Development of RF/microwave on-chip inductors using an organic micromachining process

The design and development of a micromachined spiral inductor using an organic micromachining process are presented. The process utilizes an ultra-thick negative photoresist SU-8 to elevate an inductor structure above a substrate. The micromachined inductors have been designed and fabricated on solid and hollow ground planes to, investigate the feasibility for achieving high Q-factors. The experimental results demonstrate that a micromachined inductor integrated on a Si substrate achieves a Q-factor of 19.3 at 2.1 GHz.