Abstract: Aspects generally relate to adjusting, or lowering, the Q of an inductor. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes an inductor and a conductive closed ring inside a periphery of the inductor. In another embodiment, there can be a plurality of closed rings inside the periphery of the inductor. The conductive closed rings are magnetically coupled to the inductor to adjust the Q.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a directional coupler. In certain aspects, the directional coupler generally includes a first inductor and a second inductor wirelessly coupled to the first inductor. In certain aspects, the directional coupler generally includes an input port at a first terminal of the first inductor and a transmitted port at a second terminal of the first inductor. In certain aspects, the directional coupler generally includes a coupled port at a first terminal of the second inductor and an isolated port at a second terminal of the second inductor. In certain aspects, the directional coupler generally includes a first complex impedance component directly coupled to the isolated port and a second complex impedance component directly coupled to the coupled port.

Abstract: A co-wound resistor with a low parasitic inductance includes a first resistive strip having an input and a second resistive strip having an output. The second resistive strip has a similar shape as the first resistive strip. The second resistive strip is co-wound in a same direction as the first resistive strip. The second resistive strip and the first resistive strip are configured to generate a mutual inductance that cancels an inductance of the first resistive strip and the second resistive strip. The first interconnect coupling the first resistive strip to the second resistive strip. The first resistive strip, the second resistive strip and the first interconnect are on a same level.

Abstract: Aspects generally relate to tuning a guard ring in an integrated circuit. A guard ring with a gap surrounds a circuit. The level of isolation provided by the guard ring at a particular frequency can be adjusted by coupling a tuning circuit cross the gap of the guard ring. If the circuit in the guard ring is an inductive circuit the level of inductance at a particular frequency can be adjusted by selecting the appropriate tuning circuit across the gap of the guard ring.

Abstract: A capacitor includes a first conductive element having a plurality of first conductive fingers and a second conductive element having a plurality of second conductive fingers. The first conductive fingers are interdigitated with the second conductive fingers. The capacitor further includes a conformally deposited dielectric material that separates the plurality of first conductive fingers from the plurality of second conductive fingers.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) device includes a first resistive strip having an input terminal and an output terminal. The IC device further includes a second resistive strip having a terminal coupled to a voltage. The second resistive strip may be coplanar with the first resistive strip. The IC device further includes a capacitor formed by the first resistive strip and the second resistive strip.

Abstract: A capacitor has reduced misalignment in the interconnect layers and lower capacitance variance. The capacitor includes a first endcap having a first section and a second section orthogonal to the first section. The capacitor includes a first set of conductive fingers orthogonally coupled to the first section. The capacitor includes a third set of conductive fingers orthogonally coupled to the second section of the endcap and a second endcap parallel to the first section of the endcap. The capacitor includes a second set of conductive fingers orthogonally coupled to a second endcap and interdigitated with the first set of conductive fingers at a first interconnect layer. The capacitor includes a third endcap parallel to the second section of the first endcap and a fourth set of conductive fingers orthogonally coupled to the third endcap and interdigitated with the third set of conductive fingers at the first interconnect layer.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure are generally directed to a structure for a balanced-unbalanced (balun) transformer. For example, certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a transformer that generally includes a first winding having a first terminal coupled to an input node and a second terminal coupled to a reference potential node. The transformer may also include a first impedance coupled between a center tap of the first winding and the reference potential node, and a second winding magnetically coupled to the first winding and having a first terminal coupled to a first differential node of a differential output pair, a second terminal coupled to a second differential node of the differential output pair, and a center tap coupled to the reference potential node.

Abstract: Aspects generally relate to forming components in an area inside a guard ring structure in an integrated circuit.

Abstract: A transformer has a first inductor that includes a first port. The transformer also has a second inductor magnetically coupled to the first inductor. The second inductor includes a second port. The second inductor includes a first portion configured to permit current flow in a clockwise direction and a second portion configured to permit current flow in a counter-clockwise direction. The transformer also has a third inductor magnetically coupled to the first inductor. The third inductor includes a third port. The counter-clockwise direction is opposite the clockwise direction to reduce magnetic coupling between the second inductor and the third inductor based on magnetic coupling cancellation.

