Post-processed Cu inductors with application to a completely integrated 2-GHz VCO

A simple post-processing technique allowing Cu inductors to be added to integrated circuits fabricated in technologies providing only Al metallization is presented. The inductors use a 4-/spl mu/m thick electroless plated Cu layer to minimize resistance, and are formed over a 9-/spl mu/m thick polyi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE transactions on electron devices 2001-06, Vol.48 (6), p.1284-1287
Main Authors: Rogers, J.W.M., Levenets, V., Pawlowicz, C.A., Tarr, N.G., Smy, T.J., Plett, C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aluminum
Carriers
Circuits
Copper
Inductors
Metallizing
Noise
Post-processing
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Summary:A simple post-processing technique allowing Cu inductors to be added to integrated circuits fabricated in technologies providing only Al metallization is presented. The inductors use a 4-/spl mu/m thick electroless plated Cu layer to minimize resistance, and are formed over a 9-/spl mu/m thick polyimide dielectric to reduce substrate losses. Inductors optimized for 2.5-GHz had Q as high as 17. The effectiveness of the post-processing technique is demonstrated by application to a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) fabricated in a commercial bipolar technology with Al metallization. Circuits with post-processed Cu inductors gave a phase noise of -106 dBf/Hz at 100 kHz offset from a 2-GHz carrier, while control circuits with Al inductors gave a phase noise of only -101 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset from a 1.8-GHz carrier and had higher power consumption.
ISSN:0018-9383
1557-9646
DOI:10.1109/16.925264