Low resistance hybrid material inductor coils

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an inductive device comprising a coil structure consisting of a conductive winding of a hybrid material configured in a predetermined geometric shape around a portion of core material, wherein the conductive winding is adapted to induce an electromagnetic field in response to an electrical current passing through the conductive winding, and wherein the hybrid material comprises a monolithic conductive body formed by successive deposition of an electrically conductive metallic stratum and a deliberately porous electrically insulating stratum such that metal penetrates the porosity and metallurgically bonds to an underlying conductor across substantially an entire interfacial area.

Description

LOW RESISTANCE HYBRID MATERIAL INDUCTOR COILSCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Application No. 63 / 686,109 , titled LOW RESISTANCE INDUCTOR COILS, filed 08 / 22 / 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF INVENTION

[0002] The present disclosure relates to inductor coils and electromagnetic components, and more particularly to low-resistance inductor coils utilizing hybrid materials with porous insulative layers to reduce resistance and improve quality factor at high frequencies.BACKGROUND

[0003] Inductors are fundamental passive electronic components that store energy in magnetic fields when electrical current flows through their conductive windings. These components find widespread application across numerous industries, including telecommunications, power electronics, automotive systems, and consumer electronics. The performance of inductors is commonly characterized by their quality factor (Q), which represents the ratio of energy stored to energy dissipated per cycle at a given frequency, expressed mathematically as Q = — , where co is the angular frequency, L is the inductance, and R is the resistance.

[0004] As electronic systems operate at increasingly higher frequencies, inductor performance faces growing challenges. The resistance of conductive materials tends to increase with frequency due to electromagnetic phenomena, particularly the skin effect. This phenomenon occurs when alternating current at high frequencies concentrates near the surface of conductors, effectively reducing the cross-sectional area available for current flow and thereby increasing resistance. Each conductive material exhibits a characteristic skin depth, which represents the depth at which current density falls to approximately 37% of its surface value.

[0005] The skin effect becomes more pronounced as frequency increases, leading to higher resistance values and consequently lower Q factors. This frequency-dependent resistance degradation poses challenges for applications requiring high-frequency operation, such as radio frequency circuits, switching power supplies, and high-speed digital systems. The relationship between frequency and resistance creates a fundamental trade-off in inductor design, where improved high-frequency performance often comes at the cost of increased complexity or size as multiple laminations are ustilized for example.

[0006] Traditional approaches to mitigate skin effect limitations include the use of litz wire, which consists of multiple insulated strands woven together to increase surface area, and laminated conductors that create multiple thin conductive layers separated by insulation. While these techniques can reduce resistance compared to solid conductors, they introduce manufacturing complexity and may impose constraints on minimum component dimensions due to the physical requirements of insulation layers.

[0007] It is worth noting that layering, in this manner, does not technically provide a new skin depth for the material; it merely mitigates the negative impact of the material's skin depth. Layering also limits the minimum size of conductive components to be put into the system because the conductor must have solid insulation layers capable of reducing the eddy currents.

[0008] The microelectronics industry faces particular challenges in inductor design, where space constraints and performance demands continue to intensify. Planar inductors, formed as conductive traces on substrates, and multilayer inductors, comprising stacked conductive layers connected through vias, represent common solutions for integrated applications. However, these configurations still encounter the fundamental limitations imposed by skin effect and eddy current losses at high frequencies.

[0009] As the microelectronics industry and the electronic industry at large seek higher performance and smaller systems, there is a need to create low resistance inductors with high Q that can push through the limits of traditionally insulated conductive materials in both size and performance while remaining cost-effective for the consumer.SUMMARY

[0010] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0011] The present invention relates to low-resistance inductor coils that utilize hybrid materials to achieve improved performance over existing high-frequency capable inductors. The invention addresses the fundamental problem that as frequency increases, the efficiency of an inductor decreases due to rising resistance caused by eddy currents and the skin effect. By employing hybrid materials with deliberately porous insulative layers, the invention effectively eliminates eddy currents at certain frequencies and provides unique skin depths, directly addressing the skin depth issue rather than merely optimizing surface area in response to it.

[0012] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an inductive device is provided. The inductive device comprises a coil structure consisting of a conductive winding of a hybrid material configured in a predetermined geometric shape around a portion of core material. The conductive winding is adapted to induce an electromagnetic field in response to an electrical current passing through it. The hybrid material comprises a monolithic conductive body formed by successive deposition of an electrically conductive metallic stratum and a deliberately porous electrically insulating stratum such that metal penetrates the porosity and metallurgically bonds to an underlying conductor across substantially an entire interfacial area.

[0013] According to other aspects of the present disclosure, the inductive device may include one or more of the following features. The coil structure may have a cylindrical, rectangular, or toroidal shape. The coil structure may comprise a plurality of conductive traces operably supported by a substrate. The substrate may be a flexible substrate. The coil structure may comprise a series of conductive layers stacked vertically, each layer containing one or more turns of a conductive material, wherein adjacent layers are electrically connected through vias to form a continuous inductive path, and wherein said multi-layer structure is encapsulated within an insulating material . The core material may form a shell-type core. The core material may form a core-type shape. The core material may be an air gap. The deliberately porous electrically insulating stratum may have a bulk resistivity of at least 500 pQ cm and may be 10 nm to 5 pm thick. The deliberately porous electrically insulating stratum may cover 90-99.99% of an underlying metal while leaving a statistically distributed network of through-voids having individual lateral dimensions less than 40 pm and an overall open-area fraction of 0.01-10%.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for forming an inductive device is provided. The method comprises forming a coil structure layer by layer by repeating in series the steps of forming a conductive layer and forming a hybrid insulation layer at least once onto a substrate or mold to create a winding configured in a predetermined geometric shape around a core material. The hybrid insulation layer is porous and allows direct plating through the insulation layer such that an underlying metallic layer acts as an electrode in an electroplating process.

[0015] According to other aspects of the present disclosure, the method may include one or more of the following features. The coil structure may have a cylindrical, rectangular, or toroidal shape. The coil structure may comprise a plurality of conductive traces operably supported by a substrate. The substrate may be a flexible substrate. The coil structure may comprise a series of conductive layers stacked vertically, each layer containing one or more turns of a conductive material, wherein adjacent layers are electrically connected through vias to form a continuousinductive path, and wherein said multi-layer structure is encapsulated within an insulating material.Forming the hybrid insulation layer may comprise combustion chemical vapor deposition.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an inductor coil is provided. The inductor coil comprises a hybrid material having at least one internal porous insulative layer with material filling some pores of the insulative layer. The hybrid material is configured as a conductive winding in a predetermined geometric shape. The hybrid material provides reduced resistance compared to bulk conductive materials at high frequencies by effectively eliminating eddy currents.

[0017] According to other aspects of the present disclosure, the inductor coil may include one or more of the following features. The predetermined geometric shape may be selected from the group consisting of cylindrical, rectangular, toroidal, circular spiral, octagonal spiral, and square spiral configurations. The circular spiral configuration may comprise a planar inductor formed on a substrate. The porous insulative layer may have a thickness of 10 nm to 5 pm and may cover 90- 99.99% of an underlying conductive layer while leaving a statistically distributed network of through-voids.

[0018] The foregoing general description of the illustrative embodiments and the following detailed description thereof are merely exemplary aspects of the teachings of this disclosure and are not restrictive.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0019] Non-limiting and non-exhaustive examples are described with reference to the following figures.

[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a hybrid material with porous insulation layers, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 2a depicts a fabrication process for creating the hybrid material of FIG. 1 using electrodeposition and CCVD techniques, according to an embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 2b illustrates additional manufacturing steps for completing the multilayer electronic device structure of FIG. 2a, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 3 shows an inductor coil with an air core, according to an embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 4 depicts the inductor coil of FIG. 3 with a ferromagnetic core, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 5 illustrates a double helix inductor configuration on a shell-type core, according to an embodiment.

[0026] FIG. 6 shows a series of geometric planar coil shapes including circular, octagonal, and square configurations, according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 7 depicts a planar inductor formed on a substrate, according to an embodiment.

[0028] FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a layered hybrid material structure with alternating conductive and insulating layers, according to aspects of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The following description sets forth exemplary aspects of the present disclosure. It should be recognized, however, that such description is not intended as a limitation on the scope of the present disclosure. Rather, the description also encompasses combinations and modifications to those exemplary aspects described herein.

