IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,709,831
Granted Patent B2
US 8,709,831 · App. 13/903,935 · Granted Apr 29, 2014

Integrated circuits with magnetic core inductors and methods of fabrications thereof

Inventors: Renate Hofmann (Regensburg, DE); Carsten Ahrens (Pettendorf, DE); Wolfgang Klein (Zorneding, DE); Alexander Glas (Munich, DE)
Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,709,831
App. No.
13/903,935
Granted
Apr 29, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one embodiment, a method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a first inductor coil within and/or over a substrate. The first inductor coil is formed adjacent a top side of the substrate. First trenches are formed within the substrate adjacent the first inductor coil. The first trenches are filled at least partially with a magnetic fill material. At least a first portion of the substrate underlying the first inductor coil is thinned. A backside magnetic layer is formed under the first portion of the substrate. The backside magnetic layer and the magnetic fill material form at least a part of a magnetic core region of the first inductor coil.

Claims (41)

1. A method of forming a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

forming a first inductor coil within and/or over a substrate, the first inductor coil formed adjacent a top side of the substrate;

forming first trenches within the substrate adjacent the first inductor coil;

filling the first trenches at least partially with a magnetic fill material; and

forming a backside magnetic layer under the first portion of the substrate at a bottom side, wherein the backside magnetic layer and the magnetic fill material form at least a part of a magnetic core region of the first inductor coil, wherein the backside magnetic layer comprises a structured layer formed under the first inductor coil, wherein, at the bottom side, a second portion of the substrate is not covered by the backside magnetic layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first inductor coil comprises a central region surrounded by the first inductor coil and a peripheral region surrounding the first inductor coil, wherein forming the first trenches comprises forming a first hole within the central region and a second hole within the peripheral region.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising encapsulating the substrate and the backside magnetic layer with a molding material.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming first trenches within the substrate adjacent the first inductor coil comprises laterally etching portions of the substrate between adjacent trenches.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising globally thinning the substrate to expose the bottom side, wherein forming a backside magnetic layer comprises depositing a blanket layer of the backside magnetic layer under the bottom side of the substrate.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising etching a backside opening underneath the first inductor coil, and wherein forming a backside magnetic layer comprises filling the backside opening with the backside magnetic layer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic fill material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of MnZn ferrite, NiZn ferrite, NiFe ferrite, NiCuZn alloy, mu-metals, iron, nickel, and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a second inductor coil within and/or over the substrate, the second inductor coil formed adjacent the top side of the substrate, wherein the second inductor coil is formed adjacent the first inductor coil;

forming second trenches within the substrate adjacent the second inductor coil;

filling the second trenches at least partially with the magnetic fill material;

thinning at least a second portion of the substrate underlying the first inductor coil; and

forming the backside magnetic layer under the second portion of the substrate, wherein the backside magnetic layer and the magnetic fill material form at least a part of a magnetic core region of the second inductor coil.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein forming a backside magnetic layer comprises filling in a mold compound comprising magnetic particles.

10. A method of forming a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

forming a first inductor coil within and/or over a substrate, the first inductor coil formed adjacent a top side of the substrate;

forming first trenches within the substrate adjacent the first inductor coil;

filling the first trenches with a magnetic fill material;

attaching a carrier to the top side of the substrate; and

encapsulating the substrate and the first inductor coil with a magnetic mold compound, wherein the first inductor coil comprises a central region surrounded by the first inductor coil and a peripheral region surrounding the first inductor coil, wherein forming the first trenches comprises forming a first hole within the central region and a second hole within the peripheral region.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the magnetic mold compound and the magnetic fill material form at least a part of a magnetic core region of the first inductor coil.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first trenches are formed around the first inductor coil.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first inductor coil surrounds at least one trench of the first trenches.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the magnetic mold compound comprises magnetic particles comprising a material selected from the group consisting of MnZn ferrite, NiZn ferrite, NiFe ferrite, NiCuZn alloy, mu-metals, iron, nickel, and combinations thereof, and wherein the magnetic fill material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of MnZn ferrite, NiZn ferrite, NiFe ferrite, NiCuZn alloy, mu-metals, iron, nickel, and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

thinning the substrate before attaching the carrier;

separating the carrier from the encapsulated substrate and the first inductor coil; and

singulating the encapsulated substrate and the first inductor coil into individual chips after separating the carrier.

16. A method of forming a semiconductor device comprising:

forming metal lines of a first inductor coil within and/or over a substrate, the metal lines disposed adjacent a top side of the substrate than an opposite back side;

forming first trenches within the substrate adjacent the first inductor coil;

at least partially filling the first trenches with a magnetic fill material; and

forming a magnetic material under a first portion of the substrate at the back side, wherein at least a part of a magnetic core region of the first inductor coil comprises the magnetic material and the magnetic fill material, wherein the magnetic material comprises a structured layer formed under the first inductor coil, wherein, at the back side, a second portion of the substrate is not covered by the magnetic material.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first trenches are formed around the first inductor coil.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first inductor coil surrounds at least one trench of the first trenches.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the magnetic material comprises a mold compound comprising magnetic particles.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising encapsulating the substrate with the magnetic material.

Continuity (2)
Continuation 12900277 · Oct 7, 2010
Related Publication 20130260483A1 · Oct 3, 2013