Tunable Inductor With Configurable Tuning Ring
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In advanced SerDes circuit designs, particularly those operating at frequencies above 10 GHz, accurate modeling of inductors is challenging due to unpredictable effects from circuit environments, requiring significant redesign and time-consuming layout changes to tune inductance values within desirable ranges.
Innovation Solution
A tunable inductive device featuring a configurable tuning ring with metal stack layers and vias, allowing selective adjustment of mutual inductance and self-inductance without changing the footprint, enabling precise inductance tuning of the inductor without modifying the circuit floorplan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If circuit elements are substituted to achieve fine tuning, then inductance values can be adjusted, but significant circuit redesign and layout changes are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds a tuning ring structure around the inductor, creating a nested configuration where the tuning ring is disposed around the inductor. This nested structure allows inductance tuning without requiring changes to the external circuit layout or footprint, thereby resolving the contradiction between adaptability and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a third dimension by stacking multiple metal layers to form the tuning ring structure. By adjusting the number of metal layers and their connectivity through vias, the inductance can be tuned without changing the planar footprint, thus achieving adaptability while maintaining structural simplicity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If inductor design is modified to tune the circuit, then operating frequency can be adjusted, but significant redesign of the entire circuit is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a configurable tuning ring structure that can be adjusted after the main circuit design is completed. The tuning ring includes multiple metal layers and vias that can be selectively connected to achieve desired inductance values, allowing frequency tuning without requiring time-consuming redesign of the entire circuit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dynamic tuning capability by providing multiple configurable states for the tuning ring structure. The number of metal layers and their connectivity can be varied to dynamically adjust the inductance and operating frequency, enabling rapid iteration and optimization without full circuit redesign.
3Reliability
If layout changes are made to tune inductance, then circuit performance can be optimized, but time-consuming layout changes are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a universal tuning structure that can be applied to various inductor configurations without requiring custom layout changes for each case. The tuning ring with configurable metal layers and vias provides a standardized approach to performance optimization that eliminates time-consuming custom layout modifications.
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
Enables efficient and time-saving inductance tuning of inductive devices within advanced SerDes circuit designs, maintaining the original circuit layout and reducing the need for extensive redesign, thereby improving frequency stability and performance.
Implementation Method 1
The tuning ring is coupled to the inductor to establish a mutual inductance between the tuning ring and the inductor
Data Source
AI summary
An inductive device includes an inductor having an inductance associated therewith, and a tuning ring disposed around the inductor. The tuning ring has an inductance associated therewith, wherein the tuning ring is coupled to the inductor to establish a mutual inductance between the tuning ring and the inductor. The inductance of the inductor, the inductance of the tuning ring, and the mutual inductance between the tuning ring and the inductor contribute to a total inductance of the inductive device. The tuning ring is configurable, and is selectively configured to achieve a certain value for the mutual inductance, and a certain value for the inductance of the tuning ring, without changing a footprint of the tuning ring.