Abstract: A noise detection circuit includes a first transistor configured to receive a delayed version of a clock signal; a second transistor configured to receive a delayed version of a reference clock signal; and a latch circuit, coupled to the first transistor at a first node and coupled to the second transistor at a second node, and configured to latch logic states of voltage levels at the first and second nodes, respectively, based on whether a timing difference between transition edges of the clock signal and the reference clock signal exceeds a pre-defined timing offset threshold.

Abstract: A method includes forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) region in a semiconductor substrate thereby defining an active region and a passive region in the semiconductor substrate and spaced apart from each other by the STI region, forming a first sacrificial gate structure over the active region and a second sacrificial gate structure over the passive region, forming first source/drain regions in the active region and second source/drain regions in the passive region, after forming the first and second source/drain regions, replacing the first sacrificial gate structure with a metal gate structure and the second sacrificial gate structure with a metal resistor structure, the metal resistor structure corresponding to a dummy gate, forming a first gate contact over the metal gate structure, and a pair of resistor contacts over the metal resistor structure, and electrically coupling a set of metal lines with the metal resistor structure by the pair of resistor contacts.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) layout diagram generation system includes a processor and a non-transitory, computer readable storage medium including computer code for one or more programs. The non-transitory, computer readable storage medium and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the processor to generate a layout diagram of an IC device by performing a capacitance-only netlist extraction on an IC layout diagram, obtaining a first simulation result based on the extracted netlist, revising the extracted netlist by removing the dummy gate region, obtaining a second simulation result based on the revised netlist, and comparing the first simulation result to the second simulation result to determine a leakage-based design impact.

Abstract: A noise detection circuit includes a first transistor configured to receive a delayed version of a clock signal; a second transistor configured to receive a delayed version of a reference clock signal; and a latch circuit, coupled to the first transistor at a first node and coupled to the second transistor at a second node, and configured to latch logic states of voltage levels at the first and second nodes, respectively, based on whether a timing difference between transition edges of the clock signal and the reference clock signal exceeds a pre-defined timing offset threshold.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an example method for cell placement in an integrated circuit (IC) layout design. The method includes defining a layout unit for a circuit implementation and arranging multiple layout units into a layout cell. The method also includes editing the layout cell to connect a first set of the layout units to be representative of the circuit implementation and to connect a second set of the layout units to be representative of a non-functional circuit. Further, the method includes inserting one or more dummy fill structures in areas of the layout cell unoccupied by the first and second sets of layout units.

Abstract: A clock circuit includes a set of level shifters, a duty cycle adjustment circuit and a calibration circuit. The set of level shifters configured to output a first set of phase clock signals having a first duty cycle. The duty cycle adjustment circuit is configured to generate a first clock output signal responsive to a multiplexed selection signal, the first clock output signal having a second duty cycle; and adjust the second duty cycle responsive to at least a set of control signals or a phase difference between a first and second phase clock signal. The calibration circuit is configured to perform a duty cycle calibration of the second duty cycle based on an input duty cycle, and to generate the set of control signals responsive to the duty cycle calibration of the second duty cycle.

Abstract: A method of generating a layout diagram of an IC device includes assigning a leakage constraint to a first schematic net of the IC device and determining a violation of the leakage constraint based on a dummy gate region. The IC layout diagram includes the dummy gate region between a first component of the first schematic net and a second component of a second schematic net of the IC device. The method includes modifying the IC layout diagram in response to the leakage constraint violation, and generating a layout file based on the modified IC layout diagrams.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an example method for cell placement in an integrated circuit (IC) layout design. The method includes defining a layout unit for a circuit implementation and arranging multiple layout units into a layout cell. The method also includes editing the layout cell to connect a first set of the layout units to be representative of the circuit implementation and to connect a second set of the layout units to be representative of a non-functional circuit. Further, the method includes inserting one or more dummy fill structures in areas of the layout cell unoccupied by the first and second sets of layout units.

Abstract: A clock circuit includes a set of level shifters, a duty cycle adjustment circuit and a calibration circuit. The set of level shifters is configured to output a first set of phase clock signals having a first duty cycle. Each level shifter is configured to output a corresponding phase clock signal of the first set of phase clock signals. The duty cycle adjustment circuit is configured to generate a first clock output signal responsive to at least one of a first or second phase clock signal of the first set of phase clock signals or a set of control signals. The first clock output signal has a second duty cycle. The calibration circuit is configured to perform a duty cycle calibration of the second duty cycle based on an input duty cycle, and generate the set of control signals responsive to the duty cycle calibration of the second duty cycle.

Abstract: A noise detection circuit includes a first transistor configured to receive a delayed version of a clock signal; a second transistor configured to receive a delayed version of a reference clock signal; and a latch circuit, coupled to the first transistor at a first node and coupled to the second transistor at a second node, and configured to latch logic states of voltage levels at the first and second nodes, respectively, based on whether a timing difference between transition edges of the clock signal and the reference clock signal exceeds a pre-defined timing offset threshold.

