Sintered Interposer Inductor Structure for Stable High Permeability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing interposers with built-in inductors face challenges in securing high permeability and sufficient inductance due to limitations in the filling factor of magnetic particles and variations in electrical characteristics caused by magnetic material components entering the conductor portion.
Innovation Solution
The interposer features a conductor portion made of sintered metal, a magnetic material portion made of ceramics, and a wiring portion with connecting vias spaced apart from the magnetic material portion, ensuring reduced variation in electrical characteristics and increased permeability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If magnetic particles are dispersed in resin to form the magnetic material portion, then the inductor can be manufactured with simpler process, but the permeability is less likely to be secured due to limitation of filling factor of magnetic particles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the magnetic material from dispersed particles in resin to a sintered ceramic body. This parameter change enables high permeability by achieving dense packing of magnetic material without the filling factor limitations of particle dispersion, while maintaining manufacturability through sintering processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure combining sintered metal conductor portion with sintered ceramic magnetic material portion. This composite approach allows both components to be manufactured using sintering technology, achieving high permeability in the magnetic portion while ensuring good electrical conductivity in the conductor portion, and facilitating integrated manufacturing.
2Area of moving object
If the inductor size is reduced to accommodate high-density mounting, then the footprint is reduced, but sufficient inductance is less likely to be secured when permeability of magnetic material is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the magnetic material from low-permeability dispersed particles to high-permeability sintered ceramic, which compensates for the reduced size. The high permeability of the sintered ceramic allows sufficient inductance to be achieved even in a compact footprint suitable for high-density mounting.
3Ease of manufacture
If plating is used to form the conductor portion, then the conductor can be formed on inner surface of through hole, but components of magnetic material may enter into the conductor portion causing variation of electrical characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the conductor formation method from plating to sintering of metal powder. This eliminates the issue of magnetic material components entering the conductor during plating, as the sintering process forms the conductor independently before assembly. The sintered metal conductor achieves good electrical conductivity without contamination from magnetic material particles.
4Productivity
If the number of computing cores per die area is increased to increase computational processing capability, then the processing capability is improved, but the area of die per computing core is reduced requiring high-density inductor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the magnetic material configuration to sintered ceramic with high permeability, which enables compact inductor design. This allows high-density mounting of inductors on the interposer while maintaining sufficient inductance values, supporting the increased number of computing cores per die area.
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
This configuration reduces variations in electrical characteristics and enhances permeability, allowing for the construction of high-density inductors with larger inductance per unit area, effectively addressing the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
The conductor portion is made of a sintered material including sintered metal, and the magnetic material portion is made of sintered ceramic
Data Source
AI summary
A conductor portion extends through a through hole of an insulator substrate, and is made of a sintered material including sintered metal. A magnetic material portion surrounds the conductor portion within the through hole, is made of ceramics, is inorganically bonded to the conductor portion, and constructs an inductor with the conductor portion. A wiring portion includes a connecting via having a bottom surface electrically connected to the conductor portion. The bottom surface of the connecting via is spaced apart from the magnetic material portion.