Analysis of a multilayered-metal thin-film transmission line

In this study, a perturbed-TEM analysis was conducted on a two-wire transmission line with a two-layered metal system that represents a typical metallurgy used in thin-film multichip modules (MCM's). Closed-form solutions were obtained for the current density, resistance, inductance, attenuation, and phase velocity. The proximity effects were clearly illustrated in the current density plots. It was shown that the increase in the attenuation and the resistance was caused by the skin effect and the power loss in the cladding conductor (copper line clad with 0.1-/spl mu/m thick chromium), and the increase (decrease) in the phase velocity (internal inductance) of the thin-film lines was caused by the penetration of the magnetic field into the conductors.< >