Patent ID: 8390093
Filing Date: 2013-03-05
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A system for communicating across a galvanic isolation system comprising: a transmitter circuit that includes an array of reverse biased diodes each of the reverse biased diodes forming a depletion layer in a first semiconductor substrate; the array of reversed biased diodes is one of the following: a stripe pattern; a waffle pattern; the reversed biased diodes of the array are electrically connected together and all are reverse biased under a common signal, wherein the depletion layers in the first substrate are thus modulated leading to an overall modulated sheet resistance; such that the array of reverse biased diodes modulates the conductivity of the first semiconductor substrate such that the modulated conductivity of the first semiconductor substrate causes changes in inductance of the RF inductor; a receiver circuit that includes an RF inductor that is formed over the reverse biased diode array; and impedance detection circuitry for detecting changes in inductive impedance corresponding to modulated signals; a dielectric isolation barrier formed between the array of reverse biased diodes and the RF inductor; wherein the transmitter circuit is formed on the first semiconductor substrate and the receiver circuit is formed on a second semiconductor substrate; thereby providing signal transfer from the modulated first semiconductor substrate to the RF inductor across the dielectric isolation barrier corresponding to the modulated conductivity.