Capacitors in integrated circuit

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Discussion Overview

The discussion focuses on the uses of capacitors in modern integrated circuit (IC) chips, exploring their roles in both digital and analog applications. Participants share insights on how capacitors function within ICs compared to traditional circuits, as well as specific applications and fabrication methods.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that the uses of capacitors in integrated circuits are fundamentally the same as in other circuits.
  • Others highlight that in digital ICs, capacitors can introduce unwanted parasitic effects that may cause delays, necessitating optimization.
  • Capacitors are noted to play critical roles in analog circuits, such as in oscillators, operational amplifiers, and filters.
  • One participant describes various methods of forming capacitors in ICs, including using oxide as a dielectric and heavily doped silicon as plates.
  • Capacitors are identified as essential components in DRAM, where they store binary states and are increasingly fabricated in complex structures for higher density.
  • Capacitors are also used in A/D converters and can be utilized to create equivalent resistors through specific configurations with MOS switches.
  • Some participants mention that inventive chip designers have developed numerous applications for capacitors in ICs.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the implications of capacitors in integrated circuits, with some emphasizing similarities to traditional circuits while others focus on unique challenges and applications specific to ICs. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the extent of these differences.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding the specific conditions under which capacitors function optimally in ICs, as well as the dependence on fabrication techniques and design choices that may vary widely.

cypress7
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hi... I'm very glad if you all can help me solving my problem..i want to know what the uses of capacitors in modern integrated circuit chip..i had searched for it in many books but what i found is the uses of capacitors in usual circuit... so please help me...

thanks
 
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The uses of capacitors in an integrated circuit are exactly the same as the uses of capacitors in any other circuit.

- Warren
 
Hai, integrated capacitors use is similar to an ordinary capacitor only.An IC is nothing but a collection of active devices(diodes,Transistors), as well as passive components(Resistors,capacitors,inductors).It is easy to fabricate active devices when compared to passive devices like R,L,C components.We have to use specialized methods to fabricate R,L,C.Other than this integrated capacitor function is similar to the ordinary capacitor.
good luck
 
Usually in digital ICs capacitor is unwanted parasitic, which introduces delay. People tries to optimize the capacitance to match with logic gates current output for minimum delay.

In analog ICs capacitors are user in Colpitt and Hartley oscillators. Also Opamps and some analog amplifiers need some value of capacitance for stability concerns.

Capacitors are also used in Butterworth and chebyshev filters. Also capacitors are used in switched capacitor circuits (filters), which is easier to fabricate than resistors. Often some inverting and non-inverting amplifier uses capacitor as voltage dividers than resistors.

Most importantly some feedback circuitry employs capacitor.

Inductor values are most difficult to control in an IC followed closely by resistors.
 
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There are a couple of means of forming capacitors in an IC. Reverse biasing a circuit gives you a capacitor, though it's voltage dependent. A nicer variety is formed using oxide as a dielectric and either metalization or heavily doped silicon as a plate.

Capacitors are the basis upon which DRAM is constructed. By occasionally reading the potentials on a group of capacitors and then writing back to them, each one's state can be maintained as a 1 or 0 indefinitely. Of course, with the pressing need for denser and denser memory, the capacitors in RAM are no longer planer. Now, a special etch process actually drills into the silicon forming vast numbers of wells, which are then plated on the backside forming capacitors.

In analog, capacitors are commonly used in the op-amp circuit to establish what is termed the dominate pole. The dominate pole is a frequency, which is established by an RC, and serves to reduce the gain of an op amp versus it's test frequency. Typically, this frequency will be on the order of 10 Hz, and the open loop gain of the op amp will steadily decrease until it's = 1, at the op amps gain bandwidth.

Capacitors are also used in A/D converters of different sorts. It's remarkably easy to control the relative surface area on a chip, so it's easy to define capacitors as being an exact multiple of one another. This is the basis of the very common successive approximation converter. Capacitors are also used in building blocks such as the integrators in delta sigma A/D converters.

Surprisingly, you can even build the equivalent of resistors by using capacitors with mos switches. Thus dividing networks and filters can be fabricated without the need of resistors. The switching frequency and ratio of the capacitors set the properties of these systems.

There are actually quit a few more applications that inventive chip designers have thought up, but I'm sure this gives you a start.

Best Wishes,

Mike
 
DRAM cap! How could I have forgotten those. :D Those caps are not even made just by growing oxide. Their structures stand over the access MOS for high packing density.
 

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