3-D Magnetic-Near-Field Scanner for IC Chip-Level Noise Coupling Measurements

We present a 3-D magnetic-near-field scanner and a magnetic-near-field probe with a sensor head consisting of a 60 × 60 μm² on-chip coil. The 3-D scanner consists of an XY stage that positions the device under test with an accuracy of 10 μm and a Z stage that positions the probe and provides yaw-, pitch-, and roll-angle adjustment. The probe outputs are measured by a spectrum analyzer. Furthermore, we demonstrate and clarify the performance of a 1-μm-thick Co₈₅Zr₃Nb₁₂ soft magnetic film as a noise suppressor. The film is integrated into a test element group (TEG) chip for next-generation cell phone handsets. The TEG chip is based on a long-term-evolution class complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor radio-frequency integrated circuit receiver. The CoZrNb film suppresses radiated emission by more than 15 dB. These results demonstrate the expected performance of the scanner and probe and the usefulness of the 1-μm-thick CoZrNb film as a noise suppressor.