[0030] The present disclosure relates to low-resistance inductor coils that utilize hybrid materials to achieve improved performance over existing high-frequency capable inductors. Traditional inductor designs face inherent limitations when operating at elevated frequencies, where the quality factor Q deteriorates due to increasing resistance within the conductive elements. The quality factor Q may be expressed as Q — where CD represents angular frequency, L represents inductance, and R represents resistance. As frequency increases, the resistance component R typically increases, thereby reducing the overall efficiency of the inductor.

[0031] The fundamental problem addressed by the present disclosure stems from the physics of high-frequency current flow in conductors. When alternating current flows through a conductor at elevated frequencies, eddy currents develop within the conductive material due to the changing magnetic flux. These eddy currents create opposing magnetic fields that force the primary current toward the outer surfaces of the conductor, a phenomenon known as the skin effect. Each conductive material exhibits a characteristic skin depth, which represents the depth at which current density falls to approximately 1 / e of the surface current density. As frequency increases, the effective skin depth decreases, concentrating current flow in an increasingly narrow region near the conductor surface and thereby increasing the effective resistance.

[0032] Conventional approaches to mitigate skin effect limitations typically involve creating layered conductor structures with insulating barriers between conductive layers. These traditional laminated structures increase the effective surface area available for current flow by dividing the conductor into multiple thin layers separated by dense insulating films. However, such conventional laminated approaches do not fundamentally alter the skin depth characteristics of the base conductive material. Instead, these approaches work around the skin depth limitations by providing additional surface area through mechanical layering techniques that may require post-processing steps such as drilling, etching, or via formation to establish electrical continuity between layers.

[0033] The hybrid materials employed in the present disclosure address these limitations through a fundamentally different approach that directly modifies the electromagnetic properties of the conductive structure. Rather than simply increasing surface area through mechanical layering, hybrid materials create a monolithic conductive body with embedded porous insulative layers that interrupt eddy current formation while maintaining electrical continuity throughout the structure. The porous nature of the insulative layers allows for direct metallurgical bonding between conductive strata during the deposition process, eliminating the need for post-processing steps to establish interlayer connectivity. This approach results in a unified conductor with modified skin depth characteristics and anisotropic impedance properties that can effectively reduce or eliminate eddy current losses at certain frequencies.

[0034] The hybrid material structure comprises alternating layers of conductive material and deliberately porous insulative material, where the porosity of the insulative layers enables direct metal-to-metal contact across substantially the entire interfacial area between adjacent conductive layers. During formation, metal penetrates through the pores in the insulative layers and metallurgically bonds to underlying conductive layers, creating a continuous electrical path while maintaining the eddy current interruption properties of the embedded insulative barriers. This construction method allows the resulting hybrid material to behave electrically as a single conductor while exhibiting electromagnetic properties that differ substantially from bulk conductive materials of the same composition.

[0035] For example, a hybrid material with insulation layers may best pictured as a single, solid piece of metal that was built up one ultra-thin layer at a time. After each metallic layer is deposited, a very thin, intentionally porous dielectric film is laid on top; the film covers almost all the surface but leaves microscopic pinholes. When the next metallic layer is deposited, metal grows down through those pinholes and welds itself to the layer below, so the entire stack turns into one continuous conductor. Because continuity is created during deposition — without drilling, vias or adhesive sheets — the finished structure behaves electrically like a bulk metal bar, yet the embedded porous films interrupt eddy currents and tailor skin-depth in ways that ordinary laminates cannot.

[0036] Hybrid material - As used herein, this expression denotes a monolithic conductive body that may be formed by the successive deposition of (i) an electrically conductive metallic stratum and (ii) a deliberately porous electrically insulating stratum in such a way that, during deposition of the next metallic stratum, metal penetrates the porosity and metallurgically bonds tothe underlying conductor across substantially the entire interfacial area. The resulting body behaves electrically as a single conductor characterised by a unitary skin-depth and a strongly anisotropic (direction-dependent) impedance profile. Because continuity between conductive strata is created in situ through the pores of the insulating stratum, the process tolerates no subsequent step — such as drilling, laser-ablating, etching or photo-patterning — to open discrete holes or vias: any structure that attains interlayer conductivity only by such post-deposition apertures constitutes a laminate and is expressly excluded from this definition.

[0037] Hybrid insulation layer - The term designates the specific porous dielectric strata that appear within a hybrid material. Each layer may (a) possesses a bulk resistivity of at least 500 pQ cm (e.g., SiCh, AI2O3 or ZrCE); (b) is 10 nm to 5 pm thick, preferably 30-250 nm when deposited by AP-PECVD or combustion CVD; (c) covers 90-99.99 % of the underlying metal while leaving a statistically distributed network of through-voids having individual lateral dimensions < 40 pm and an overall open-area fraction of 0.01-10 %; and (d) is sufficiently permeable that the underlying metal can act directly as the electrode (or catalyst) for depositing the next metallic stratum without seed activation, drilling or via formation. Once back-filled with metal the layer becomes mechanically interlocked with adjoining conductors and cannot be peeled away as a discrete film, further distinguishing it from the dense dielectric sheets used in traditional laminates.

[0038] For example, referring to FIG. 1, a hybrid material 100 exhibits a distinctive cross- sectional structure that demonstrates the layered configuration underlying the electromagnetic properties of the conductive system. The hybrid material 100 comprises multiple alternating layers arranged in a parallel configuration, where each layer contributes to the overall electrical and magnetic characteristics of the structure. A hybrid insulation layer 110 appears as thin horizontal bands distributed throughout the hybrid material 100, creating discrete barriers between adjacent conductive regions. The hybrid insulation layer 110 maintains a thickness that may typically range from 10 nm to 5 pm, with a preferred thickness range of 30-250 nm when deposited by atmospheric pressure plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (AP-PECVD) or combustion chemical vapor deposition processes, for example. However, hybrid insulation layers down to 1 nm are possible if subject to a only a brief deposition process.

[0039] The hybrid insulation layer 110 contains pores, for example, pore 101, that appear as small openings distributed throughout the insulative material in a statistically distributed network pattern. The pores enables electrical connectivity between adjacent conductive layers while maintaining the insulative properties of the hybrid insulation layer 110. In some cases, the pores have individual lateral dimensions less than 40 pm, and the collective pores create an overall openarea fraction ranging from 0.01% to 10% of the total surface area. The hybrid insulation layer 110may cover approximately 90-99.99% of the underlying metal surface while leaving the statistically distributed network of through-voids represented by the pore 101.

[0040] With continued reference to FIG. 1, the hybrid material 100 represents a monolithic conductive body formed through successive deposition processes that create the layered structure. During formation, an electrically conductive metallic stratum may be deposited, followed by deposition of a deliberately porous electrically insulating stratum that forms the hybrid insulation layer 110. The porous nature of the hybrid insulation layer 110 allows metal from subsequent deposition steps to penetrate through the pore 101 and metallurgically bond to the underlying conductor across substantially the entire interfacial area. This bonding process creates electrical continuity throughout the hybrid material 100 while maintaining the structural integrity of the hybrid insulation layer 110.

[0041] The hybrid insulation layer 110 may comprise various ceramic materials that provide the desired electrical and structural properties for the hybrid material 100. In some cases, the hybrid insulation layer 110 comprises silicon dioxide (SiCE) material, which offers stable insulative properties and compatibility with standard semiconductor processing techniques. Alternatively, the hybrid insulation layer 110 may comprise aluminum oxide (AI2O3) material, which provides enhanced thermal stability and mechanical strength. In other configurations, the hybrid insulation layer 110 may comprise zirconium dioxide (ZrCE) material, which offers superior chemical resistance and high-temperature performance. Each of these materials exhibits a bulk resistivity of at least 500 p cm, ensuring adequate electrical isolation between conductive layers while allowing controlled electrical connectivity through the pores. The atmospheric pressure plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition method may be employed to deposit the hybrid insulation layer 110, providing precise control over thickness, porosity, and material composition throughout the deposition process.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 2a, a comprehensive nine-step fabrication process demonstrates a possible formation method of layered electronic structures utilizing the hybrid material 100 through successive deposition and patterning operations. The manufacturing sequence begins with a dry fdm lamination step 1, where a photoresist material may be applied to a substrate surface to establish the foundation for subsequent patterning operations. The dry fdm lamination step 1 creates a uniform coating that serves as a mask for defining the geometric features of the coil structure during later processing stages. The substrate may comprise various materials including silicon wafers, ceramic substrates, or flexible polymer films, depending on the specific application requirements for the resulting inductor device.

