Abstract: A MOS IC includes a first standard cell including first and second power rails, first and second active regions, and a plurality of metal interconnects. The first power rail extends in a first direction and provides a first voltage to the first standard cell. The second power rail extends in the first direction and provides a second voltage to the first standard cell. The first active region is between the first and second power rails on a first side of the first standard cell. The second active region is between the first and second power rails on a second side of the first standard cell. The second active region is separated from the first active region. The plurality of metal interconnects extend in a second direction between the first and second active regions and between the first and second power rails. The second direction is orthogonal to the first direction.

Abstract: A metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) integrated circuit (IC) has a plurality of fiducial standard cells of different cell sizes. The different cell sizes are non-equally utilized. The plurality of fiducial standard cells are placed to have a random offset from a uniform global placement pattern. Each of the fiducial standard cells has at least four power rails and various sets of active regions. The power rails extend in a first direction. The active regions are provided adjacent to the power rails but are disconnected from contacts and interconnects and thus do not draw power from the power rails. Instead, the active regions are disjoint and collinear thereby creating islands of active regions among spacings of inactive regions. These inactive regions more easily allow electromagnetic radiation to pass through thereby allowing the MOS fiducial standard cell to be visible for a CAD-to-silicon backside image alignment even with 7 nm feature sizes.

Abstract: A metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) integrated circuit (IC) has a plurality of fiducial standard cells of different cell sizes. The different cell sizes are non-equally utilized. The plurality of fiducial standard cells are placed to have a random offset from a uniform global placement pattern. Each of the fiducial standard cells has at least four power rails and various sets of active regions. The power rails extend in a first direction. The active regions are provided adjacent to the power rails but are disconnected from contacts and interconnects and thus do not draw power from the power rails. Instead, the active regions are disjoint and collinear thereby creating islands of active regions among spacings of inactive regions. These inactive regions more easily allow electromagnetic radiation to pass through thereby allowing the MOS fiducial standard cell to be visible for a CAD-to-silicon backside image alignment even with 7 nm feature sizes.

Abstract: A MOS IC includes a first standard cell including first and second power rails, first and second active regions, and a plurality of metal interconnects. The first power rail extends in a first direction and provides a first voltage to the first standard cell. The second power rail extends in the first direction and provides a second voltage to the first standard cell. The first active region is between the first and second power rails on a first side of the first standard cell. The second active region is between the first and second power rails on a second side of the first standard cell. The second active region is separated from the first active region. The plurality of metal interconnects extend in a second direction between the first and second active regions and between the first and second power rails. The second direction is orthogonal to the first direction.

Abstract: An SOC apparatus includes a plurality of gate interconnects with a minimum pitch g, a plurality of metal interconnects with a minimum pitch m, and a plurality of vias interconnecting the gate interconnects and the metal interconnects. The vias have a minimum pitch v. The values m, g, and v are such that g2+m2?v2 and an LCM of g and m is less than 20 g. The SOC apparatus may further include a second plurality of metal interconnects with a minimum pitch of m2, where m2>m and the LCM of g, m, and m2 is less than 20 g.

Abstract: An SOC apparatus includes a plurality of gate interconnects with a minimum pitch g, a plurality of metal interconnects with a minimum pitch m, and a plurality of vias interconnecting the gate interconnects and the metal interconnects. The vias have a minimum pitch v. The values m, g, and v are such that g2+m2?V2 and an LCM of g and m is less than 20 g. The SOC apparatus may further include a second plurality of metal interconnects with a minimum pitch of m2, where m2>m and the LCM of g, m, and m2 is less than 20 g.