Slab inductor device providing efficient on-chip supply voltage conversion and regulation

摘要

A method is disclosed to operate a voltage conversion circuit such as a buck regulator circuit that has a plurality of switches coupled to a voltage source; a slab inductor having a length, a width and a thickness, where the slab inductor is coupled between the plurality of switches and a load and carries a load current during operation of the plurality of switches; and a means to reduce or cancel the detrimental effect of other wires on same chip, such as a power grid, potentially conducting return current and thereby degrading the functionality of this slab inductor. In one embodiment the wires can be moved further away from the slab inductor and in another embodiment magnetic materials can be used to shield the slab inductor from at least one such interfering conductor.

主权项

1. A method to convert a source voltage having a first value to a load voltage having a second value that differs from the first value, comprising:
providing a voltage regulator circuit comprised of a plurality of transistor switches coupled to the source voltage and to a slab inductor having a length, a width and a thickness, the slab inductor being coupled between the plurality of switches and a load and sourcing a load current during operation of the plurality of switches; and operating the voltage regulator circuit to provide the load voltage at the load current, where the slab inductor is coupled to the load through a power grid that comprises one conductor, and further comprising shielding the slab inductor from a return current by providing an aperture in the power grid that underlies a location where the slab inductor is disposed above the power grid.