Abstract: An integrated circuit with differential metal-oxide-metal (MOM)/metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors to improve circuit isolation includes a first multi-layer capacitor in a first path of a differential circuit and a second multi-layer capacitor in a second path of the differential circuit. The first multi-layer capacitor resides in a first interconnect layer and a second interconnect layer and includes a first pair of ports. The second multi-layer capacitor overlaps one or more portions of the first multi-layer capacitor. The second multi-layer capacitor includes a second pair of ports and resides in a third interconnect layer and a fourth interconnect layer.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for a finger metal-on-metal (FMOM) capacitor including a negative capacitance material are described. In one examples, a FMOM capacitor may include a first electrode and a second electrode. The FMOM capacitor may include a dielectric layer coating a first sidewall of the first electrode and a second sidewall of a second electrode. A portion of the first sidewall may be substantially parallel to a portion of the second sidewall. The FMOM capacitor may also include a negative capacitance material disposed in a channel between the first sidewall of the first electrode and the second sidewall of the second electrode. The negative capacitance material may extend in a direction that is substantially parallel to the portion of the first sidewall and the portion of the second sidewall.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure are generally directed to a structure for a balanced-unbalanced (balun) transformer. For example, certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a transformer that generally includes a first winding having a first terminal coupled to an input node and a second terminal coupled to a reference potential node. The transformer may also include a first impedance coupled between a center tap of the first winding and the reference potential node, and a second winding magnetically coupled to the first winding and having a first terminal coupled to a first differential node of a differential output pair, a second terminal coupled to a second differential node of the differential output pair, and a center tap coupled to the reference potential node.

Abstract: A coplanar waveguide may include a first transmission line extending between a first ground plane and a second ground plane at a first interconnect level. The coplanar waveguide may further include a shielding layer at a second interconnect level. The shielding layer may include a first set of conductive fingers coupled to the first ground plane. The first set of conductive fingers may be interdigitated with a second set of conductive fingers that are coupled to the second ground plane. Only a dielectric layer may be between the first set of conductive interdigitated fingers and the second set of conductive interdigitated fingers. The first ground plane, the second ground plane, the dielectric layer, and the shielding layer may form a capacitor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device reduces parasitic capacitance between a metal-oxide-metal (MOM)/metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors and a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device includes the semiconductor substrate (e.g., a silicon substrate, a III-V compound semiconductor substrate, or a silicon on insulator (SOI) substrate), a magnetic material layer, and a capacitor. The magnetic material layer is between the semiconductor substrate and the capacitor.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a capacitor (e.g., a folded metal-oxide-metal (MOM) capacitor) formed in the lower BEOL interconnect levels, without degrading an inductor's Q-factor. The integrated circuit includes the capacitor in one or more back-end-of-line (BEOL) interconnect levels. The capacitor includes multiple folded capacitor fingers having multiple sides and a pair of manifolds on a same side of the folded capacitor fingers. Each of the pair of manifolds is coupled to one or more of the folded capacitor fingers. The integrated circuit also includes an inductive trace having one or more turns in one or more different BEOL interconnect levels. The inductive trace overlaps one or more portions of the capacitor.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes a capacitor array in at least one first back-end-of-line (BEOL) interconnect level. The capacitor array includes a pair of capacitor manifolds coupled to parallel capacitor routing traces and capacitors coupled between each pair of parallel capacitor routing traces. The IC also includes an inductor trace having at least one turn in at least one second BEOL interconnect level. The inductor trace defines a perimeter to overlap at least a portion of the capacitor array.

Abstract: In certain aspects, an integrated circuit comprises a signal path having a path delay from an input to an output, wherein the signal path comprises a path capacitor having a path capacitance. The integrated circuit also comprises a variation tracking circuit coupled to the signal path, wherein the variation tracking circuit comprises a tracking resistor have a tracking resistance, and wherein a product of the tracking resistance and the path capacitance is substantially constant over process variation.

Abstract: A capacitor radio frequency (RF) shielding structure may include a ground plane partially surrounding a coupling capacitor in an RF signal path. The ground plane may include a first ground plane portion extending between a positive terminal of the RF signal path and a negative terminal of the RF signal path. The ground plane may include a second ground plane portion extending between the positive terminal and the negative terminal of the RF signal path. The second ground plane portion may be opposed the first ground plane portion. The capacitor RF shielding structure may also include a patterned shielding layer electrically contacting the first ground plane portion and/or the second ground plane portion. The patterned shielding layer may electrically disconnecting a return current path over the patterned shielding layer to confine a return current to flowing over the first ground plane portion or the second ground plane portion.

Abstract: A coplanar waveguide may include a first transmission line extending between a first ground plane and a second ground plane at a first interconnect level. The coplanar waveguide may further include a shielding layer at a second interconnect level. The shielding layer may include a first set of conductive fingers coupled to the first ground plane. The first set of conductive fingers may be interdigitated with a second set of conductive fingers that are coupled to the second ground plane. Only a dielectric layer may be between the first set of conductive interdigitated fingers and the second set of conductive interdigitated fingers. The first ground plane, the second ground plane, the dielectric layer, and the shielding layer may form a capacitor.