[0043] The process continues with a dry film patterning step 2, where photolithographic techniques may be employed to create defined openings in the photoresist material applied during the dry film lamination step 1. The dry film patterning step 2 utilizes exposure to ultraviolet light through a photomask to selectively modify the solubility of the photoresist material in specific regions. Following exposure, a development process removes the exposed or unexposed portions of the photoresist, depending on whether positive or negative photoresist materials are employed. The dry film patterning step 2 enables precise control over the dimensions and spacing of the conductive features that will be formed in subsequent deposition steps, allowing for the creation of coil structures with cylindrical, rectangular, or toroidal configurations.

[0044] With continued reference to FIG. 2a, a conductor electrodeposition step 3 follows the patterning operation to deposit conductive material into the openings created during the dry film patterning step 2. The conductor electrodeposition step 3 may utilize electroplating processes where an electric current drives the reduction of metal ions from an electrolyte solution onto the exposed substrate surfaces. In some cases, the conductor electrodeposition step 3 may employ copper, silver, gold, or other conductive metals as the primary conductive material. The electrodeposition process allows for precise thickness control and uniform deposition within the patterned openings, creating conductive traces or windings that form the basic structure of the inductor coil.

[0045] The fabrication sequence advances with a CCVD deposition step 4, where combustion chemical vapor deposition techniques may be employed to form the hybrid insulation layer 110 over the conductive material deposited in the conductor electrodeposition step 3. The CCVD deposition step 4 utilizes controlled combustion reactions to generate reactive species that deposit as a thin, porous insulative film on the substrate surface. The combustion chemical vapor deposition process creates the pore 101 within the hybrid insulation layer 110 through the controlled formation of microscopic openings during the deposition process. The CCVD deposition step 4 may deposit silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, or zirconium dioxide materials for example, to form the hybrid insulation layer 110 with the desired electrical and structural properties. The porous nature of the hybrid insulation layer 110 formed during the CCVD deposition step 4 allows direct plating through the insulation layer such that an underlying metallic layer acts as an electrode in subsequent electroplating processes.

[0046] As further shown in FIG. 2a, the process continues with a conductor electrodeposition step 5, where additional conductive material may be deposited through the porous hybrid insulation layer 110 created in the CCVD deposition step 4. The conductor electrodeposition step 5 takes advantage of the pore 101 within the hybrid insulation layer 110 to establish electrical contact with the underlying conductive layer while simultaneously building up additionalconductive material thickness. The electrodeposition process during the conductor electrodeposition step 5 may utilize the same electrolyte solutions and deposition parameters as the conductor electrodeposition step 3, or may employ different conditions to optimize the material properties for the specific layer being deposited. In some cases, the conductor electrodeposition step 5 may employ electroless deposition processes that do not require external electrical current, instead relying on chemical reduction reactions to deposit conductive material onto the substrate surface.

[0047] The fabrication sequence proceeds with a CCVD deposition step 6, where another hybrid insulation layer 110 may be formed over the conductive material deposited during the conductor electrodeposition step 5. The CCVD deposition step 6 employs similar combustion chemical vapor deposition techniques as the CCVD deposition step 4, creating additional porous insulative barriers within the developing hybrid material 100 structure. The repeated application of the CCVD deposition step 6 builds up the layered architecture that provides the electromagnetic properties characteristic of the hybrid material 100. The combustion chemical vapor deposition process during the CCVD deposition step 6 may utilize different process parameters or precursor materials compared to the CCVD deposition step 4 to optimize the properties of each individual layer within the hybrid material 100 structure.

[0048] With continued reference to FIG. 2a, a conductor electrodeposition step 7 follows the CCVD deposition step 6 to continue building the conductive portions of the hybrid material 100 structure. The conductor electrodeposition step 7 may employ metal ink plating processes as an alternative deposition method to traditional electroplating techniques. Metal ink plating utilizes conductive inks containing metal nanoparticles or metal precursors that may be applied through printing, coating, or other deposition techniques followed by thermal or chemical processing to form continuous conductive films. The conductor electrodeposition step 7 may also utilize electroless deposition processes that provide uniform coverage over complex three-dimensional surfaces without requiring direct electrical contact to all areas of the substrate. The flexibility of deposition methods available during the conductor electrodeposition step 7 enables the formation of coil structures with various geometric configurations including cylindrical shapes formed around cylindrical mandrels, rectangular shapes formed within rectangular cavities, or toroidal shapes formed around toroidal cores.

[0049] The manufacturing process incorporates a deposition repetition step 8, where the alternating sequence of conductor deposition and CCVD deposition may be repeated multiple times to achieve the desired number of layers within the hybrid material 100 structure. The deposition repetition step 8 allows for precise control over the total thickness and layer count of the hybrid material 100, enabling optimization of the electromagnetic properties for specificfrequency ranges and application requirements. During the deposition repetition step 8, the process may cycle between conductor electrodeposition and CCVD deposition operations, with each cycle adding both conductive material and hybrid insulation layer 110 components to the growing structure. The deposition repetition step 8 may continue until the hybrid material 100 reaches the desired thickness for the specific inductor application, which may range from a few micrometers for high-frequency applications to several hundred micrometers for power inductor applications.

[0050] The fabrication process concludes with a dry film removal step 9, where the photoresist material applied during the dry film lamination step 1 may be stripped away to reveal the completed hybrid material 100 structure. The dry film removal step 9 may utilize chemical solvents, plasma etching, or other removal techniques that selectively remove the photoresist material without damaging the underlying hybrid material 100 structure. Following the dry film removal step 9, the completed coil structure exhibits the layered architecture of alternating conductive and porous insulative layers that characterize the hybrid material 100. The layer-by- layer formation process creates a coil structure configured in a predetermined geometric shape around a core material, where the geometric shape may be determined by the patterning operations performed during the dry film patterning step 2 and the substrate or mold geometry used throughout the fabrication sequence.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 2b, an additional manufacturing process sequence demonstrates the formation of multilayer electronic device structures through a comprehensive series of operations. The additional sequence begins with a traditional insulator step 10, where a dense, non- porous insulating material may be applied to the substrate surface to establish a foundation layer for subsequent processing operations. The traditional insulator step 10 creates a uniform barrier layer that provides electrical isolation and mechanical support for the developing structure, where the insulating material may comprise silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, or polymer-based dielectric materials applied through chemical vapor deposition, spin coating, or lamination processes. The traditional insulator step 10 differs from the hybrid insulation layer 110 formation processes by creating a continuous, non-porous barrier that does not allow direct electrical connectivity between adjacent layers during deposition.

[0052] The process continues with a dry film patterning step 11, where photolithographic techniques may be employed to create defined openings in a photoresist material applied over the traditional insulator layer formed during the traditional insulator step 10. The dry film patterning step 11 utilizes similar exposure and development processes as the dry film patterning step 2 described in the primary fabrication sequence, but operates on a substrate that includes the traditional insulator layer rather than directly on the base substrate material. The dry film patterning step 11 enables precise control over the dimensions and positioning of openings thatwill accommodate conductive material in subsequent deposition operations, allowing for the creation of coil structures comprising a plurality of conductive traces operably supported by a substrate. In some cases, the substrate may comprise a flexible substrate that provides mechanical flexibility for applications where the inductor device may be subjected to bending or conforming to curved surfaces during operation.

[0053] With continued reference to FIG. 2b, a conductive material addition step 12 follows the patterning operation to introduce conductive material into the openings created during the dry film patterning step 11. The conductive material addition step 12 may utilize various deposition techniques including electroless plating, where chemical reduction reactions deposit conductive material onto the substrate surface without requiring external electrical current. The conductive material addition step 12 may also employ sputtering, evaporation, or chemical vapor deposition processes to form a seed layer that facilitates subsequent electroplating operations. The conductive material addition step 12 creates the foundation for conductive traces that form part of a coil structure comprising a series of conductive layers stacked vertically, where each layer containing one or more turns of a conductive material contributes to the overall inductance of the device.

