On-Chip Spiral Inductors for RF Applications: An Overview

On-Chip Spiral Inductors for RF Applications: An Overview

Passive components are indispensable in the design and development of microchips for high-frequency applications. Inductors in particular are used frequently in radio frequency (RF) IC's such as low-noise amplifiers and oscillators. This paper gives a broad overview on the on-chip spiral inductors. The design concept and modeling approach of the typical square-shaped spiral inductor are first addressed. This is followed by the discussions of advanced structures for the enhancement of inductor performance. Research works reported in the literature are summarized to aid the understanding of the recent development of such devices.