Abstract: A semiconductor device (having a VFET architecture) includes: first and second active regions (ARs); first and second metal-to-gate (MG) contacts proximal to channel regions of the first and second ARs; metal-to-source/drain (MD) contacts and buried MD (BMD) contacts correspondingly coupled to first and second S/D regions correspondingly of the first and second ARs; and a metal-to-gate (MP) contact at a same level as the MG contacts, and extending between and coupling together the first and second MG contacts; and relative to a first direction, the first and second ARs being substantially aligned; and at least a portion of the MP contact extending substantially beyond each of the first and second ARs relative to a perpendicular second direction.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device includes forming a first device on a first side of a substrate, wherein the first device comprises a first source/drain (S/D) electrode. The method further includes forming a second device on a second side of the substrate, wherein the second side of the substrate is opposite the first side of the substrate, and the second device comprises a second S/D electrode. The method further includes forming a through substrate via (TSV) electrically connecting the first S/D electrode to the second S/D electrode, wherein a width of the TSV is equal to a width of at least one of the first S/D electrode or the second S/D electrode.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device includes manufacturing a first transistor over a first side of a substrate. The method further includes depositing a spacer material against a sidewall of the first transistor. The method further includes recessing the spacer material to expose a first portion of the sidewall of the first transistor. The method further includes manufacturing a first electrical connection to the transistor, a first portion of the electrical connection contacts a surface of the first transistor farthest from the substrate, and a second portion of the electrical connect contacts the first portion of the sidewall of the first transistor. The method further includes manufacturing a self-aligned interconnect structure (SIS) extending along the spacer material, wherein the spacer material separates a portion of the SIS from the first transistor, and the first electrical connection directly contacts the SIS.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) structure includes a first transistor including a first gate structure adjacent to first and second portions of a first active area positioned in a semiconductor substrate, a second transistor including a second gate structure adjacent to the second portion of the first active area and a third portion of the first active area, an isolation structure overlying the second portion of the first active area, and first through third metal-like defined (MD) segments overlying the respective first through third portions of the first active area. The first and third MD segments are electrically connected to the respective first and third portions of the first active area, and the second MD segment is electrically isolated from the second portion of the first active area by the isolation structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a first upper source/drain region, a second upper source/drain region, a first lower source/drain contact, a second lower source/drain contact, and a third conductive region. The first upper source/drain contact is disposed at a first elevation. The second upper source/drain contact is disposed at the first elevation. The first lower source/drain contact is disposed at a second elevation. The second lower source/drain contact is disposed at the second elevation. The third conductive region is disposed at a third elevation. A projection area of the third conductive region is disposed between a projection area of the first upper source/drain contact and a projection area of the second upper source/drain contact. The third elevation is disposed between the first elevation and the second elevation.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a first and second power rail on a first level, a first and second set of conductive structures on a second level and a first, second and third conductive structure on a third level. The first set of conductive structures is over the first power rail. The second set of conductive structures is over the second power rail. The first conductive structure overlaps a first conductive structure of the first set of conductive structures and a first conductive structure of the second set of conductive structures. The second conductive structure overlaps a second conductive structure of the first set of conductive structures and a second conductive structure of the second set of conductive structures. The third conductive structure overlaps a third conductive structure of the first set of conductive structures and a third conductive structure of the second set of conductive structures.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a first-type active-region semiconductor structure extending and a second-type active-region semiconductor structure both extending in a first direction. The second-type active-region semiconductor structure is stacked with the first-type active-region semiconductor structure. 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 still includes a front-side power rail extending in the second direction in the front-side conductive layer and a back-side power rail extending in the second direction in the back-side conductive layer. The integrated circuit device further 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: A method of forming a semiconductor device, includes forming an active region; forming first, second and third metal-to-drain/source (MD) contact structures which extend in a first direction, and correspondingly overlap and electrically couple to the active region; forming a via-to-via (V2V) rail which extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, overlaps at least the first MD contact structure and the third MD contact structures; forming a first via-to-MD (VD) structure over, and electrically coupled to, the first MD contact structure and the V2V rail; and forming a first conductive segment which overlaps the V2V rail, is in a first metallization layer, and is electrically coupled to the first VD structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of active regions extending in a first direction. The semiconductor device further includes a gate electrode over the plurality of active regions, wherein the gate electrode extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The semiconductor device further includes a power rail extending in the first direction. The power rail includes a first power rail portion adjacent to the first boundary, wherein the first power rail portion has a first inner edge, and a second power rail portion adjacent to the second boundary, wherein the second power rail portion has a second inner edge, and the first inner edge is offset from the second inner edge in the second direction.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method for optimizing metal cuts in standard cells. The method includes placing a standard cell in a layout area and inserting a metal cut along a metal interconnect of the standard cell at a location away from a boundary of the standard cell. The method further includes disconnecting, at the location, a metal portion of the metal interconnect from a remaining portion of the metal interconnect based on the metal cut.

