rical path 727 couples one of the vias 726 to the embedded capacitor 660, which is coupled to the die 630 through the electrical path 628.
According to a fifth embodiment, inductance is provided by wirebonds. FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view illustrating an exemplary voltage regulator with a wirebond inductance. A wirebond 750 couples the active portion of the voltage regulator 640 to one of the vias 716. The wirebond 750, the vias 716 and the conducting layer 730 provide inductance to the active portion of the voltage regulator 640.
Embedded passives in which through vias provide inductance for a voltage regulator will now be described in further detail. FIGS. 8A-C are block diagrams illustrating paths through a packaging substrate and PCB that may provide inductance. FIG. 8A is a block diagram illustrating a path 800 through a packaging substrate and PCB according to one embodiment. A top conductive layer 802 and a bottom conductive layer 810 of a packaging substrate are shown. Inner layers 804, 806 of the packaging substrate are also shown. A through via 805, couples the top conductive layer 802 and the bottom conductive layer 810. A packaging connection 812 may be a bump of a ball grid array and couples the bottom conductive layer 810 to a top conductive layer 820 of a PCB. A through via 822 couples the top conductive layer 820 to a bottom conductive layer 830. The bottom conductive layer 830 may be an interconnect that couples to another through via in the PCB. The amount of inductance in the path 800 is proportional to a length of the path 800.
FIG. 8B is a block diagram illustrating a path 840 having a longer length than the path 800. A bottom conductive layer 842 couples the through via 822 to another through via in the PCB. The bottom conductive layer 842 includes extra length, for example in a coil, which increases the inductance of the path 840.
FIG. 8C is a block diagram illustrating a path 850 having a longer length than the path 830. An inductor coil 852 mounted on a back side of the PCB couples the through via 822 to another through via in the PCB. In this embodiment, a coiled wire 854 wraps around a block 852 to extend the length of the path 850.
A voltage regulator with passives embedded in packaging maintains a short and low inductive path from the voltage regulator to the die. Additionally, increased voltage regulator control loop bandwidth increases operating frequency and shortens a feedback path to the voltage regulator. Passive components embedded in the packaging substrate allows increased inductance and capacitance values. Further, the embedded passive components reduce packaging substrate top side area consumed by passive components.
Although the terminology through silicon via includes the word silicon, it is noted that through silicon vias are not necessarily constructed in silicon. Rather, the material can be any device substrate material.
Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the technology of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.