[0054] The fabrication sequence advances with a CCVD deposition step 13, where combustion chemical vapor deposition techniques may be employed to form the hybrid insulation layer 110 over the conductive material deposited during the conductive material addition step 12. The CCVD deposition step 13 utilizes controlled combustion reactions similar to those employed in the CCVD deposition step 4 and the CCVD deposition step 6 of the primary fabrication sequence, creating a porous insulative layer that contains the pore 101 distributed throughout the deposited material. The CCVD deposition step 13, as in step 4, may deposit silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, or zirconium dioxide materials with controlled porosity characteristics that allow subsequent metal deposition processes to establish electrical connectivity through the hybrid insulation layer 110. The porous nature of the hybrid insulation layer 110 formed during the CCVD deposition step 13 enables direct plating through the insulation layer, allowing underlying metallic layers to act as electrodes in subsequent electroplating processes.

[0055] As further shown in FIG. 2b, the process continues with a conductor electrodeposition step 14, where additional conductive material may be deposited through the porous hybrid insulation layer 110 created in the CCVD deposition step 13. The conductor electrodeposition step 14 takes advantage of the pore 101 within the hybrid insulation layer 110 to establish electrical contact with the underlying conductive layer while simultaneously building up additional conductive material thickness. The conductor electrodeposition step 14 may employ electroplating processes using copper, silver, gold, or other conductive metals as the primary conductive material, where the electrodeposition parameters may be optimized for deposition through the porousinsulative layer. In some cases, the conductor electrodeposition steps may utilize metal ink plating processes as an alternative deposition method, where conductive inks containing metal nanoparticles may be applied and subsequently processed to form continuous conductive films that contribute to the multi-layer structure.

[0056] The manufacturing process incorporates a layer deposition repetition step 15, where the sequence of CCVD deposition and conductor electrodeposition may be repeated multiple times to achieve the desired number of layers within the hybrid material 100 structure. The layer deposition repetition step 15 allows for precise control over the total thickness and layer count of the multi-layer structure, enabling the formation of coil structures where adjacent layers are electrically connected through vias to form a continuous inductive path. During the layer deposition repetition step 15, the process may cycle between the CCVD deposition step 13 and the conductor electrodeposition step 14, with each cycle adding both insulative and conductive components to the growing structure. The layer deposition repetition step 15 may continue until the multi-layer structure reaches the desired thickness and layer count for the specific inductor application, where the resulting structure may be encapsulated within an insulating material to provide environmental protection and mechanical stability.

[0057] With continued reference to FIG. 2b, the fabrication process advances with a dry film removal step 16, where the photoresist material applied during the dry film patterning step 11 may be stripped away using chemical solvents, plasma etching, or other removal techniques. The dry film removal step 16 selectively removes the photoresist material without damaging the underlying hybrid material 100 structure or the traditional insulator layer formed during the traditional insulator step 10. The dry film removal step 16 exposes the completed conductive traces and reveals the layered architecture of the multi-layer structure, where the geometric configuration of the conductive elements may form cylindrical, rectangular, or toroidal shapes depending on the patterning operations performed during the dry film patterning step 11. Following the dry film removal step 16, the structure exhibits alternating layers of conductive material and hybrid insulation layer 110 components that provide the electromagnetic properties characteristic of the hybrid material 100.

[0058] The alternative manufacturing sequence includes an electroless seed layer removal step 17, where portions of the conductive material deposited during the conductive material addition step 12 may be selectively removed from areas where conductive connectivity may not be desired. The electroless seed layer removal step 17 may utilize chemical etching processes that selectively remove seed layer material while preserving the conductive traces formed during subsequent deposition operations. The electroless seed layer removal step 17 provides enhanced control over the electrical connectivity between different portions of the multi-layer structure,enabling the formation of isolated conductive regions or the elimination of unwanted electrical paths that might otherwise degrade the performance of the inductor device. In some cases, the electroless seed layer removal step 17 may employ plasma etching or ion beam etching techniques to achieve precise removal of seed layer material from specific areas of the substrate surface.

[0059] The fabrication process concludes with an excess insulator removal step 18, where portions of the traditional insulator layer formed during the traditional insulator step 10 or other insulating materials may be removed to achieve the desired final dimensions and surface characteristics of the completed device. The excess insulator removal step 18 may utilize mechanical grinding, chemical mechanical polishing, or plasma etching processes to remove insulating material from specific areas of the structure while preserving the integrity of the conductive traces and the hybrid insulation layer 110 components. The excess insulator removal step 18 enables precise control over the final thickness and surface topology of the multi-layer structure, where the resulting device exhibits the desired electrical and mechanical properties for the intended inductor application. Following the excess insulator removal step 18, the completed multi-layer structure may be encapsulated within an insulating material such as polymer resins, ceramic materials, or glass compositions that provide environmental protection and mechanical support for the embedded conductive and insulative layers.

[0060] Referring to FIG. 3, an inductor coil 300 demonstrates the fundamental implementation of the hybrid material 100 technology in a basic inductive device configuration. The inductor coil 300 exhibits a helical winding structure that extends vertically along a central axis, where the conductive winding comprises the hybrid material 100 with the alternating layers of conductive material and the hybrid insulation layer 110 described in the fabrication processes. An upper terminal 301 provides electrical connection at the top end of the inductor coil 300, while a lower terminal 302 provides electrical connection at the bottom end of the structure. The upper terminal 301 and the lower terminal 302 enable electrical current to flow through the helical winding of the inductor coil 300, where the current path follows the spiral geometry of the conductive winding from one terminal to the other.

[0061] The inductor coil 300 surrounds an air core 310 that extends through the central region of the helical winding structure. The air core 310 represents the simplest form of core material that may be employed in inductive devices, where the core material comprises an air gap rather than ferromagnetic or other magnetic materials. The air core 310 provides a low-permeability medium for magnetic flux generated by current flowing through the inductor coil 300, where the magnetic field lines may extend through the air core 310 and return through the surrounding air space to complete the magnetic circuit. The air core 310 configuration eliminates potential losses associatedwith magnetic core materials while providing a stable and predictable magnetic environment for the inductive device operation.

[0062] With continued reference to FIG. 3, the inductor coil 300 represents a coil structure consisting of a conductive winding of the hybrid material 100 configured in a predetermined geometric shape around a portion of core material. The predetermined geometric shape of the inductor coil 300 exhibits a cylindrical configuration, where the helical winding maintains a consistent diameter throughout the length of the structure. The cylindrical shape represents one of several possible geometric configurations for the coil structure, where alternative implementations may employ rectangular or toroidal shapes depending on the specific application requirements and magnetic field distribution characteristics desired for the inductive device. The conductive winding of the inductor coil 300 may be adapted to induce an electromagnetic field in response to an electrical current passing through the structure, where the electromagnetic field strength and distribution depend on the current magnitude, frequency, and the geometric parameters of the helical winding.

[0063] The inductor coil 300 may be configured as a solenoidal inductor structure, where the helical winding creates a magnetic field pattern characteristic of solenoid devices. In the solenoidal configuration, current flowing through the inductor coil 300 from the upper terminal 301 to the lower terminal 302 generates magnetic field lines that extend parallel to the central axis within the air core 310 region and return through the external air space surrounding the inductor coil 300. The solenoidal inductor structure provides uniform magnetic field distribution within the air core 310 region, making the configuration suitable for applications where consistent magnetic field strength may be desired across the central volume of the device. The hybrid material 100 construction of the inductor coil 300 enables reduced resistance compared to conventional bulk conductive materials, particularly at elevated frequencies where the porous structure of the hybrid insulation layer 110 may interrupt eddy current formation and modify the effective skin depth characteristics of the conductive winding.

[0064] The fabrication of the inductor coil 300 may utilize the manufacturing processes described in the dry film lamination step 1 through the dry film removal step 9, where the photolithographic patterning operations define the helical geometry of the conductive winding. The conductor electrodeposition step 3, the conductor electrodeposition step 5, and the conductor electrodeposition step 7 contribute conductive material to form the current-carrying portions of the inductor coil 300, while the CCVD deposition step 4 and the CCVD deposition step 6 create the hybrid insulation layer 110 components that provide the electromagnetic properties characteristic of the hybrid material 100. The deposition repetition step 8 may be employed to achieve the desired thickness and layer count for the conductive winding, where the number of repetitions determinesthe overall cross-sectional area of conductive material and the corresponding current-carrying capacity of the inductor coil 300. Following completion of the deposition repetition step 8, the dry film removal step 9 exposes the completed helical structure and enables electrical connection to the upper terminal 301 and the lower terminal 302.

