Conformal power delivery structures including embedded passive devices

1 . An embedded passive structure comprising:

a base layer;

a passive device attached to the base layer;

a first power plane comprising metal and adjacent an upper surface of the base layer, the first power plane having a portion electrically coupled to a terminal of the passive device, wherein an upper surface of a combination of the first power plane and the passive device defines a recess;

a second power plane on the first power plane and comprising metal, the second power plane at least partially within the recess and having a lower surface that conforms with the upper surface of the combination, wherein the second power plane has a granular microstructure including randomly distributed particles presenting substantially non-linear particle-to-particle boundaries with one another; and

a liner including a dielectric layer, the liner on the first power plane, on the passive device, and between the first power plane and the second power plane, the liner further partially within the recess.

2 . The embedded passive structure of claim 1 , wherein the portion is a first portion and the terminal is a first terminal, the first power plane further including a second portion electrically coupled to a second terminal of the passive device.

3 . The embedded passive structure of claim 1 , wherein the terminal is a first terminal, the second power plane electrically coupled to a second terminal of the passive device.

4 . The embedded passive structure of claim 3 , wherein the dielectric layer defines an opening therein in registration with the second terminal.

5 . The embedded passive structure of claim 1 , wherein the first and second power planes are co-planar with one another in areas defined by the recess.

6 . The embedded passive structure of claim 1 , wherein the particles have sizes ranging from about 10 microns to about 100 microns.

7 . The embedded passive structure of claim 1 , wherein the granular microstructure has a maximum porosity of about 5%.

8 . The embedded passive structure of claim 1 , further including a buffer layer between the second power plane and at least one of the first power plane, the passive device or the base layer, wherein an interface between the buffer layer and second power plane has a non-flat configuration as compared with an interface between the first power plane and the base layer, wherein some particles of the second power plane are at least in part embedded within indentations of the buffer layer.

9 . The embedded passive structure of claim 8 , wherein the buffer layer includes at least one of indium, silver, gold, tin, lead, or alloys thereof.

10 . The embedded passive structure of claim 1 , further including solder between the passive device and the base layer, the solder attaching the passive device to the base layer.

11 . The embedded passive structure of claim 1 , wherein the base layer includes one of a circuit board, a layer of a circuit board, a die or a wafer.

12 . A microelectronic system including:

a package substrate;

a die electrically and mechanically coupled to the package substrate;

an embedded passive structure attached to the package substrate and including:

a passive device;

a first power plane comprising metal and having a portion electrically coupled to a terminal of the passive device, wherein an upper surface of a combination of the first power plane and the passive device defines a recess;

a second power plane on the first power plane and comprising metal, the second power plane at least partially within the recess and having a lower surface that conforms with the upper surface of the combination, wherein the second power plane has a granular microstructure including randomly distributed particles presenting substantially non-linear particle-to-particle boundaries with one another; and

a liner including a dielectric layer, the liner on the first power plane, on the passive device, and between the first power plane and the second power plane, the liner further partially within the recess.

13 . The microelectronic system of claim 12 , wherein the embedded passive structure is attached inside the package substrate or on a surface of the package substrate.

14 . The microelectronic system of claim 13 , further including a stacked die assembly electrically and mechanically coupled to a die side of the package substrate, the embedded passive structure being in the stacked die assembly.

15 . The microelectronic system of claim 12 , further including:

a set of embedded passive structures including the embedded passive structure, the set of embedded passive structures inside the package substrate; and

a plurality of transistors selectively electrically coupled to corresponding terminals of the set of embedded passive structures, the set of embedded passive structures being between two sets of the plurality of transistors, individual ones of the sets of the plurality of transistors being within a corresponding active layers of the package substrate.

16 . The microelectronic system of claim 15 , further including a top die electrically and mechanically coupled to one side of the package substrate, and a bottom die electrically and mechanically coupled to an opposing side of the package substrate.

17 . The microelectronic system of claim 12 , wherein the second power plane electrically couples the package substrate to the die.

18 . An electrical system including:

one or more processing units;

a memory coupled to the one or more processing units; and

a microelectronic system coupled to the one or more processing units, and including:

a package substrate;

a die electrically and mechanically coupled to the package substrate;

an embedded passive structure attached to the package substrate and including:

a passive device;

a first power plane comprising metal and having a portion electrically coupled to a terminal of the passive device, wherein an upper surface of a combination of the first power plane and the passive device defines a recess;

a second power plane on the first power plane and comprising metal, the second power plane at least partially within the recess and having a lower surface that conforms with the upper surface of the combination, wherein the second power plane has a granular microstructure including randomly distributed particles presenting substantially non-linear particle-to-particle boundaries with one another; and

a liner including a dielectric layer, the liner on the first power plane, on the passive device, and between the first power plane and the second power plane, the liner further partially within the recess.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the particles have sizes ranging from about 10 microns to about 100 microns.