Laminated structures for power efficient on-chip magnetic inductors

Abstract

Disclosed are magnetic structures, including on-chip inductors comprising laminated layers comprising, in order, a barrier and/or adhesion layer, a antiferromagnetic layer, a magnetic growth layer, a soft magnetic layer, an insulating non-magnetic spacer, a soft magnetic layer, a magnetic growth later, an antiferromagnetic layer. Also disclosed are methods of making such structures.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laminated magnetic structure comprising, in order, the following layers, from a supporting substrate:
 a first sequence of layers comprising a barrier layer or an adhesion layer, a first antiferromagnetic layer, a first magnetic growth layer, and a first soft magnetic layer, wherein the first soft magnetic layer is pinned by the first antiferromagnetic layer;   an insulating non-magnetic spacer located between the first sequence of layers and a second sequence of layers; and   the second sequence of layers comprising a second soft magnetic layer, a second magnetic growth layer, and a second antiferromagnetic layer, wherein the second soft magnetic layer is pinned by the second antiferromagnetic layer.   
     
     
         2 . The magnetic structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first soft magnetic layer is directly deposited on a surface of the first magnetic growth layer, and wherein the second magnetic growth layer is directly deposited on a surface of the second soft magnetic layer. 
     
     
         3 . The magnetic structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first antiferromagnetic layer is in direct contact with the first magnetic growth layer and the first magnetic growth layer is in direct contact with the first soft magnetic layer. 
     
     
         4 . The magnetic structure of  claim 3 , wherein the second antiferromagnetic layer is in direct contact with the second magnetic growth layer and the second magnetic growth layer is in direct contact with the second soft magnetic layer. 
     
     
         5 . The magnetic structure of  claim 4 , wherein each layer comprises a plurality of sub-layers. 
     
     
         6 . The magnetic structure of  claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises a quality factor of about 10 to about 20 at 20 MHz to 500 MHz. 
     
     
         7 . The magnetic structure of  claim 1 , wherein the structure exhibits a magnetic loss tangent of about 0.04 to about 0.10 at 100 MHz. 
     
     
         8 . The magnetic structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second antiferromagnetic layer comprise the same or different materials selected from the group consisting of an alloy of manganese, an alloy comprising platinum and manganese, an alloy comprising iron and manganese, an alloy comprising nickel and manganese, an alloy of manganese, zinc, and nickel, or nickel oxide (NiO). 
     
     
         9 . The magnetic structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second magnetic growth layers comprise cobalt or iron. 
     
     
         10 . The magnetic structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second soft magnetic layers comprise a material selected from the group consisting of CoFeB, CoFeNiB, FeB, CoFeRuB, CoFeRhB, CoFeRhB, CoFePtB, CoWB, CoWP, CoP, CoB, CoMoP, CoMoB, NiFe, NiFeB, NiFeCo, NiFeCo, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The magnetic structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second soft magnetic layers comprise cobalt, iron, and boron. 
     
     
         12 . The magnetic structure of  claim 1 , wherein the non-magnetic insulating layer comprises Al 2 O 3  or MgO. 
     
     
         13 . The magnetic structure of  claim 1  further comprising an ordered sequence of layers selected from the group consisting of IrMn/Co 90 Fe 10 /CoFeB, IrMn/Co 90 Fe 10 /CoFeB, IrMn/Co 50 Fe 50 /CoFeB, and IrMn/Co 50 Fe 50 /CoFeB. 
     
     
         14 . The magnetic structure of  claim 1 , wherein the insulating non-magnetic spacer is pinhole free and produces interlayer anti-ferromagnetic coupling with the soft magnetic layers. 
     
     
         15 . The magnetic structure of  claim 1  further comprising one or more additional sequences, each additional sequence separated by an insulating non-magnetic spacer. 
     
     
         16 . The magnetic structure of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic structure comprises a thickness of about 0.5 to 5 micrometers. 
     
     
         17 . A thin film inductor comprising conductive elements in association with a laminated magnetic structure comprising, in order, the following layers, from a supporting substrate:
 a first sequence of layers comprising a barrier layer or an adhesion layer, a first antiferromagnetic layer, a first magnetic growth layer, and a first soft magnetic layer, wherein the first soft magnetic layer is pinned by the first antiferromagnetic layer;   an insulating non-magnetic spacer located between the first sequence of layers and a second sequence of layers;   the second sequence of layers comprising a second soft magnetic layer, a second magnetic growth layer, and a second antiferromagnetic layer, wherein the second soft magnetic layer is pinned by the second antiferromagnetic layer; and   wherein the magnetic layers form a planar inductor.   
     
     
         18 . The thin film inductor of  claim 17 , wherein the laminated magnetic structure comprises a Q of 10 to 20 at 20 MHz to 500 MHz. 
     
     
         19 . The thin film inductor of  claim 17 , wherein the laminated magnetic structure comprises a magnetic loss tangent of about 0.04 to about 0.10 at 100 MHz. 
     
     
         20 . A system comprising the inductor of  claim 17  in association with an electronic device and a power supply or power converter incorporating the inductor on-chip, comprising the laminated magnetic structure, wherein the system comprises a microprocessor.