[0065] Referring to FIG. 4, the inductor coil 300 demonstrates an enhanced configuration that incorporates a magnetic core 320 positioned through the central region of the helical winding structure. The magnetic core 320 replaces the air core 310 configuration shown in the previous implementation, providing a high-permeability medium for magnetic flux generated by current flowing through the inductor coil 300. The magnetic core 320 extends through the central axis of the helical winding, where the ferromagnetic material creates a preferred path for magnetic field lines that may concentrate the magnetic flux within the core material rather than allowing the flux to disperse through the surrounding air space. The upper terminal 301 and the lower terminal 302 maintain their electrical connection functions at the respective ends of the inductor coil 300, enabling current flow through the hybrid material 100 winding that surrounds the magnetic core 320.

[0066] The magnetic core 320 may comprise various ferromagnetic materials including iron, nickel, cobalt, or ferrite compositions that exhibit high magnetic permeability characteristics. In some cases, the magnetic core 320 comprises soft ferrite materials such as manganese-zinc ferrite or nickel-zinc ferrite that provide high permeability with low magnetic losses at elevated frequencies. The magnetic core 320 may also comprise hybrid magnetic material, or laminated steel structures where thin sheets of electrical steel are stacked and insulated to reduce eddy current losses within the core material. The selection of core material for the magnetic core 320 depends on the intended operating frequency range and power handling requirements of the inductor device, where different ferromagnetic compositions offer varying combinations of permeability, saturation flux density, and loss characteristics. The magnetic core 320 creates a closed magnetic circuit that guides magnetic flux generated by the inductor coil 300, where the high permeability of the ferromagnetic material concentrates the magnetic field lines within the core volume and reduces the reluctance of the magnetic circuit.

[0067] With continued reference to FIG. 4, the combination of the hybrid material 100 winding and the magnetic core 320 provides enhanced inductance performance compared to configurations utilizing conventional bulk conductive materials or air core designs. The magnetic core 320 increases the inductance value of the device by providing a high-permeability path for magnetic flux, where the inductance may be proportional to the magnetic permeability of the core material and the geometric parameters of the winding structure. The hybrid material 100 construction of the inductor coil 300 enables reduced resistance in the conductive winding, wherethe porous structure of the hybrid insulation layer 110 may interrupt eddy current formation and modify the effective skin depth characteristics of the conductive material. The reduced resistance of the hybrid material 100 winding combined with the enhanced inductance provided by the magnetic core 320 results in improved quality factor Q performance, where Q may be expressed as Q — and benefits from both increased inductance L and decreased resistance R components.

[0068] The magnetic core 320 configuration enables the inductor coil 300 to achieve higher inductance values within a given physical volume compared to air core designs, where the magnetic permeability of the core material may be hundreds or thousands of times greater than the permeability of air. In some cases, the magnetic core 320 may exhibit relative permeability values ranging from 100 to 10,000 or higher, depending on the specific ferromagnetic material composition and processing conditions employed during core fabrication. The enhanced magnetic flux concentration provided by the magnetic core 320 allows the inductor coil 300 to store greater magnetic energy for a given current level, where the energy storage capacity may be proportional to the inductance value and the square of the current flowing through the winding. The magnetic core 320 also provides improved magnetic coupling between different portions of the inductor coil 300 winding, where magnetic flux generated by current in one turn of the winding may more effectively link with adjacent turns through the high-permeability core material.

[0069] The fabrication of the inductor coil 300 with the magnetic core 320 may utilize the same manufacturing processes described in the conductor electrodeposition step 3 through the dry film removal step 9, where the magnetic core 320 may be inserted into the central region of the helical winding during or after the deposition repetition step 8. In some cases, the magnetic core 320 may be positioned within a mandrel or mold structure during the initial dry film lamination step 1, allowing the subsequent patterning and deposition operations to form the hybrid material 100 winding directly around the core material. The CCVD deposition step 4 and the CCVD deposition step 6 create the hybrid insulation layer 110 components that provide electromagnetic properties compatible with the magnetic core 320 environment, where the porous structure of the hybrid insulation layer 110 may accommodate the magnetic field distribution created by the ferromagnetic core material. The conductor electrodeposition step 5 and the conductor electrodeposition step 7 contribute conductive material that forms intimate contact with the magnetic core 320 surface, where the proximity of the hybrid material 100 winding to the high- permeability core material maximizes the magnetic coupling and inductance enhancement effects.

[0070] As further shown in FIG. 4, the magnetic core 320 may extend beyond the physical boundaries of the inductor coil 300 winding to provide additional magnetic flux path length and reduce magnetic reluctance of the overall magnetic circuit. The magnetic core 320 configurationcreates a magnetic circuit where flux lines may travel through the core material along the central axis of the inductor coil 300, then return through external portions of the magnetic core 320 or through air paths surrounding the device structure. The magnetic core 320 may incorporate air gaps or other reluctance elements that control the magnetic circuit characteristics and prevent magnetic saturation under high current operating conditions. In some cases, the magnetic core 320 may comprise distributed air gaps created by mixing ferromagnetic particles with non-magnetic binder materials, where the distributed gap structure provides controlled magnetic permeability while maintaining mechanical integrity of the core structure. The hybrid material 100 winding surrounding the magnetic core 320 may provide resistance reduction of over 2-fold compared to traditional materials at high frequencies, where the combination of reduced winding resistance and enhanced core-induced inductance creates substantial improvements in overall device performance and efficiency.

[0071] Referring to FIG. 5, the inductor coil 300 demonstrates a potential advanced configuration that incorporates a shell core 330 designed to accommodate multiple winding structures in a double helix arrangement. The shell core 330 represents a specialized form of core material that forms a shell-type core configuration, where the ferromagnetic material provides a central leg surrounded by outer shell portions that create a closed magnetic circuit for enhanced flux linkage. A second winding input terminal 501 provides electrical connection for a secondary conductive path that operates in conjunction with the primary winding structure formed by the inductor coil 300. The second winding input terminal 501 enables independent electrical control of the secondary winding while maintaining magnetic coupling through the shared shell core 330 structure. A second winding output terminal 502 completes the electrical circuit for the secondary winding, where current may flow from the second winding input terminal 501 through the secondary helical path to the second winding output terminal 502.

[0072] The shell core 330 configuration provides enhanced magnetic circuit characteristics compared to simple cylindrical or toroidal core designs by creating multiple flux paths that accommodate the dual winding arrangement. The shell core 330 comprises a central leg portion that extends through the interior region of both winding structures, where the central leg provides a primary magnetic flux path that links with both the inductor coil 300 and the secondary winding formed between the second winding input terminal 501 and the second winding output terminal 502. The shell core 330 also incorporates outer shell portions that provide return paths for magnetic flux, where the shell structure creates a closed magnetic circuit that minimizes flux leakage and maximizes the magnetic coupling between the dual winding structures. The ferromagnetic material of the shell core 330 may comprise the same materials described for the magnetic core 320,including soft ferrite compositions, laminated steel structures, or other high-permeability materials selected for the intended operating frequency range and power handling requirements.

[0073] With continued reference to FIG. 5, the double helix configuration demonstrates the versatility of hybrid material construction methods by accommodating complex winding geometries that would be challenging to implement using conventional bulk conductive materials. The inductor coil 300 and the secondary winding between the second winding input terminal 501 and the second winding output terminal 502 may both comprise the hybrid material 100 with alternating layers of conductive material and the hybrid insulation layer 110 described in the fabrication processes. The double helix structure creates interleaved helical paths where the two winding structures may be wound simultaneously around the central leg of the shell core 330, with each winding maintaining electrical isolation while sharing the magnetic flux path provided by the ferromagnetic core material. The hybrid material 100 construction enables precise control over the conductor cross-sectional area and electromagnetic properties of each winding independently, where the conductor electrodeposition step 3, the conductor electrodeposition step 5, and the conductor electrodeposition step 7 may be applied with different parameters for each winding structure.

[0074] The fabrication of the double helix configuration may utilize the manufacturing processes described in the dry film lamination step 1 through the dry film removal step 9, where the photolithographic patterning operations define the interleaved helical geometry of both winding structures simultaneously. The dry film patterning step 2 creates openings for both the primary winding connected between the upper terminal 301 and the lower terminal 302, and the secondary winding connected between the second winding input terminal 501 and the second winding output terminal 502. The CCVD deposition step 4 and the CCVD deposition step 6 create the hybrid insulation layer 110 components that provide electrical isolation between the interleaved winding structures while maintaining the electromagnetic properties characteristic of the hybrid material 100. The deposition repetition step 8 may be employed to achieve the desired thickness and layer count for both winding structures, where the number of repetitions determines the current-carrying capacity and resistance characteristics of each helical path independently.

