IP Library Granted Patent US 9,209,238
Granted Patent B2
US 9,209,238 · App. 13/917,147 · Granted Dec 8, 2015

Method and system for improved matching for on-chip capacitors

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,209,238
App. No.
13/917,147
Granted
Dec 8, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and systems for improved matching of on-chip capacitors may comprise a semiconductor die with an on-chip capacitor comprising one or more metal layers. The on-chip capacitor may comprise interdigitated electrically coupled metal fingers. The electrically coupled metal fingers may be arranged symmetrically in the semiconductor die to compensate for non-uniformities in the one or more metal layers. The metal fingers may be arranged with radial symmetry. Metal fingers in a first metal layer may be electrically coupled to metal fingers in a second metal layer. An orientation of metal fingers may be alternated when coupling metal fingers in a plurality of metal layers. The metal fingers may be coupled at the center or the outer edge of the on-chip capacitor. The on-chip capacitor may be configured in a plurality of symmetric sections wherein a boundary between each of the plurality of sections is configured in a zig-zag pattern.

Claims (49)

1. A method for a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

in a semiconductor die comprising an on-chip capacitor comprising one or more metal layers:

electrically coupling a first set of metal fingers;

electrically coupling a second set of metal fingers that are interdigitated with the first set of metal fingers, wherein the first set of metal fingers and the second set of metal fingers are arranged symmetrically in the semiconductor die to compensate for non-uniformities in the one or more metal layers, and each comprise parallel linear fingers that increase in length with distance from a center of the on-chip capacitor; and

configuring the on-chip capacitor in a plurality of symmetric sections, wherein a boundary between each of the plurality of sections is configured in a zig-zag pattern.

2. The method according to claim 1 , comprising arranging the first set of metal fingers and the second set of metal fingers with radial symmetry.

3. The method according to claim 1 , comprising electrically coupling a first set of metal fingers in a first metal layer to a set of metal fingers in a second metal layer.

4. The method according to claim 1 , comprising alternating an orientation of metal fingers when coupling the first and second sets of metal fingers in the one or more metal layers.

5. The method according to claim 4 , comprising alternating the orientation of the metal fingers of the first and second sets of metal fingers between clockwise and counter-clockwise directions.

6. The method according to claim 1 , comprising coupling the first set of metal fingers at the center of the on-chip capacitor and coupling the second set of metal fingers at the outer edge of the on-chip capacitor.

7. The method according to claim 1 , comprising coupling the first set of metal fingers at the outer edge of the on-chip capacitor and coupling the second set of metal fingers at the center of the on-chip capacitor.

8. The method according to claim 1 , comprising configuring the first set of metal fingers and the second set of metal fingers in a fan-like orientation.

9. A semiconductor device comprising:

a semiconductor die comprising an on-chip capacitor comprising one or more metal layers, said on-chip capacitor comprising:

a first set of electrically coupled metal fingers; and

a second set of electrically coupled metal fingers that are interdigitated with the first set of electrically coupled metal fingers, wherein the first set of electrically coupled metal fingers and the second set of electrically coupled metal fingers:

are arranged symmetrically in the semiconductor die to compensate for non-uniformities in the one or more metal layers, and

each comprise parallel linear fingers that increase in length with distance from a center of the on-chip capacitor, and

wherein the on-chip capacitor is configured in a plurality of symmetric sections wherein a boundary between each of the plurality of sections is configured in a zig-zag pattern.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the first set of electrically coupled metal fingers and the second set of electrically coupled metal fingers are arranged with radial symmetry.

11. The system according to claim 9 , wherein a first set of metal fingers in a first metal layer are electrically coupled to a set of metal fingers in a second metal layer.

12. The system according to claim 9 , wherein an orientation of metal fingers of the first and second sets of electrically coupled metal fingers is alternated when sets of metal fingers are coupled in a plurality of metal layers.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the orientation of the metal fingers of the first and second sets of electrically coupled metal fingers is alternated between clockwise and counter-clockwise directions.

14. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the first set of electrically coupled metal fingers is coupled at the center of the on-chip capacitor and the second set of electrically coupled metal fingers is coupled at the outer edge of the on-chip capacitor.

15. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the first set of metal fingers is coupled at the outer edge of the on-chip capacitor and the second set of metal fingers is coupled at the center of the on-chip capacitor.

16. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the first set of electrically coupled metal fingers and the second set of electrically coupled metal fingers are configured in a fan-like orientation.