Abstract: A noise detection circuit includes a first transistor configured to receive a delayed version of a clock signal; a second transistor configured to receive a delayed version of a reference clock signal; and a latch circuit, coupled to the first transistor at a first node and coupled to the second transistor at a second node, and configured to latch logic states of voltage levels at the first and second nodes, respectively, based on whether a timing difference between transition edges of the clock signal and the reference clock signal exceeds a pre-defined timing offset threshold.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure including first finfet cells and second finfet cells. Each of the first finfet cells has an analog fin boundary according to analog circuit design rules, and each of the second finfet cells has a digital fin boundary according to digital circuit design rules. The semiconductor structure further includes first circuits formed with the first finfet cells, second circuits formed with the second finfet cells, and third circuits formed with one or more of the first finfet cells and one or more of the second finfet cells.

Abstract: A clock circuit includes a set of level shifters, a duty cycle adjustment circuit and a calibration circuit. The set of level shifters is configured to output a first set of phase clock signals having a first duty cycle. Each level shifter is configured to output a corresponding phase clock signal of the first set of phase clock signals. The duty cycle adjustment circuit is configured to generate a first clock output signal responsive to at least one of a first or second phase clock signal of the first set of phase clock signals or a set of control signals. The first clock output signal has a second duty cycle. The calibration circuit is configured to perform a duty cycle calibration of the second duty cycle based on an input duty cycle, and generate the set of control signals responsive to the duty cycle calibration of the second duty cycle.

Abstract: A circuit includes: a first delay circuit configured to receive a first clock signal; a second delay circuit configured to receive a second clock signal; a delay control circuit, coupled to the first and second delay circuits, and configured to cause the first and second delay circuits to respectively align the first and second clock signals within a noise window; and a loop control circuit, coupled to the first and second delay circuits, and configured to alternately form a first oscillation loop and a second oscillation loop passing through each of the first and second delay circuits so as to determine the noise window.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an example method for cell placement in an integrated circuit (IC) layout design. The method includes defining a layout unit for a circuit implementation and arranging multiple layout units into a layout cell. The method also includes editing the layout cell to connect a first set of the layout units to be representative of the circuit implementation and to connect a second set of the layout units to be representative of a non-functional circuit. Further, the method includes inserting one or more dummy fill structures in areas of the layout cell unoccupied by the first and second sets of layout units.

Abstract: A clock circuit includes a set of level shifters, a duty cycle adjustment circuit and a calibration circuit. The set of level shifters is configured to output a first set of phase clock signals having a first duty cycle. The duty cycle adjustment circuit is configured to generate a first clock output signal responsive to a first phase clock signal, a second phase clock signal and a set of control signals, and adjust the second duty cycle responsive to the set of control signals or a phase difference between the first phase clock signal and the second phase clock signal. The calibration circuit is configured to perform a duty cycle calibration of a second duty cycle of the first clock output signal based on an input duty cycle, and to generate the set of control signals responsive to the duty cycle calibration.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an example method for cell placement in an integrated circuit (IC) layout design. The method includes defining a layout unit for a circuit implementation and arranging multiple layout units into a layout cell. The method also includes editing the layout cell to connect a first set of the layout units to be representative of the circuit implementation and to connect a second set of the layout units to be representative of a non-functional circuit. Further, the method includes inserting one or more dummy fill structures in areas of the layout cell unoccupied by the first and second sets of layout units.

Abstract: An IC structure includes a resistor circuit and a transistor. The resistor circuit includes a first metal resistor strip over a semiconductor substrate, and a first metal line and a second metal line extending on a same level height above the first metal resistor strip. The first metal resistor strip is a dummy gate. Both the first metal line and the second metal line overlap and are electrically connected to the first metal resistor strip. The transistor includes a metal gate strip on a same level height as the first metal strip and extends in parallel with the first metal resistor strip.

Abstract: A circuit includes: a first delay circuit configured to receive a first clock signal; a second delay circuit configured to receive a second clock signal; a delay control circuit, coupled to the first and second delay circuits, and configured to cause the first and second delay circuits to respectively align the first and second clock signals within a noise window; and a loop control circuit, coupled to the first and second delay circuits, and configured to alternately form a first oscillation loop and a second oscillation loop passing through each of the first and second delay circuits so as to determine the noise window.

Abstract: A method of generating a layout diagram of an IC device includes assigning a leakage constraint to a first schematic net of the IC device and determining a violation of the leakage constraint based on a dummy gate region. The IC layout diagram includes the dummy gate region between a first component of the first schematic net and a second component of a second schematic net of the IC device. The method includes modifying the IC layout diagram in response to the leakage constraint violation, and generating a layout file based on the modified IC layout diagram.ms.