[0075] As further shown in FIG. 5, the double helix arrangement provides enhanced performance characteristics through improved magnetic coupling and reduced electromagnetic interference between the winding structures. The interleaved geometry of the two helical paths creates balanced magnetic field distributions where the magnetic flux generated by current in one winding structure may couple efficiently with the adjacent turns of the secondary winding through the shared shell core 330. The shell core 330 configuration concentrates magnetic flux within the ferromagnetic material and provides controlled flux linkage between the winding structures, wherethe magnetic coupling coefficient may be optimized through the geometric parameters of the shell core 330 and the spacing between adjacent turns of the interleaved windings. The hybrid material 100 construction of both winding structures enables reduced resistance compared to conventional bulk conductive materials, where the porous structure of the hybrid insulation layer 110 may interrupt eddy current formation in both the primary and secondary conductive paths simultaneously.

[0076] The double helix configuration may accommodate multiple coil structures where some portions comprise hybrid material coils and other portions comprise traditional coil structures used together within the same device. In some cases, the inductor coil 300 may comprise the hybrid material 100 construction while the secondary winding between the second winding input terminal 501 and the second winding output terminal 502 comprises conventional bulk conductive materials such as copper wire or laminated conductor structures. The combination of hybrid material 100 and traditional conductive materials within the same device enables optimization of performance characteristics and manufacturing costs, where the hybrid material 100 may be applied to portions of the winding structure that operate at elevated frequencies or require enhanced electromagnetic properties, while traditional materials may be employed for portions that operate under different electrical conditions. The shell core 330 provides magnetic coupling between the different winding technologies, where the ferromagnetic material creates a unified magnetic circuit that accommodates the varying electromagnetic characteristics of the different conductor types.

[0077] It will be aprpaicted that because the hybrid material can be formed through deposition processes it is suitable to be made for and shaped into a large variety of inductor coil types, shapes, and sizes.

[0078] The shell core 330 may also form a core-type shape where the ferromagnetic material creates multiple legs and yoke structures that provide enhanced magnetic circuit performance for the double helix configuration. In the core-type shape configuration, the shell core 330 may comprise a central leg surrounded by multiple outer legs connected through yoke portions, where the core-type shape provides multiple magnetic flux paths and reduced magnetic reluctance compared to simple shell configurations. The core-type shape enables the shell core 330 to accommodate larger winding structures and higher power handling capabilities, where the distributed magnetic flux paths reduce flux density in any single portion of the ferromagnetic material and minimize the risk of magnetic saturation under high current operating conditions. The double helix winding arrangement may be distributed across multiple legs of the core-type shape, where each leg accommodates portions of both the inductor coil 300 and the secondary winding to create a balanced magnetic circuit with enhanced coupling characteristics and reduced electromagnetic interference.

[0079] Referring to FIG. 6, a circular spiral coil 601 demonstrates one geometric configuration for planar inductor implementations that utilize the hybrid material 100 construction described in the fabrication processes. The circular spiral coil 601 exhibits concentric circular turns that spiral inward from an outer perimeter toward a central termination point, where each turn maintains consistent spacing from adjacent turns throughout the spiral pattern. The circular spiral configuration comprises a planar inductor formed on a substrate, where the substrate may provide mechanical support and electrical isolation for the conductive traces that form the spiral pattern. The circular spiral coil 601 may be fabricated using the dry film lamination step 1 through the dry film removal step 9, where the photolithographic patterning operations define the curved geometry of the spiral traces with precise control over trace width, spacing, and overall dimensions.

[0080] The circular spiral coil 601 provides uniform current distribution characteristics where the circular geometry creates balanced electromagnetic field patterns around the central axis of the spiral structure. The concentric circular turns of the circular spiral coil 601 enable efficient magnetic flux linkage between adjacent turns, where the circular geometry minimizes the path length differences between inner and outer portions of the spiral pattern. The hybrid material 100 construction of the circular spiral coil 601 incorporates the hybrid insulation layer 110 components that provide electromagnetic properties compatible with the planar geometry, where the porous structure containing the pores may interrupt eddy current formation within the spiral traces. The conductor electrodeposition step 3, the conductor electrodeposition step 5, and the conductor electrodeposition step 7 contribute conductive material to form the current-carrying portions of the circular spiral coil 601, while the CCVD deposition step 4 and the CCVD deposition step 6, for example, create the insulative barriers that modify the skin depth characteristics of the conductive traces.

[0081] With continued reference to FIG. 6, an octagonal spiral coil 602 demonstrates an alternative geometric approach that provides enhanced design flexibility for applications where the circular geometry may not be optimal for the intended electromagnetic field distribution or mechanical constraints. The octagonal spiral coil 602 exhibits eight-sided geometric turns that progress inward from an outer octagonal perimeter toward a central region, where the straight-line segments of each octagonal turn create distinct electromagnetic characteristics compared to the curved geometry of the circular spiral coil 601. The octagonal spiral configuration may be selected from the group consisting of cylindrical, rectangular, toroidal, circular spiral, octagonal spiral, and square spiral configurations based on the specific application requirements and the desired balance between electromagnetic performance and manufacturing complexity. The octagonal geometry of the octagonal spiral coil 602 creates discrete corner regions where the current direction changesabruptly, where these corner regions may generate localized electromagnetic field concentrations that can be advantageous for certain applications.

[0082] The octagonal spiral coil 602 may be fabricated using the same manufacturing processes employed for the circular spiral coil 601, where the dry film patterning step 2 creates openings that define the straight-line segments and corner transitions of the octagonal geometry. The hybrid material 100 construction of the octagonal spiral coil 602 enables precise control over the conductor cross-sectional area and electromagnetic properties within each straight segment and corner region independently, where the conductor electrodeposition step 3 may be optimized for uniform deposition along the varying geometric features of the octagonal pattern. The CCVD deposition step 4 creates the hybrid insulation layer 110 that accommodates the geometric transitions between straight segments and comers, where the porous structure containing the pore 101 maintains consistent electromagnetic properties throughout the octagonal spiral pattern. The deposition repetition step 8 may be employed to achieve the desired thickness and layer count for the octagonal spiral coil 602, where the number of repetitions determines the current-carrying capacity and resistance characteristics of the spiral structure.

[0083] As further shown in FIG. 6, a square spiral coil 603 represents another geometric configuration that provides rectangular turns spiraling from an outer perimeter toward a central region in a square pattern. The square spiral coil 603 exhibits four-sided geometric turns where each side comprises straight-line segments connected through ninety-degree corner transitions, where the square geometry creates distinct electromagnetic field patterns compared to both the circular spiral coil 601 and the octagonal spiral coil 602. The square spiral configuration may be selected based on compatibility with rectangular substrate geometries or integration requirements with other electronic components that utilize rectangular layouts. The square spiral coil 603 creates corner regions where current direction changes create localized electromagnetic field concentrations, where these field concentrations may be more pronounced than those generated by the octagonal spiral coil 602 due to the sharper corner angles of the square geometry.

[0084] The square spiral coil 603 may be fabricated using the dry film lamination step 1 through the dry film removal step 9, where the photolithographic patterning operations accommodate the rectangular geometry and sharp corner transitions of the square spiral pattern. The hybrid material 100 construction of the square spiral coil 603 incorporates the hybrid insulation layer 110 components that provide consistent electromagnetic properties along the straight segments and through the corner regions, where the porous structure containing the pore 101 may interrupt eddy current formation throughout the square spiral geometry. The conductor electrodeposition step 5 and the conductor electrodeposition step 7 contribute conductive material that forms uniform coverage along the straight segments and maintains electrical continuitythrough the corner transitions, where the electrodeposition process may be optimized for the specific geometric requirements of the square spiral pattern. The CCVD deposition step 6 creates insulative barriers that accommodate the geometric variations within the square spiral coil 603, where the combustion chemical vapor deposition process maintains consistent layer thickness and porosity characteristics throughout the rectangular spiral structure.

