Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a design under test (DUT), a testing interface, pattern generation circuitry, and pattern checker circuitry. The pattern generation circuitry is connected to the DUT and the testing interface. The pattern generation circuitry is configured to generate a test data sequence and control data based on configuration data received from the testing interface, and communicate the test data sequence and the control data to the DUT. The pattern checker circuitry is connected to the DUT and the testing interface. The pattern checker circuitry is configured to generate a comparison test sequence based on the configuration data received from the testing interface, receive resultant test data sequence and output control data from the DUT, and generate a first error signal based on a comparison of the resultant test data sequence and the comparison test sequence and a comparison of the output control data and the configuration data.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first power rail, a first signal line, a first transistor and a second transistor. The first power rail is on a back-side of a substrate and is configured to supply a first supply voltage. The first signal line is on the back-side of the substrate and is separated from the first power rail. The first transistor has a first active region in a front-side of the substrate. The first active region is overlapped by the first power rail and is electrically coupled to the first power rail. The second transistor has a second active region that is in the front-side of the substrate. The second active region is separated from the first active region, is overlapped by the first signal line, and is configured to receive the first supply voltage of the first power rail through the first active region of the first transistor.

Abstract: In an approach utilizing static analysis, a processor receives a netlist for an integrated circuit. For at least one node of the integrated circuit in the netlist, a processor calculates (i) a total capacitive load of the respective node and (ii) a minimum required driver size. For a driver of the respective node, a processor (i) determines an effective driver size of the driver based on at least a number of fins of the driver and (ii) determines that the effective driver size exceeds the minimum required driver size multiplied by a predefined sizing margin. A processor, responsive to determining that the effective driver size exceeds the minimum required driver size multiplied by the predefined sizing margin, generates a report, where the report includes at least the driver and a suggestion to reduce the effective size of the driver.

Abstract: A method of verifying an integrated circuit stack includes adding a dummy layer to a contact pad of a functional circuit, wherein a location of the dummy layer is determined based on a location of a contact pad of a connecting substrate. The method further includes converting the dummy layer location to the connecting substrate. The method further includes performing a layout versus schematic (LVS) check of the connecting substrate including the dummy layer in response to a determination that the dummy layer is aligned with the contact pad of the connecting substrate.

Abstract: A system includes a machine configured to perform operations including accessing an integrated circuit design including a buffer tree that interconnects a plurality of inputs and buffers. The buffer tree includes a baseline timing characteristic. The operations include identifying a set of candidate solutions for improving the baseline timing characteristic using an initial timing model and selecting a subset of candidate solutions that have a timing characteristic lower than the baseline timing characteristic. Then the subset of candidate solutions are evaluated using a detailed timing model and based on determining that at least one candidate solution in the subset has a timing characteristic that is better than the baseline timing characteristic, selecting a candidate solution from the set of candidate solutions, and updating the buffer tree based on the candidate solution.

Abstract: A method includes: extracting a first current profile model corresponding to a System on Chip (SOC) at a first design stage of the SOC; determining that a first design data of an Integrated Voltage Regulator (IVR) and the SOC pass a first co-simulation based on the extracted first current profile model; extracting a second current profile model corresponding to the SOC at a second design stage of the SOC, the second design stage being subsequent to the first design stage; refining the first design data of the IVR to generate a second design data of the IVR; determining that the second design data of the IVR and the SOC pass a second co-simulation based on the extracted second current profile model.

Abstract: A method and a system for verifying an integrated circuit stack having at least one silicon photonic device is introduced. A dummy layer and a dummy layer text are added to a terminal of at least one silicon photonic device of the integrated circuit. The method may perform a layout versus schematic check of the integrated circuit including the dummy layer and the dummy layer text.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The method comprises determining a dimensional quantity of a layout pattern having an angle relative to grid lines of a minimum grid. The minimum grid may be defined by a first quantity associated with a first direction and a second quantity associated with a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The determination of the dimensional quantity of the layout pattern is based on the first quantity, the second quantity and the angle of the layout pattern relative to the grid lines of the minimum grid.

Abstract: An electronic device configured to generate a verification vector for verifying a semiconductor circuit including a first circuit block and a second circuit block includes a duplicate command eliminator configured to receive a first input vector including a plurality of commands and to provide a first converted vector, in which ones of the plurality of commands that generate the same state transition are changed into idle commands, based on a state transition of the first circuit block obtained by performing a simulation operation on the first input vector, a reduced vector generator configured to provide a first reduced vector in which a number of repetitions of the idle commands included in the first converted vector is reduced, and a verification vector generator configured to output the first reduced vector having a coverage that coincides with a target coverage among a plurality of first reduced vectors as a first verification vector.

Abstract: A processor receives, as input, a first hardware description language (HDL) file defining an entity of a modular circuit design. The first HDL file instantiates, by a storage element declaration in a hardware description language, a storage element within the entity. The first HDL file omits a port map for the storage element. Based on the first HDL file, the processor automatically fully elaborates a port map for the storage element. The processor stores, in data storage, a derived second HDL file defining the entity and including the port map.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention include systems and methods for implementing a CMOS circuit design that uses a sea-of-gates fill methodology to provide latch-up avoidance. A non-limiting example computer-implemented method includes identifying a fill cell in the circuit design. The fill cell can include a power rail, a ground rail, and a field-effect transistor (FET) electrically coupled to the power rail through a via. The method can include disconnecting the via from the power rail and moving the via to a disconnected node in the fill cell. Moving the via decouples a source or drain of the fill cell from a well of the fill cell, preventing latch-up while maintaining via and metal shape density.