17. A semiconductor device comprising:

a semiconductor die comprising an on-chip capacitor, said on-chip capacitor comprising:

a first layer comprising a first set of electrically coupled metal fingers interdigitated with a second set of electrically coupled metal fingers, wherein the first set of electrically coupled metal fingers and the second set of electrically coupled metal fingers are arranged symmetrically in the first semiconductor layer; and

a second layer comprising a third set of electrically coupled metal fingers interdigitated with a fourth set of electrically coupled metal fingers, wherein the third set of electrically coupled metal fingers and the fourth set of electrically coupled metal fingers are arranged symmetrically in the second semiconductor layer, the first and third set of electrically coupled metal fingers are symmetric with respect to the first and second layers, and wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth sets of electrically coupled metal fingers comprise parallel linear fingers that increase in length with distance from a center of the on-chip capacitor, and

wherein the on-chip capacitor is configured in a plurality of symmetric sections wherein a boundary between each of the plurality of sections is configured in a zig-zag pattern.

18. The semiconductor die according to claim 17 , wherein the first set of electrically coupled metal fingers and the second set of electrically coupled metal fingers are arranged with radial symmetry.

19. The semiconductor die according to claim 17 , wherein the third set of electrically coupled metal fingers and the fourth set of electrically coupled metal fingers are arranged with radial symmetry.

20. The semiconductor die according to claim 17 , wherein the first set of electrically coupled metal fingers are electrically coupled to the third set of electrically coupled metal fingers.

21. The semiconductor die according to claim 17 , wherein the second set of electrically coupled metal fingers are electrically coupled to the fourth set of electrically coupled metal fingers.

22. The semiconductor die according to claim 17 , wherein the first set of electrically coupled metal fingers are electrically coupled to the fourth set of electrically coupled metal fingers.

23. The semiconductor die according to claim 17 , wherein the second set of electrically coupled metal fingers are electrically coupled to the third set of electrically coupled metal fingers.

24. The semiconductor die according to claim 17 , wherein an orientation of metal fingers of the first and second sets of electrically coupled metal fingers is alternated in a plurality of metal layers.

25. The semiconductor die according to claim 17 , wherein the orientation of the metal fingers of the first and second sets of electrically coupled metal fingers is alternated between clockwise and counter-clockwise directions.

26. The semiconductor die according to claim 17 , wherein the first set of electrically coupled metal fingers is coupled at the center of the on-chip capacitor and the second set of electrically coupled metal fingers is coupled at the outer edge of the on-chip capacitor.

27. The semiconductor die according to claim 17 , wherein the third set of electrically coupled metal fingers is coupled at the center of the on-chip capacitor and the fourth set of electrically coupled metal fingers is coupled at the outer edge of the on-chip capacitor.

28. The semiconductor die according to claim 17 , wherein the first set of electrically coupled metal fingers and the second set of electrically coupled metal fingers are configured in a fan-like orientation.

29. A semiconductor device comprising:

a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) die comprising an on-chip capacitor and switches that are operable to configure the on-chip capacitor, said on-chip capacitor comprising:

one or more metal layers; and

two sets of electrically coupled interdigitated metal fingers that:

are arranged symmetrically in the semiconductor die to compensate for non-uniformities in the one or more metal layers, and

each comprise parallel linear fingers that increase in length with distance from a center of the on-chip capacitor,

wherein the on-chip capacitor is configured in a plurality of symmetric sections wherein a boundary between each of the plurality of sections is configured in a zig-zag pattern.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 9, 2021
From: MAXLINEAR, INC.; MAXLINEAR COMMUNICATIONS, LLC; EXAR CORPORATION
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 056816/0089 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 23, 2021
From: MUFG UNION BANK, N.A.
To: MAXLINEAR, INC.; EXAR CORPORATION; MAXLINEAR COMMUNICATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 056656/0204 →
SUCCESSION OF AGENCY (REEL 042453 / FRAME 0001) Recorded Jul 1, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: MUFG UNION BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053115/0842 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 12, 2017
From: MAXLINEAR, INC.; ENTROPIC COMMUNICATIONS, LLC (F/K/A ENTROPIC COMMUNICATIONS, INC.); EXAR CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 042453/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2015
From: CAI, WEIZHONG; KIMURA, KIMIHIKO; GU, WEI
To: MAXLINEAR, INC.
Reel/Frame 036957/0205 →