Chip Inductors: Disrupting Traditional Circuit Design

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) have found a new method to drive the advancement of on-chip inductor technology, which will help drive the design of a new generation of miniature radio frequency (RF) electronic and wireless communication systems.diode

Researchers at the University of California are delving into the latest developments in the synthesis of nanomaterials in nanomagnets. According to Liwei Lin, a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, researchers have found that using magnetic nanoparticles with an outer insulation layer can reduce the size of high-frequency chip inductors, improve performance, and provide good magnetic conductivity through its high cutoff frequency, thereby reducing eddy current losses during high-frequency operations.diode

Engineers often face the problem of trying to reduce the size of chip inductors while maintaining their optimal inductance and performance. Liwei Lin stated that these difficulties mainly stem from the limitations imposed by "fundamental scientific and engineering practice constraints".

Chip inductor technology has not made the same progress as transistor technology, which has been following Moore's Law for the past 40 years. Inductors are classified as passive components in the field of "beyond Moore's Law" in circuits, and therefore integrate non digital functions such as RF and MEMS that will not be miniaturized due to Moore's Law.diode

The chip inductor architecture requires a large area because a certain length, number of turns, thickness, and space are required between its metal traces to achieve appropriate inductance and performance. However, for larger area requirements, inductance loss may occur due to parasitic effects between the rotating coil and the semiconductor substrate.diode