Abstract: A method for cell swapping is provided. A location for swapping a first cell is determined. One or more legal positions for cell placement are determined at the location. A plurality of cells is determined for of the plurality of legal positions. A second cell from the plurality of cells is determined based on timing information associated with each of the plurality. The first cell is swapped with the second cell.

Abstract: An injection device is disclosed herein. The injection device is utilized to inject a liquid onto a test area of a semiconductor element. The injection device includes a base, a reservoir, a first testing pipe, a cleaning pipe and a liquid-draining pipe. The reservoir set on the base is provided with at least one connecting port and a dropping port, wherein the dropping port is against the test area of the semiconductor element. The first testing pipe, the cleaning pipe and the liquid-draining pipe are connected to at least one connecting port, wherein a first liquid is injected from the first testing pipe into the reservoir, and wherein the a cleaning liquid is injected from the cleaning pipe into the reservoir to clean the reservoir and the test area. The dropping port is utilized to drain off the first testing liquid and the cleaning liquid in the reservoir. A semiconductor testing system utilizing the injection device and its testing method are also provided herein.

Abstract: Approaches for placing logic of a circuit design include determining respective relative activation rates of control paths in a high-level language (HLL) program by a design tool. The HLL program specifies a circuit design. The design tool compiles the HLL program into logic functions and determines respective relative activation rates of signal connections between the logic functions based on the relative activation rates of the control paths in the HLL program. The design tool selects placement locations on an integrated circuit device for the logic functions using a placement cost minimization function that factors the relative activation rates of the signal connections into placement costs.

Abstract: The optimization of circuit parameters of variational quantum algorithms is a challenge for the practical deployment of near-term quantum computing algorithms. Embodiments relate to a hybrid quantum-classical optimization methods. In a first stage, analytical tomography fittings are performed for a local cluster of circuit parameters via sampling of the observable objective function at quadrature points in the circuit parameters. Optimization may be used to determine the optimal circuit parameters within the cluster, with the other circuit parameters frozen. In a second stage, different clusters of circuit parameters are then optimized in “Jacobi sweeps,” leading to a monotonically convergent fixed-point procedure. In a third stage, the iterative history of the fixed-point Jacobi procedure may be used to accelerate the convergence by applying Anderson acceleration/Pulay's direct inversion of the iterative subspace (DIIS).

Abstract: Generating a template-driven schematic from a netlist of electronic circuits is disclosed. The template-driven schematic may be useful to generate a set of related circuits for a single overall design as well as allow for a common transfer mechanism between different Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems. To assist in portability of designs, a common file format is disclosed based on a structured text file (e.g., XML). Further, in the disclosed approach, it is possible to not only place primitives but create custom symbols as well. In addition, primitives and symbols may be attached to models, simulation settings may be added, and routing of the circuit in a schematic may be completed. Associated devices and methods are disclosed as well.

Abstract: Methods for modifying power use of a semiconductor device include receiving, at one or more processors, an activity stream of a simulation of a semiconductor device, the activity stream comprising a stream of signals. Using the one or more processors, integrated circuit actions are recognized from the activity stream, each integrated circuit action representing an abstraction of work done by the semiconductor device. The processor(s) determine one or more values associated with the integrated circuit actions. A model of power use is generated for the semiconductor device, the model based at least in part on the recognized integrated circuit actions and the associated values. Based on an output of the model, power use of the semiconductor device is modified. Other methods and systems related to determining, modeling, and predicting power/energy use of semiconductor devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for integrated circuit (IC) analysis using a multi-level data hierarchy implemented on a distributed compute and data infrastructure are described. An IC design may be represented using a set of storage areas, where each storage area may be stored in a contiguous block of storage and may correspond to a portion of the IC design. An analysis application may be executed on the IC design, where a subset of the set of storage areas that is used by the analysis application may be retrieved on-demand.

Abstract: Correction method of mask layout and mask containing corrected layout are provided. The method includes providing a target layout including a plurality of main patterns. Each main pattern includes a first side and an opposite second side. Extending directions of the first side and the second side are perpendicular to a first direction. Each main pattern also includes a third side and an opposite fourth side. Extension directions of the third side and the fourth side are perpendicular to a second direction. The second direction and the first direction are perpendicular to each other. The method also includes acquiring position information of each main pattern, and obtaining position information of auxiliary patterns adjacent to each main pattern. The method also includes, according to the position information of the auxiliary patterns adjacent to each main pattern, arranging the auxiliary patterns adjacent to each main pattern around each main pattern.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a design for a 3D integrated circuit (3DIC) comprises extracting at least one design characteristic from a first data representation of a design for a 2D integrated circuit (2DIC) generated according to the design criteria required for the 3DIC. Components of the 3DIC are partitioned into groups (each representing one tier of the 3DIC) based on the extracted design characteristic. A second data representation of a 2DIC design is generated comprising multiple adjacent partitions each comprising the component groups for one tier of the 3DIC design together with inter-tier via ports representing locations of inter-tier vias. A placement for each partition is determined separately from a placement of corresponding components of the 2DIC represented by the original first data representation. This approach allows a 2DIC EDA tool to be used for designing a 3DIC.