High Voltage Polymer Dielectric Capacitor Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic isolation devices face challenges in minimizing size while providing adequate transient and surge protection for signals with different DC bias levels, often requiring complex designs and additional components like transistors.
Innovation Solution
An electronic isolation device is formed on a monolithic substrate with passive components in three metal levels, using an inorganic pre-metal dielectric layer, silicon dioxide, and a polymer dielectric layer of polyimide or PBO to create capacitors or transformers with bondpads for connections, eliminating transistors and optimizing for compactness and protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transistors are used in isolation devices, then transient and surge protection can be provided, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes transistors from the isolation device architecture entirely, extracting the active component requirement while maintaining protection functionality through passive components only. This eliminates the complexity associated with transistor-based designs while preserving essential protection capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs simple passive components (capacitors, resistors, inductors) that can be easily replaced or degraded without complex circuitry. These components provide protection functionality with simpler, more robust structures that don't require the sophisticated control mechanisms of transistors.
2Reliability
If additional protection components are added, then transient and surge protection improves, but area of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (isolation, transient protection, surge protection) into a single integrated passive structure. The isolation device simultaneously performs signal isolation between different DC bias levels while providing protection against voltage transients and surges through its passive component architecture, eliminating the need for separate protection components.
Solution Approach 2:
The passive isolation components serve multiple functions: they provide electrical isolation between circuits with different DC bias levels, protect against voltage transients, and withstand surge conditions. This multi-functionality reduces the overall device area by consolidating protection and isolation functions into a single compact structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables compact, reliable, and high-performance signal isolation with reduced series resistance, achieving transient protection up to 5000 volts and surge protection up to 10000 volts, while maintaining a high signal-to-noise ratio and long-term reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The third metal level is separated from the second metal level by at least 20 microns of polyimide or poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) (PBO)
Implementation Method 2
The second metal level is separated from the first metal level by a layer of silicon dioxide
Implementation Method 3
The first metal level is separated from the monolithic substrate by an inorganic pre-metal dielectric (PMD) layer
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic isolation device is formed on a monolithic substrate and includes a plurality of passive isolation components. The isolation components are formed in three metal levels. The first metal level is separated from the monolithic substrate by an inorganic PMD layer. The second metal level is separated from the first metal level by a layer of silicon dioxide. The third metal level is separated from the second metal level by at least 20 microns of polyimide or PBO. The isolation components include bondpads on the third metal level for connections to other devices. A dielectric layer is formed over the third metal level, exposing the bondpads. The isolation device contains no transistors.