) [H01F 27/2823 (2013.01); H01F 27/32 (2013.01); H01L 23/53223 (2013.01); H01L 23/53238 (2013.01); H01L 23/5329 (2013.01); H10D 1/20 (2025.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming an integrated inductor in an integrated circuit (IC) device, the method comprising:
forming a lower metal layer of the integrated inductor;
forming an insulating region over the lower metal layer of the integrated inductor;
etching a tub opening and at least one via opening in the insulating region, the tub opening having a lateral width greater than 1 μm, and wherein the at least one via opening is separate from the integrated inductor;
depositing metal into (a) the tub opening to define a middle metal layer of the integrated inductor on the lower metal layer of the integrated inductor and (b) the at least one via opening to form at least one metal via separate from the integrated inductor; and
forming an upper metal layer of the integrated inductor on the middle metal layer of the integrated inductor;
wherein the inductor wire includes an overlap region in which an overcrossing section of the upper metal layer, configured to carry current in a first direction, crosses over an undercrossing section of the lower metal layer, configured to carry current in a second direction different than the first direction, wherein the overcrossing section of the upper metal layer is physically separated and electrically insulated from the undercrossing section of the lower metal layer by a gap in the middle metal layer.