[0085] The three example geometric configurations demonstrated by the circular spiral coil 601, the octagonal spiral coil 602, and the square spiral coil 603 provide design flexibility for different applications while maintaining the benefits of hybrid material construction across all geometric variations. Each geometric approach offers distinct electromagnetic characteristics where the circular spiral coil 601 provides smooth current transitions and uniform field distribution, the octagonal spiral coil 602 provides a compromise between curved and straight-line geometries with moderate corner effects, and the square spiral coil 603 provides sharp geometric transitions with pronounced corner field concentrations. The hybrid material 100 construction enables consistent electromagnetic properties across all three geometric configurations, where the hybrid insulation layer 110 components provide eddy current interruption and modified skin depth characteristics regardless of the specific spiral geometry employed. The manufacturing processes described in the conductor electrodeposition step 3 through the dry film removal step 9 accommodate all three geometric configurations through appropriate modifications to the dry film patterning step 2 operations, where the photolithographic techniques may be adapted to create the specific geometric features required for each spiral configuration while maintaining consistent hybrid material 100 properties throughout the structure.

[0086] Referring to FIG. 7, a planar inductor 700 demonstrates the implementation of hybrid material 100 technology in a substrate-supported configuration that provides enhanced integration capabilities for microelectronic applications. The planar inductor 700 exhibits a spiral-shaped conductive pattern formed on a substrate 701, where the substrate 701 as shown is a flexible substrate. In general though, a substrate, for example, substrate 701 provides mechanical support and electrical isolation for the conductive traces that form the inductive structure. The substrate 701 comprises a flat, planar surface that enables precise geometric control over the spiral pattern dimensions and spacing characteristics of the planar inductor 700. The spiral pattern of the planar inductor 700 extends from an outer perimeter through multiple concentric turns toward a central termination point, where each turn maintains consistent spacing from adjacent turns throughout the spiral geometry. The planar inductor 700 represents a coil structure comprising a plurality of conductive traces operably supported by the substrate 701, where the conductive traces comprise the hybrid material 100 with alternating layers of conductive material and the hybrid insulation layer 110 described in the fabrication processes.

[0087] The substrate 701 may comprise various materials selected for compatibility with the intended application environment and processing requirements of the planar inductor 700. In some cases, the substrate 701 comprises silicon wafer materials that provide dimensional stability and compatibility with semiconductor processing techniques employed during the dry film lamination step 1 through the dry film removal step 9. The substrate 701 may also comprise ceramic materials such as alumina or aluminum nitride that provide enhanced thermal conductivity and mechanical strength for power management applications where the planar inductor 700 may be subjected to elevated temperatures during operation. In other configurations, the substrate 701 comprises a flexible substrate that provides mechanical flexibility for applications where the planar inductor 700 may be subjected to bending or conforming to curved surfaces during operation. The flexible substrate configuration enables the planar inductor 700 to be integrated into flexible electronic systems, wearable devices, or other applications where rigid substrate materials may not be suitable for the mechanical requirements of the intended use environment.

[0088] With continued reference to FIG. 7, the planar inductor 700 may be fabricated using the manufacturing processes described in the dry film lamination step 1 through the dry film removal step 9, where the photolithographic patterning operations define the spiral geometry of the conductive traces with precise control over trace width, spacing, and overall dimensions. The dry film patterning step 2 creates openings that define the spiral pattern of the planar inductor 700, where the photolithographic techniques enable feature sizes ranging from micrometers to millimeters depending on the specific application requirements and the desired inductance characteristics. The conductor electrodeposition step 3, the conductor electrodeposition step 5, and the conductor electrodeposition step 7 contribute conductive material to form the current-carrying portions of the spiral pattern, where the electrodeposition process may be optimized for uniform coverage across the planar geometry of the substrate 701. The CCVD deposition step 4 and the CCVD deposition step 6 create the hybrid insulation layer 110 components that provide electromagnetic properties compatible with the planar configuration, where the porous structure containing the pore 101 may interrupt eddy current formation within the spiral traces of the planar inductor 700.

[0089] The spiral configuration of the planar inductor 700 creates a coil structure comprising a series of conductive layers stacked vertically, where each layer containing one or more turns of a conductive material contributes to the overall inductance and current-carrying capacity of the device. The deposition repetition step 8 may be employed to achieve the desired thickness and layer count for the spiral traces, where the number of repetitions determines the cross-sectional area of conductive material and the corresponding resistance characteristics of the planar inductor 700. The hybrid material 100 construction enables the planar inductor 700 to include both hybridmaterial sections and traditional bulk material sections within a single coil structure, where different portions of the spiral pattern may utilize different conductive materials based on the specific electromagnetic requirements of each region. In some cases, the inner turns of the spiral pattern may comprise the hybrid material 100 construction for enhanced high-frequency performance, while the outer turns may comprise traditional bulk conductive materials for cost optimization or compatibility with external connection requirements.

[0090] The substrate-supported configuration of the planar inductor 700 provides advantages for integrated circuit applications where space constraints and manufacturing compatibility may be primary design considerations. The planar geometry enables the planar inductor 700 to be fabricated using standard semiconductor processing techniques that are compatible with integrated circuit manufacturing workflows, where the same photolithographic and deposition equipment employed for transistor and interconnect fabrication may be utilized for inductor formation. The substrate 701 provides a stable foundation that maintains precise geometric relationships between the spiral traces and other electronic components integrated on the same substrate surface, where the dimensional stability of the substrate 701 enables predictable electromagnetic coupling and interference characteristics. The planar inductor 700 configuration also enables efficient utilization of substrate surface area, where the spiral pattern may be optimized to achieve the desired inductance value within the available geometric constraints of the integrated circuit layout.

[0091] As further shown in FIG. 7, the planar inductor 700 demonstrates how adjacent layers are electrically connected through vias to form a continuous inductive path, where the via connections enable current flow between different levels of the spiral pattern when multi-layer implementations are employed. The via connections may be formed during the conductor electrodeposition step 3 or subsequent deposition operations, where the electrodeposition process fills vertical openings that connect conductive traces on different substrate levels. The multi-layer structure may be encapsulated within an insulating material that provides environmental protection and mechanical support for the embedded conductive traces and via connections. The encapsulation material may comprise polymer resins, ceramic compositions, or glass materials that are compatible with the operating temperature range and environmental conditions of the intended application, where the encapsulation process may be performed after completion of the dry film removal step 9 to protect the completed spiral structure.

[0092] The hybrid material 100 construction of the planar inductor 700 provides reduced resistance compared to bulk conductive materials at high frequencies by effectively eliminating eddy currents within the spiral traces. The hybrid material 100 comprises a hybrid material having at least one internal porous insulative layer with material filling some pores of the insulative layer, where the porous structure interrupts eddy current formation and modifies the effective skin depthcharacteristics of the conductive traces. The hybrid material 100 provides resistance reduction of over 2-fold compared to traditional materials at high frequencies, where the reduced resistance enables enhanced quality factor Q performance for the planar inductor 700. The hybrid material 100 construction may be used in conjunction with hybrid material cores in addition to traditional cores, where the substrate 701 may incorporate ferromagnetic materials or other magnetic enhancement structures that complement the electromagnetic properties of the hybrid material 100 spiral traces.

[0093] The flexible substrate configuration enables the planar inductor 700 to accommodate mechanical deformation while maintaining electrical continuity and electromagnetic performance characteristics. The flexible substrate may comprise polymer films such as polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate, or other flexible dielectric materials that provide mechanical flexibility while maintaining dimensional stability under normal operating conditions. The hybrid material 100 construction of the spiral traces accommodates the mechanical stresses associated with substrate flexing, where the layered structure of alternating conductive and insulative materials may provide enhanced mechanical resilience compared to bulk conductive traces. The flexible substrate implementation enables the planar inductor 700 to be integrated into applications such as flexible displays, wearable electronics, or conformable sensor systems where rigid substrate materials would not be compatible with the mechanical requirements of the intended use environment. The combination of hybrid material 100 construction and flexible substrate technology creates opportunities for high-performance inductive components in applications that require both electromagnetic performance and mechanical flexibility characteristics.

[0094] Referring to FIG. 8, a cross-sectional view demonstrates a potential layered architecture of a multi-layer inductor structure that incorporates the hybrid material 100 construction in a complex three-dimensional arrangement. The structure includes a substrate 801 that provides mechanical support and electrical isolation for the overlying components, where the substrate 801 comprises a horizontal layer that extends across the width of the device structure. An first inductor coil set 802 may be positioned on one side of the substrate 801, where the first inductor coil set 802 comprises multiple turns of the hybrid material 100 arranged in a planar configuration. The first inductor coil set 802 exhibits the layered structure characteristic of the hybrid material 100, where alternating layers of conductive material and the hybrid insulation layer 110 create the electromagnetic properties that enable reduced resistance performance at elevated frequencies. An second inductor coil set 803 may be positioned on the opposite side of the substrate 801 from the first inductor coil set 802, where the second inductor coil set 803 provides additional inductance and current-carrying capacity through a similar hybrid material 100 construction.

