Analysis of the performance of integrated inductors (fabricated in MCM-L technology) in RF amplifier applications

Research in integrated passive components is becoming more widespread, as the advantages of increased reliability, reduced cost and improved performance are recognised. The subject of this paper is the integration of inductor components in MCM-L technology for RF applications. A detailed analysis of the sensitivity of an RF amplifier to components of parasitic impedance associated with MCM-L integrated inductors is presented. SPICE circuit models are used for this purpose. The performance of a range of integrated test devices is compared with specifications for equivalent commercial devices. Inductance values ranging from 4.5-27.4 nH are produced, with Q-values of up to 100. Such performance is shown to be perfectly suited for the application of integrated inductors in RF amplifier circuits.