High quality factor spiral inductor that utilizes active negative capacitance
View Patent ↗The present invention is an apparatus and system for providing a high quality spiral inductor in an integrated circuit environment. A layer of inductor may be placed within the metal layers along with negative capacitance generation circuitry of the present invention to compensate for the capacitance associated with the metal layers adjacent to the inductor to provide a higher quality factor for the inductor. Advantageously, circuitry of the present invention may be employed within an integrated circuit without modifying the layer structure of the integrated circuit. Additionally, values of the components of the circuitry may be selectively and independently chosen to synthesize a variable range of negative capacitance.
1. An integrated circuit, comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of metal layers, a first metal layer of said plurality of metal layers being disposed on said substrate;
an inductor layer disposed within said plurality of metal layers; and
a circuitry for generating a negative capacitance, said circuitry comprising:
at least two transistors;
at least two resistors; each resistor of said at least two resistors being coupled to each of said at least two transistors; and
a capacitor coupled to a first transistor of said at least two transistors and a first resistor of said at least two resistors;
wherein said circuitry generates said negative capacitance of a value to compensate for a capacitance associated with metal layers adjacent to said inductor layer, said circuitry being coupled to said inductor layer.
2. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a value of said negative capacitance is approximately equal in magnitude to said capacitance associated with metal layers adjacent to said inductor layer.
3. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least two transistors are at least one of bipolar transistors, MOSFETS, and gallium arsenide pseudomorphic high-electron mobility transistors.
4. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said negative capacitance generated by said circuitry is dependent upon component values of said at least two resistors and said capacitor.
5. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said circuitry is fabricated within the substrate.
6. An integrated circuit, comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of metal layers, a first metal layer of said plurality of metal layers being disposed on said substrate;
an inductor layer disposed within said plurality of metal layers;
a circuitry for generating a negative capacitance fabricated within said substrate,
said circuitry comprising:
at least two transistors;
at least two resistors; each resistor of said at least two resistors being coupled to each of said at least two transistors; and
a capacitor coupled to a first transistor of said at least two transistors and a first resistor of said at least two resistors; and
a via coupling said circuitry to said inductor layer,
wherein said circuitry generates said negative capacitance of a value to compensate for a capacitance associated with metal layers adjacent to said inductor layer, said value of said negative capacitance being approximately equal in magnitude to said capacitance associated with metal layers adjacent to said inductor layer.
7. An integrated circuit, comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of metal layers, a first metal layer of said plurality of metal layers being disposed on said substrate;
an inductor layer disposed within said plurality of metal layers;
a circuitry for generating a negative capacitance, said circuitry comprising:
at least two transistors;
at least two resistors; each resistor of said at least two resistors being coupled to each of said at least two transistors; and
a capacitor coupled to a first transistor of said at least two transistors and a first resistor of said at least two resistors; and
a via coupling said circuitry to said inductor layer,
wherein said circuitry generates said negative capacitance of a value to compensate for a capacitance associated with metal layers adjacent to said inductor layer, said value of said negative capacitance being approximately equal in magnitude to said capacitance associated with metal layers adjacent to said inductor layer.
8. An apparatus, comprising: a housing; a substrate disposed within said housing; a plurality of metal layers, a first metal layer of said plurality of layers being disposed on said substrate; an inductor layer disposed within said plurality of metal layers; a circuitry for generating a negative capacitance, said circuitry comprising: at least two transistors: at least two resistors; each resistor of said at least two resistors being coupled to each at least transistors; and a capacitor coupled to a first transistor of said two transistors and a first resistor of said at least two resistors; wherein said circuitry generates said negative capacitance of a value to compensate for a capacitance associated with metal layers adjacent to said inductor layer, said circuitry being coupled to said inductor layer.
9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein said value of said negative capacitance is approximately equal in magnitude to said capacitance associated with metal layers adjacent to said inductor layer.
10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein said at least two transistors are at least one of bipolar transistors, MOSFETS, and gallium arsenide pseudomorphic high-electron mobility transistors.
11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein said negative capacitance generated by said circuitry is dependent upon a component values of said at least two resistors and said capacitor.
12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said negative capacitance generated by said circuitry is dependent upon a ratio of the first resistor to a second resistor of said at least two resistors multiplied by a value of said capacitor.
13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein said circuitry is fabricated within the substrate.
14. The apparatus, comprising: a substrate disposed within said housing; a plurality of metal layers, a first metal layer of said plurality of metal layers being disposed on said substrate; an inductor layer disposed within said plurality of metal layers; a circuitry for generating a negative capacitance, said circuitry comprising: at least two transistors; at least two resistors; each resistor of said at least two resistors being coupled to each at least transistors; and a capacitor coupled to a first transistor of said two transistors and a first resistor of said at least two resistors; wherein said circuitry generates said negative capacitance of a value approximately equal in magnitude to a capacitance associated with metal layers adjacent to said inductor layer, said circuitry being fabricated within said substrate, said circuitry being coupled to said inductor layer.
15. The apparatus, as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said at least two transistors are at least one of bipolar transistors, MOSFETS, and gallium arsenide pseudomorphic high-electron mobility transistors.
16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said negative capacitance generated by said circuitry is dependent upon component values of said at least two resistors and said capacitor.
17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said negative capacitance generated by said circuitry is dependent upon a ratio of a first resistor to a second resistor of said at least two resistors multiplied by a value of said capacitor.