Intertwined pair of conductive paths arranged in a dielectric stack and having at least three metal layers

Abstract

A communications path may be formed from intertwined conductive paths. The intertwined conductive paths may be formed from one or more layers of conductive material in the dielectric stack of an integrated circuit. The dielectric stack may include metal layers, via layers, and a pad layer. The conductive paths may be formed from patterned conductive structures in the metal and pad layers. Vias in the via layers may be used to connect metal structures from multiple dielectric stack layers. The communications path may have segments in which the conductive paths run parallel to each other and may have cross-over regions in which the conductive paths cross one another without electrically connecting so that the paths twist about each other along their lengths. The communications path may be used to form a differential transmission line pair that distributes signals such as two-phase clock signals.