[0095] The substrate 801 serves as a central support structure that maintains precise geometric relationships between a first inductor coil set 802 forming a first inductor and a second inductor coil set 803, forming a second inductor, where the substrate 801 may comprise silicon wafer materials, ceramic compositions, or flexible polymer films depending on the specific application requirements. The substrate 801 provides electrical isolation between the two coil sets while enabling magnetic coupling through the shared magnetic circuit created by the ferromagnetic core materials. The thickness of the substrate 801 may be optimized to provide adequate mechanical support while minimizing the magnetic reluctance between the first inductor coil set 802 and the second inductor coil set 803, where thinner substrate configurations may enhance magnetic coupling while thicker configurations may provide enhanced mechanical stability and electrical isolation. The substrate 801 may incorporate via structures or other interconnection features that enable electrical connectivity between the first inductor coil set 802 and the second inductor coil set 803 when series or parallel electrical configurations are desired for the overall inductor device.

[0096] With continued reference to FIG. 8, magnetic cores 810 may extend through both the first inductor coil set 802 and the second inductor coil set 803, where the magnetic core 810 provides a high-permeability path for magnetic flux generated by current flowing through the coil structures. The magnetic cores 810 may comprise ferrite materials, laminated steel structures, or other ferromagnetic compositions that exhibit high magnetic permeability characteristics suitable for the intended operating frequency range of the inductor device.

[0097] The cross-sectional view reveals the detailed layered arrangement of the hybrid material 100 within both the first inductor coil set 802 and the second inductor coil set 803, where each coil set comprises multiple alternating layers of conductive material and the hybrid insulation layer 110. The hybrid insulation layer 110 maintains a thickness of 10 nm to 5 pm and covers 90- 99.99% of an underlying conductive layer while leaving a statistically distributed network of through-voids represented by the pore 101 distributed throughout the insulative material. The porous structure of the hybrid insulation layer 110 enables direct electrical connectivity between adjacent conductive layers while providing electromagnetic barriers that interrupt eddy current formation within the hybrid material 100 structure. The alternating layer configuration creates a monolithic conductive body where metal penetrates through the pore 101 and metallurgically bonds to underlying conductors across substantially the entire interfacial area between adjacent layers.

[0098] As further shown in FIG. 8, the layered structure of the hybrid material 100 within both coil sets demonstrates how the porous insulative layers modify the electromagnetic properties of the conductive material to achieve enhanced performance characteristics at elevated frequencies. The hybrid insulation layer 110 contains the pore 101 that appears as microscopicopenings distributed throughout the insulative material in a controlled pattern that maintains electrical continuity while providing electromagnetic isolation. The pore 101 enables the underlying metallic layers to act as electrodes during the conductor electrodeposition step 3, the conductor electrodeposition step 5, and the conductor electrodeposition step 7, where the electrodeposition processes build up the conductive portions of the hybrid material 100 through direct plating through the porous insulative barriers. The CCVD deposition step 4 and the CCVD deposition step 6 create the hybrid insulation layer 110 components with controlled porosity characteristics that accommodate the specific electromagnetic requirements of the multi-layer inductor configuration.

[0099]

[0100] The multi-layer configuration demonstrated in the cross-sectional view enables the inductor device to achieve higher inductance values and current-carrying capacity compared to single-layer implementations, where the first inductor coil set 802 and the second inductor coil set 803 may be electrically connected in series or parallel configurations to optimize the electrical characteristics for specific applications. The substrate 801 provides mechanical support that maintains precise alignment between the two coil sets and the magnetic core 810, where the dimensional stability of the substrate 801 enables predictable electromagnetic coupling and consistent performance characteristics. The layered structure accommodates the deposition repetition step 8 and the layer deposition repetition step 15 described in the fabrication processes, where multiple cycles of conductor deposition and hybrid insulation layer formation build up the desired thickness and layer count for both coil sets simultaneously. The dry film removal step 9 and the dry film removal step 16 expose the completed layered structures and enable electrical connection to external circuits through terminal connections positioned at appropriate locations on the first inductor coil set 802 and the second inductor coil set 803.

[0101] Referring back to FIG. 1, the layered hybrid material structure demonstrates how controlled porosity and layer architecture may be employed to create composite materials with tailored electromagnetic properties for specific frequency ranges and application requirements. The insulative layers provide electromagnetic barriers that interrupt eddy current formation while the through-void network maintains the electrical continuity necessary for inductor operation, where the balance between electromagnetic isolation and electrical connectivity determines the overall performance characteristics of the composite structure. The cross-sectional architecture enables the fabrication of inductor coils that exhibit reduced resistance at elevated frequencies compared to conventional bulk conductive materials, where the resistance reduction arises from the suppression of eddy current losses rather than simply increasing the surface area available for current flow through mechanical layering approaches.

[0102] A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. For example, lay numbers may reach into the thousands or the shapes or core types of inductors may vary. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. As such, in theory, wherever traditional inductor coils are located, they may be replaced with hybrid inductor coils.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An inductive device, comprising: a coil structure consisting of a conductive winding of a hybrid material configured in a predetermined geometric shape around a portion of core material, wherein the conductive winding is adapted to induce an electromagnetic field in response to an electrical current passing through it, and wherein the hybrid material comprises a monolithic conductive body formed by successive deposition of an electrically conductive metallic stratum and a deliberately porous electrically insulating stratum such that metal penetrates the porosity and metallurgically bonds to an underlying conductor across substantially an entire interfacial area.

2. The inductive device of claim 1, wherein the coil structure has a cylindrical, rectangular, or toroidal shape.

3. The inductive device of claim 1, wherein the coil structure comprises a plurality of conductive traces operably supported by a substrate.

4. The inductive device of claim 3, wherein the substrate is a flexible substrate.

5. The inductive device of claim 1, wherein the coil structure comprises a series of conductive layers stacked vertically, each layer containing one or more turns of a conductive material, wherein adjacent layers are electrically connected through vias to form a continuous inductive path, and wherein said multi-layer structure is encapsulated within an insulating material.

6. The inductive device of claim 1, wherein the core material forms a shell-type core.

7. The inductive device of claim 1, wherein the core material forms a core-type shape.

8. The inductive device of claim 1, wherein the core material is an air gap.

9. The inductive device of claim 1, wherein the deliberately porous electrically insulating stratum has a bulk resistivity of at least 500 p cm and is 10 nm to 5 pm thick.

10. The inductive device of claim 9, wherein the deliberately porous electrically insulating stratum covers 90-99.99% of an underlying metal while leaving a statistically distributed network of through-voids having individual lateral dimensions less than 40 pm and an overall open-area fraction of 0.01-10%.

11. A method for forming an inductive device, comprising: forming a coil structure layer by layer by repeating in series the steps of forming a conductive layer and forming a hybrid insulation layer at least once onto a substrate or mold to create a winding configured in a predetermined geometric shape around a core material, wherein the hybridinsulation layer is porous and allows direct plating through the insulation layer such that an underlying metallic layer acts as an electrode in an electroplating process.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the coil structure has a cylindrical, rectangular, or toroidal shape.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the coil structure comprises a plurality of conductive traces operably supported by a substrate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the substrate is a flexible substrate.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the coil structure comprises a series of conductive layers stacked vertically, each layer containing one or more turns of a conductive material, wherein adjacent layers are electrically connected through vias to form a continuous inductive path, and wherein said multi-layer structure is encapsulated within an insulating material.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein forming the hybrid insulation layer comprises combustion chemical vapor deposition.

17. An inductor coil comprising: a hybrid material having at least one internal porous insulative layer with material fdling some pores of the insulative layer, wherein the hybrid material is configured as a conductive winding in a predetermined geometric shape, and wherein the hybrid material provides reduced resistance compared to bulk conductive materials at high frequencies by effectively eliminating eddy currents.

18. The inductor coil of claim 17, wherein the predetermined geometric shape is selected from the group consisting of cylindrical, rectangular, toroidal, circular spiral, octagonal spiral, and square spiral configurations.

19. The inductor coil of claim 18, wherein the circular spiral configuration comprises a planar inductor formed on a substrate.

20. The inductor coil of claim 17, wherein the porous insulative layer has a thickness of 10 nm to 5 pm and covers 90-99.99% of an underlying conductive layer while leaving a distributed network of through-voids.

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