BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to integrated transformers and integrated inductors, and, more particularly, to crossing structures of integrated transformers and integrated inductors.

2. Description of Related Art

Transformers are important elements in radio frequency (RF) integrated circuits to implement single-ended to differential signal conversion, signal coupling and impedance matching. As System-on-chips (SoC) become the mainstream of integrated circuits, integrated transformers and/or integrated inductors are gradually substituted for conventional discrete elements and are commonly applied to RF integrated circuits. However, transformers and inductors in integrated circuits often take up large areas; therefore, it becomes an important issue to reduce the areas of transformers and inductors in integrated circuits without degrading element performances, such as coupling coefficient (K) or quality factor (Q).

In particular, the crossing structure plays a key role in the winding or layout of integrated transformers and integrated inductors, as well as in the quality factor and symmetry.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the issues of the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide crossing structures of integrated transformers and integrated inductors, so as to make an improvement to the prior art.

A crossing structure applied to an integrated transformer is provided. The crossing structure includes a first segment, a second segment, a third segment, a fourth segment, a fifth segment a sixth segment and a seventh segment. The first segment, the second segment, the third segment, the fourth segment and the fifth segment are implemented on a first metal layer of a semiconductor structure. The sixth segment and the seventh segment are implemented on a second metal layer of the semiconductor structure. The sixth segment connects the first segment and the fifth segment through a plurality of through structures, and the first segment, the fifth segment and the seventh segment form a first trace. The seventh segment connects the second segment and the fourth segment through a plurality of through structures, and the second segment, the seventh segment and the fourth segment form a second trace. The first metal layer is different from the second metal layer. The integrated transformer includes a first inductor and a second inductor. The first trace and the third segment are part of the first inductor, and the second trace is part of the second inductor. The first trace crosses the second trace and the third segment, and the second trace crosses the third segment.

A crossing structure applied to an integrated transformer or an integrated inductor is also provided. The crossing structure includes a first segment, a second segment, a third segment, a fourth segment, a fifth segment, a sixth segment, a seventh segment and an eighth segment. The first segment, the second segment, the third segment, the fourth segment, the fifth segment and the sixth segment are implemented on a first metal layer of a semiconductor structure. The seventh segment and the eighth segment are implemented on a second metal layer of the semiconductor structure. The seventh segment connects the third segment and the fifth segment through a plurality of through structures, and the third segment, the fifth segment and the seventh segment form a first trace. The eighth segment connects the fourth segment and the sixth segment through a plurality of through structures, and the fourth segment, the sixth segment and the eighth segment form a second trace. The first metal layer is different from the second metal layer. The first trace crosses the first segment and the second segment, and the second trace crosses the first segment and the second segment.

A crossing structure applied to an integrated transformer or an integrated inductor is also provided. The crossing structure includes a first segment, a second segment, a third segment, a fourth segment, a fifth segment, a sixth segment, a seventh segment, an eighth segment, a ninth segment and a tenth segment. The first segment, the second segment, the third segment, the fourth segment, the fifth segment, the sixth segment and the seventh segment are implemented on a first metal layer of a semiconductor structure. The eighth segment, the ninth segment and the tenth segment are implemented on a second metal layer of the semiconductor structure. The eighth segment connects the first segment and the seventh segment through a plurality of through structures, and the first segment, the seventh segment and the eighth segment form a first trace. The ninth segment connects the second segment and the fifth segment through a plurality of through structures, and the second segment, the fifth segment and the ninth segment form a second trace. The tenth segment connects the third segment and the sixth segment through a plurality of through structures, and the third segment, the sixth segment and the tenth segment form a third trace. The first metal layer is different from the second metal layer. The first trace crosses the fourth segment, the second trace and the third trace. The second trace crosses the fourth segment. The third trace crosses the fourth segment.

The invention provides a variety of crossing structures which can be applied to a variety of integrated transformers or integrated inductors, making the design of integrated transformers or integrated inductors more flexible such that the demand for the coupling coefficient and/or quality factor can be met for various integrated transformers or integrated inductors.

These and other objectives of the present invention no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the various figures and drawings.

