Abstract: A method of manufacturing an ECO base cell includes forming first and second active areas on opposite sides of, and having corresponding long axes arranged parallel to, a first axis of symmetry; forming non-overlapping first, second and third conductive structures having long axes in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and parallel to a second axis of symmetry, each of the first, second and third conductive structures to correspondingly overlap the first and second active areas, the first conductive structure being between the second and third conductive structures; removing material from central regions of the second and third conductive structures; and forming a fourth conductive structure being over the central regions of the second and third conductive structures and occupying an area which substantially overlaps a first segment of the first conductive structure and a first segment of one of the second and third conductive structures.

Abstract: A method of making an integrated circuit includes dividing, in a first layer of an integrated circuit layout, a first arrangement of metal lines into a first set of metal lines and a second set of metal lines, wherein the first set of metal lines is between the second set of metal lines and a periphery of the integrated circuit layout, wherein the first arrangement of metal lines is configured to electrically connect to a plurality of contacts connected to a second layer of the integrated circuit layout after a manufacturing process. The method further includes adjusting a metal line perimeter of at least one metal line in the second set of metal lines to make a second arrangement of metal lines, wherein each adjusted metal line perimeter is separated from contacts in the second layer of the integrated circuit layout by at least a check distance.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an ECO base cell includes forming first and second active areas on opposite sides of, and having corresponding long axes arranged parallel to, a first axis of symmetry; forming non-overlapping first, second and third conductive structures having long axes in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and parallel to a second axis of symmetry, each of the first, second and third conductive structures to correspondingly overlap the first and second active areas, the first conductive structure being between the second and third conductive structures; removing material from central regions of the second and third conductive structures; and forming a fourth conductive structure being over the central regions of the second and third conductive structures and occupying an area which substantially overlaps a first segment of the first conductive structure and a first segment of one of the second and third conductive structures.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided and includes first and second gates arranged in first and second layers, wherein the first and second gates extend in a first direction; a first insulating layer interposed between the first and second gates, wherein the first insulating layer, a first portion of the first gate, and a first portion of the second gate overlap with each other in a layout view; a cut layer, different from the first insulating layer, disposed on a second portion of the first gate; a first via passing through the cut layer and coupled to the second portion of the first gate; and a second via overlapping the first portion of the first gate and the first portion of the second gate, and coupled to the second gate. The first and second vias are configured to transmit different control signals to the first and second gates.

Abstract: An IC structure includes a first cell and a first and second rail. The first cell includes a first and second active region and a first, a second and a third gate structure. The first active region having a first dopant type. The second active region having a second dopant type. The first gate structure extending in a second direction, overlapping the first or the second active region. The second gate structure extending in the second direction, and overlapping a first edge of the first or second active region. The third gate structure extending in the second direction, and overlapping at least a second edge of the first or second active region. The first rail extending in the first direction and overlapping a middle portion of the first active region. The second rail extending in the first direction and overlapping a middle portion of the second active region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate structure, source/drain structures, a backside via, and a power rail. The gate structure extends along a first direction parallel with a front-side surface of the substrate. The backside via extends along a second direction parallel with the front-side surface of the substrate but perpendicular to the first direction, the backside via has a first portion aligned with one of the source/drain structures along the first direction and a second portion aligned with the gate structure along the first direction, the first portion of the backside via has a first width along the first direction, and the second portion of the backside via has a second width along the first direction, in which the first width is greater than the second width. The power rail is on a backside surface of the substrate and in contact with the backside via.

Abstract: A method includes a first set of active areas extending in a first direction and separated from each other along a second direction in a cell; first and second gate s that cross the first set of active areas along the second direction, the first gate being shared by a first transistor of a first type and a second transistor of a second type and the second gate being shared by a third transistor of the first type and a fourth transistor of the second type; and a set of conductive lines arranged in three metal tracks in the cell and coupling at least one of terminals of the first to fourth transistors to another one of the terminals of the first to fourth transistor. The first transistor is turned off to electrically disconnect a source/drain terminal of the first transistor from a source/drain terminal of the fourth transistor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a buried communication (com) conductor (BC) CFET including: first and second active regions arranged in a stack according to CFET-type configuration; a first layer of metallization (M_1st layer) over the stack which includes first conductors configured for data or control signals (communication (com) conductors), and power grid (PG) conductors; and a layer of metallization (M_B layer) below the stack and which includes second com conductors.

Abstract: An IC device includes a first active area extending away from a first endpoint in a first direction, a second active area extending away from a second endpoint in the first direction, a third active area positioned between the first and second active areas, and a gate structure perpendicular to the first through third active areas. The gate structure overlies each of the first and second endpoints and the third active area, and the third active area extends away from the gate structure in a second direction opposite the first direction.

Abstract: A method of designing a semiconductor device including the operations of analyzing a vertical abutment between a first standard cell block and a second cell block and, if a mismatch is identified between the first standard cell block and the second cell block initiating the selection of a first modified cell block that reduces the mismatch and a spacing between the first modified cell block and the second cell block, the first modified cell block comprising a first abutment region having a continuous active region arranged along a first axis parallel to an edge of the vertical abutment, and replacing the first standard cell block with the first modified cell block to obtain a first modified layout design and devices manufactured according to the method.

