International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, Volume 3, Issue 2, February-2012 1

ISS N 2229-5518

Analysis of RF MEMS Square Spiral Inductor

Pushpinder Sharma ,Manish Mehta

Abstract This paper involves analy sis of a physical model for square spiral inductor on silicon. The impacts of changes in number of
turns of square spiral inductor are studied extensiv ely. The simplicity of the physic al model enables a computational procedure for
effic iently optimizing the inductance,resis tance magnetic flux density. Square spiral inductor from 2.5 to 9.5 turns are studied in frequency
range of 1 to 10 GHz.

Index Terms Inductance, Self -resonance frequency, Spiral Inductor optimization

1 INTRODUCTION
Availability of good quality integrated inductors is an im-
portant factor which determine th e performance of radio
frequency integrated circuits[1]. The inductor is a basic
componen t and very vital in designing radio frequency
(RF) matching networks, load circuits of volta ge controlled
oscillators, filters, mixers and many other RF circuits[2]. It
is a fundamental device that can be found in almost any RF
circuit. In the past several methods are adopted to improve
performance of inductor. Inductance and self-resonant fre-
quency (SRF) of th e spiral inductor in CMOS IC technolo-
gies are limited by both high substrate capacitance and
substrate loss.
II DESIGN OF INDUCTOR
Radio frequency inductor is designed using comsol
multiphysics v 4.0. Comsol multiphysics is a finite element
analyser, solver and Simulation software used in various
physics and engineering applications. Figure1.1 2D VIEW OF 9.5 SQUAR E SPIR AL INDUCTOR
Width of coil = 10 micrometer
Spacing between turns=10 micro -meter.
For 9.5 turns inductor
Internal diameter=40 micro-meter.
Outer diameter=510 micrometer .
After designing inductor port is given at input of fixed cu r-
rent density and output is grounded. Two outer box is
created outside inductor which is given air and inductor is
given silver material. Electric and magnetic insulation is
provided at outside boundry. In this case internal diameter
is kept constant and external diameter varies with number
of turns. As number of turns increases inductance and
magnetic energy increases. Inductance a mong materials is
found highest for silver 6.83nH and lowest for chromium
6.54nH for these particular dimensions.
Figure 1.1&1.2 represents 2D and 3D structures of square Figure1.2 3D VIEW OF 9.5 SQUARE SPIRAL INDUCTOR
Spiral inductor respectively. Inside diameter is 40
.
micrometers and turns are incresed th ere after till 9 .5
Figure 1.3 represents magnetic flux lines passing between
innermost turn is connected to output with the help of air
turns of inductor on injection of current
bridge.

IJSER 2012
http://www.ijser.org
 International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, Volume 3, Issue 2, February-2012 2
ISS N 2229-5518

Figure 1.5 s -parameters of 9.5 turn inductor

Figure 1.4 shows inductance in nano henry v/s number of

turns .9.5 turns inductor gives highest inductance value
that is 6.8nH Inductance increases with number of turns.

Figure 1.5 shows S-parameters and Self Resonant frequen-

cy. Inductors have both inductive and capacitance tenden-
cies. SRF is the frequency, that an inductor takes on enough
of the capacitive tendencies that they cancel out the induc-
tive tendencies, thus rendering this device useless as an
inductor. At this frequency the inductor acts purely resis-
tive and above this frequency will b egin to act like a capaci-
tor

Inductance of 9.5 inductor

Fig 1.3. M agnetic flux density lines

Inductance
Inductance
6.90
7.00E-009

6.00E-009
6.85
6.81nH 6.83nH
5.00E-009 6.80 6.77nH
Inductance (nH)

4.00E-009
6.75
Inductance (nH)

3.00E-009
6.70
2.00E-009
6.65
1.00E-009

6.60
0.00E+000
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
number of turns of inductor
6.55
6.54nH
6.50
Figure 1.4 Inductance with respect to number of turns Cr Zn gold silver
materials

Ansoft Corporation XY Plot sparameters HFSSDesign2

0.00
Curve Info
dB(S(WavePort1,WavePort1))
Setup1 : Sweep1
-5.00
dB(S(WavePort1,WavePort2))
Setup1 : Sweep1
-10.00

-15.00 Fig.1.6 Inductance of 9.5 inductor v/s M EM S materials.

Inductance is ploted with respect to materials. Materials are
-20.00
Y1

Silver , Gold , Zinc and Chromium. Silver gives highest

-25.00

-30.00
inductance of 6.83nH. Silver posses conductivity of 61e6
-35.00
S/m. Gold conductivity is 45.6e6 S/m . Zinc conductivity
-40.00
is 16.7 e6 S/m and chromium conductivity is 7.9e6 S/m.
-45.00
1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00
Freq [GHz]
6.00 7.00 8.00 9.00 10.00 We obtain inductance value 6.54 nanohenry which is min-
imum for chromuium, next we get 6.77 nanohenry induc-

IJSER 2012
http://www.ijser.org
 International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, Volume 3, Issue 2, February-2012 3
ISS N 2229-5518

tance of zinc and Gold material gives us 6.81 nanohenry Conclusion and results
inductance. Inductors are studied extensively from 2.5 to 9.5 turns in
comsol muliphysics ac/dc module. We found that induc-
tance, magnetic energy, and resistance increases with nu m-
ber of turns. Inductance a mong materials is found highest
for silver6.83nH and lowest for chromium 6.54nH

. Table1.1 RF MEMS Inductor (silver) inductance, resistance

and energy with respect to number of turns

Number of turns Inductance Resistance Total Mag-

in square spiral netic Energy
inductor(Ag) (Henry) (ohm) (Webber/m)

4.5 turn inductor

3.5 turn inductor
1.5 turn inductor 1.982e-10 0.0142 9.912e-11

2.5 turn inductor 5.860e-10 0.3042 2.930e-10

3.5 turn inductor 1.207e-9 0.5118 6.038e-10

4.5 turn inductor 1.523e-9 0.7532 7.614e-10

2.5 turn inductor 1.5 turn inductor

5.5 turn inductor 2.283e-9 1.0615 1.141e-9

6.5 turn inductor 2.995e-9 1.0581 1.497e-9

.
7.5 turn inductor 4.267e-9 1.8294 2.133e-9

8.5 turn inductor

8.5 turn inductor 5.491e-9 2.288 2.745e-9
7.5 turn inductor

9.5 turn inductor 6.834e-9 2.786 3.417e-9

References
6.5 turn inductor [ [1] J.M. Lopez-Villegas, Improvement of quality factor of RF Integrated
inductors by Layout optimization, Microwave Theory and Tec hniques,
5.5 turn inductor IEEE Transactions on pp.: 76 83,Jan 2000
[ [2]See Guan Hue RF S piral Planar Inductor Designs,Asia-Pac ific Confe-
rence on Applied Electromagnetics pp. 1-20 ,july 2004.
Figure 1.7 1.5 to 8.5 turns of inductor

IJSER 2012
http://www.ijser.org
 International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, Volume 3, Issue 2, February-2012 4
ISS N 2229-5518

IJSER 2012
http://www.ijser.org