Patent ID: 6882240

Claim:
A transmission line element, in an integrated circuit chip, comprising: a plurality of metal layers in the integrated circuit chip, each of said metal layers being separated from an adjacent said metal layer by at least one dielectric layer; at least first and second conductors in the integrated circuit; the first conductor comprising at least two transmission lines, at least some of the at least two transmission lines of the first conductor being in different said metal layers, and a plurality of first electrical connections through which the at least two transmission lines are electrically connected to one another; and the second conductor comprising at least two transmission lines, at least some of the at least two transmission lines of the second conductor being in different said metal layers, and a plurality of second electrical connections through which the at least two transmission lines are electrically connected to one another, wherein the at least first and second conductors run parallel to one another, the at least two transmission lines in said at least first and second conductors run parallel to one another, at least one transmission line in each of the at least first and second conductors is edge-coupled to at least one said transmission line another said conductor and broadside-coupled to at least one said transmission line in another said conductor.