Abstract: A cell on an integrated circuit is provided. The cell includes: a fin structure; an intermediate fin structure connection metal track disposed in an intermediate fin structure connection metal layer above the fin structure, the intermediate fin structure connection metal track being connected to the fin structure; and a first intermediate gate connection metal track disposed in an intermediate gate connection metal layer above the intermediate fin structure connection metal layer, the first intermediate gate connection metal track being connected to the intermediate fin structure connection metal track. A first power supply terminal is connected to the first intermediate gate connection metal track.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a first-type active-region semiconductor structure, a first gate-conductor, a second-type active-region semiconductor structure that is stacked with the first-type active-region semiconductor structure, and a second gate-conductor. The integrated circuit device also includes a front-side conductive layer above the two active-region semiconductor structures and a back-side conductive layer below the two active-region semiconductor structures. The integrated circuit device also includes a front-side power rail and a front-side signal line in the front-side conductive layer and includes a back-side power rail and a back-side signal line in the back-side conductive layer. The integrated circuit device also includes a first source conductive segment connected to the front-side power rail and a second source conductive segment connected to the back-side power rail.

Abstract: In at least one cell region, a semiconductor device includes fin patterns and at least one overlying gate structure. The fin patterns (dummy and active) are substantially parallel to a first direction. Each gate structure is substantially parallel to a second direction (which is substantially perpendicular to the first direction). First and second active fin patterns have corresponding first and second conductivity types. Each cell region, relative to the second direction, includes: a first active region which includes a sequence of three or more consecutive first active fin patterns located in a central portion of the cell region; a second active region which includes one or more second active fin patterns located between the first active region and a first edge of the cell region; and a third active region which includes one or more second active fin patterns located between the first active region and a second edge of the cell region.

Abstract: An IC structure includes a first cell and a first and second rail. The first cell includes a first and second active region and a first, a second and a third gate structure. The first active region having a first dopant type. The second active region having a second dopant type. The first gate structure extending in a second direction, overlapping the first or the second active region. The second gate structure extending in the second direction, and overlapping a first edge of the first or second active region. The third gate structure extending in the second direction, and overlapping at least a second edge of the first or second active region. The first rail extending in the first direction and overlapping a middle portion of the first active region. The second rail extending in the first direction and overlapping a middle portion of the second active region.

Abstract: A method includes steps of dividing a first arrangement of metal lines in a circuit layout into two sets of metal lines, a first set of metal lines in a peripheral area, and a second set of metal lines in a center area. The arrangement of metal lines is configured to electrically connect to contacts of a second layer of the circuit layout. The method includes adjusting a metal line perimeter of at least one metal line in the center area to make a second arrangement of metal lines, where each adjusted metal line perimeter is separated from contacts in the second layer of the integrated circuit layout by at least a check distance.

Abstract: A method of generating an IC layout diagram includes positioning a cell in the IC layout diagram relative to a first metal layer cut region alignment pattern and overlapping the cell with a first metal layer cut region. The cell includes a first metal layer region corresponding to one of a first or second mask set, the first metal layer cut region alignment pattern includes a sub-pattern corresponding to the one of the first or second mask set, and the first metal layer cut region corresponds to the sub-pattern.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a transmission gate includes overlying a first active area with a first metal zero segment, the first active area including first and second PMOS transistors, overlying a second active area with a second metal zero segment, the second active area including first and second NMOS transistors, and configuring the first and second PMOS transistors and the first and second NMOS transistors as a transmission gate by forming three conductive paths. At least one of the conductive paths includes a first conductive segment perpendicular to the first and second metal zero segments, and the first and second metal zero segments have a first offset distance corresponding to three times a metal zero pitch.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is disclosure. The integrated circuit includes a first pair of power rails, a set of conductive lines arranged in the first layer parallel to the first pair of power rails, a first set of active areas. The integrated circuit further includes a first gate arranged along the second direction, between the first pair of power rails, and crossing the first set of active areas in a layout view, wherein the first gate is configured to be shared by a first transistor of a first type and a second transistor of a second type; and a second gate and a third gate, in which the second gate is configured to be a control terminal of a third transistor, and the third gate is configured to be a control terminal of a fourth transistor which is coupled to the control terminal of the third transistor.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first gate electrode structure extending in a first direction. The integrated circuit includes a second gate electrode structure extending in the first direction and separated in a second direction from the first gate electrode structure. The integrated circuit includes a conductive feature. The conductive feature includes a first section electrically connected to the second portion, a second section electrically connected to the second gate structure, and a third section electrically connecting the first section and the second section, wherein the third section extends in a third direction angled with respect to both the first direction and the second direction.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first and a set of conductive traces, and a first conductive feature. The second set of conductive traces includes a first conductive trace of the second set of conductive traces corresponding to a gate terminal of a first p-type transistor, and a second conductive trace of the second set of conductive traces corresponding to a gate terminal of a first n-type transistor. The first conductive feature corresponds to at least a first contact of a first dummy transistor. The first conductive trace of the second set of conductive traces is electrically coupled to the second conductive trace of the second set of conductive traces by at least the first conductive feature. The first n-type transistor being part of a first transmission gate. The first p-type transistor being part of a second transmission gate.