Abstract: A method includes forming an epitaxial stack including a first sacrificial layer, a channel layer, and a second sacrificial layer over a semiconductor substrate; patterning the epitaxial stack into a fin structure such that opposite first ends of the channel layer are exposed; recessing the opposite first ends of the channel layer; forming first dummy spacers on the recessed opposite first ends of the channel layer; forming an isolation structure in the fin structure; recessing a top surface of the isolation structure to a position lower than a bottom surface of the channel layer, such that opposite second ends of the channel layer are exposed; recessing the opposite second ends of the channel layer; forming second dummy spacers on the recessed opposite second ends of the channel layer; and replacing the first dummy spacers and the second dummy spacers with a metal gate structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a first gate structure on a first side of the substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a second gate structure on a second side of the substrate, wherein the first side is opposite the second side. The semiconductor device further includes a gate via extending through the substrate, wherein the gate via directly connects to the first gate structure, and the gate via directly connects to the second gate structure.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first power rail extending in a first direction, and configured to supply a first supply voltage, and a first region next to the first power rail. The first region includes a first conductive structure extending in the first direction, a first set of conductive structures extending in a second direction, and a first set of vias between the first set of conductive structures and the first conductive structure. The first set of conductive structures overlaps the first conductive structure and the first power rail, and is located on a second level. Each conductive structure of the first set of conductive structures is separated from each other in the first direction. Each via of the first set of vias is located where the first set of conductive structures overlaps the first conductive structure and couples the first set of conductive structures to the first conductive structure.

Abstract: A method includes forming a transistor layer; forming a first metallization layer, including: forming first conductors, aligned along alpha tracks, and representing input pins of a cell region including first and second input pins; and cutting lengths of the first and second input pins to accommodate at most two access points, each aligned to a different one of first to fourth beta tracks, the beta tracks to which are aligned the access points of the first input pin being different than the beta tracks to which are aligned the access points of the second input pin; and forming a second metallization layer, including: forming second conductors representing routing segments and a representing a power grid segment aligned with one of the beta tracks of access points of the first input pin or the access points of the second input pin.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a first, second and third power rail extending in a first direction, a first, second and third set of conductive structures extending in the second direction, and being located at a second level, and a first, second and third conductive structure extending in the second direction, and being located at a third level. The first conductive structure overlaps a first conductive structure of the corresponding first, second and third set of conductive structures. The second conductive structure overlaps a second conductive structure of the corresponding first, second and third set of conductive structures. The third conductive structure overlaps a third conductive structure of the corresponding first, second and third set of conductive structures.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) structure includes first and second active areas extending in a first direction in a semiconductor substrate, first and second gate structures extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein each of the first and second gate structures overlies each of the first and second active areas, a first metal-like defined (MD) segment extending in the second direction between the first and second gate structures and overlying each of the first and second active areas, and an isolation structure positioned between the first MD segment and the first active area. The first MD segment is electrically connected to the second active area and electrically isolated from a portion of the first active area between the first and second gate structures.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a resistor with two barrier layers covered by a protection layer, at both sides of the resistor to resist the moisture and sulphide penetration from both sides. The barrier can enhance the anti-corrosion ability of the resister. For a metallic barrier, a distance to the resistance layer and the internal electrode layer is necessary.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes at least one source/drain (S/D) line extending in second direction in a cell of the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit further includes a conductive element extending in a first direction in the cell of the integrated circuit, the first direction being perpendicular to the second direction. The integrated circuit further includes a power rail extending over the conductive element, wherein the power rail includes a first power rail portion and a second power rail portion, and an inner edge of the first power rail portion is offset from an inner edge of the second power rail portion, wherein the first power rail portion has a first edge and the second power rail portion has a second edge on the same side as the first edge of the first power rail portion, and the first edge and the second edge are laterally separated.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device includes forming a first active region on a first side of a substrate. The method further includes forming a first source/drain (S/D) electrode surrounding a first portion of the first active region. The method further includes forming an S/D connect via extending through the substrate. The method further includes flipping the substrate. The method further includes forming a second active region on a second side of the substrate, wherein the second side of the substrate is opposite to the first side of the substrate. The method further includes forming a second S/D electrode surrounding a first portion of the second active region, wherein the S/D connect directly contacts both the first S/D electrode and the second S/D electrode.

Abstract: A circuit includes a first transistor, a second type-one transistor, a first type-two transistor, a third type-one transistor, a fourth type-one transistor, and a fifth type-one transistor. The first type-one transistor has a gate configured to have a first supply voltage of a first power supply. The first type-two transistor has a gate configured to have a second supply voltage of the first power supply. The third type-one transistor has a first active-region conductively connected with an active-region of the first type-one transistor. Third type-one transistor has a second active-region and a gate conductively connected to each other. The fifth type-one transistor has a first active-region conductively connected with the gate of the third type-one transistor and has a second active-region configured to have a first supply voltage of a second power supply. The fifth type-one transistor is configured to be at a conducting state.