Mel Miller

Integration of thin film MIM capacitors and resistors into copper metallization based RF-CMOS and Bi-CMOS technologies

High precision metal-insulator-metal capacitors with a capacitance density of 1.6 fF/um/sup 2/ and metal thin film resistors of 50 ohm/sq. sheet resistance and a negative temperature coefficient of resistivity smaller than 100 ppm//spl deg/C have been integrated in a dual-inlaid Cu-based backend for mixed-signal applications. These devices deliver reduced parasitics, better linearity, lower temperature coefficients, lower noise, and better matching as compared to current silicon based devices.

Fundamental limits of soft magnetic particle composites for high frequency applications

A phenomenological model of magnetic nanoparticle composites consisting of ideal lossless particles with identical properties embedded in a non-magnetic matrix has been developed. The input material parameter for this model include the saturation magnetization (M s ) and the crystal anisotropy field (H k ) of the particles. The relationships between key magnetic properties like the low frequency effective permeability and the FMR frequency, and the material and physical attributes (such as shape, volume fraction, and packing type) of the particles have been identified using an iterative extension of the Bruggeman effective medium theory.

Tantalum nitride thin film resistors for integration into copper metallization based RF-CMOS and BiCMOS technology platforms

Metal thin film resistors have been integrated into a damascene-copper multilayer metallization system for mixed-signal BiCMOS technology platforms. The thin film process can be adjusted to achieve resistors with very low temperature coefficients, high linearity, low noise, and improved matching as compared to resistors based on implanted silicon or polysilicon processing. In addition, improvement in terms of good RF performance was observed.

Full Four-port Modeling and Characterization of On-chip Spiral Transformers for RFICs

Transformers integrated onto silicon substrates are characterized using a four-port network analyzer. S-parameters measured up to 20 GHz are used to study the trade-off between the device dimensions and the electrical performance of typical n:n transformers. A second order four-port compact model for integrated transformers is proposed. The evaluation of this model on devices in both standard four-port and two-port differential-to-differential configurations show a magnitude accuracy better than 8 % and a phase error less than 5 degrees in the frequency range from 300 MHz to 3 GHz.

Signal integrity implications of inductor-to-circuit proximity

Signal integrity is one of the major challenges in system-on-a-chip (SOC) integration. The complexity of the associated problems increases when RF circuits are integrated together with other circuits, such as digital or large signal circuits. In this material, an analysis of possible interactions between an on-chip inductor and various types of circuit blocks is described. Conclusions on the feasibility of an inductor-circuit system are outlined.