Vertical Inductor Design via Through-Vias for High Q Factor
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Solution Overview
Problem
High frequency inductors face challenges in achieving high Q values due to increased parasitic capacitances in horizontal coil configurations, and multilayer inductors have limitations in rigidity and reliability due to the use of low-rigidity photosensitive insulating materials.
Innovation Solution
A vertical inductor design featuring through-vias penetrating through a ceramic or organic body with high-rigidity cover parts and connection patterns formed using a flexible copper clad laminate and dry film resist processes, reducing parasitic capacitances and enhancing Young's modulus for improved performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a horizontal inductor configuration is used, then the coil can be easily manufactured, but parasitic capacitances increase and Q factor deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional horizontal coil configuration to a vertical configuration. The coil is formed by through-vias penetrating the substrate vertically rather than horizontally, which reduces parasitic capacitances between adjacent conductors and improves the Q factor while maintaining manufacturability through standardized via fabrication processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional horizontal coil layout to a three-dimensional vertical structure by stacking multiple conductive layers and using through-vias to create vertical current paths. This dimensional change reduces parasitic capacitance by separating conductors in the vertical dimension rather than relying solely on horizontal spacing.
2Manufacturing precision
If photosensitive insulating material is used to implement fine patterns, then fine patterns can be achieved, but rigidity and reliability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure combining a rigid ceramic or glass-ceramic substrate with metal through-vias and conductive layers. The substrate provides high rigidity and mechanical strength, while the metal components provide electrical conductivity and pattern definition. This composite approach eliminates the need for photosensitive insulating materials while achieving both fine patterns and high rigidity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the photosensitive insulating material system with a ceramic/glass-ceramic substrate system. Instead of using photosensitive polymers that require photolithography processing, the patent uses ceramic substrates with etched or screen-printed conductive patterns, eliminating the mechanical weakness associated with photosensitive materials while maintaining pattern definition capability.
3Volume of moving object
If miniaturization is pursued, then element size decreases, but Young's modulus and structural integrity become insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs ceramic and glass-ceramic materials which inherently possess high Young's modulus and mechanical strength. These materials maintain structural integrity even when miniaturized because their atomic bonding structure provides high stiffness at small scales, unlike polymer-based photosensitive materials whose mechanical properties degrade more rapidly with size reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent concentrates the conductive elements and current paths within the compact ceramic substrate, achieving miniaturization by optimizing the local arrangement of through-vias and conductive layers. The high-strength ceramic material allows for reduced overall dimensions while maintaining sufficient mechanical strength through its intrinsic material properties rather than relying on increased cross-sectional dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
There are provided an inductor and a method of manufacturing the same. The inductor includes: a body including a coil part; and cover parts disposed on upper and lower surfaces of the body. The coil part includes a plurality of through-vias penetrating through the upper and lower surfaces of the body and connection patterns disposed on the upper and lower surfaces of the body, disposed in the cover parts, and connecting the plurality of through-vias to each other.