Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a first capacitor structure, disposed in a first layer on a semiconductor substrate and comprising a plurality of capacitors; a second capacitor structure, adjacent to first capacitor structure in the first layer, wherein the second capacitor structure and the first capacitor structure are arranged as a. strip-shaped structure; a first conductive plate, disposed at one end of the strip-shaped structure in the first layer; and a second conductive plate, disposed in a second layer on the semiconductor substrate over the strip-shaped structure and extending toward the other end of the strip-shaped structure from the one end of the strip-shaped structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an electrical circuit having a first set of circuit elements, wherein the electrical circuit is in a circuit area on a first side of a substrate, and a first set of conductive pillars over the first side of the substrate. In the semiconductor device, a first conductive rail electrically connects to each of the first set of conductive pillars, wherein each of the first set of conductive pillars is electrically connected to each of the first set of circuit elements by the first conductive rail; and a first power cell extending through the substrate, wherein the first power cell includes a first number of power pillars extending through the substrate, wherein each of the first number of power pillars electrically connects to the first conductive rail in parallel.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an active region over a substrate extending along a first lateral direction. The semiconductor device includes a number of first conductive structures operatively coupled to the active region. The first conductive structures extend along a second lateral direction. The semiconductor device includes a number of second conductive structures disposed above the plurality of first conductive structures. The second conductive structures extend along the first lateral direction. The semiconductor device includes a first capacitor having a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode includes one of the first conductive structures and the active region, and the second electrode includes a first one of the second conductive structures. Each of the active region and the first conductive structures is electrically coupled to a power rail structure configured to carry a supply voltage.

Abstract: A method is disclosed including: generating, based on design information for an integrated circuit, a circuit design that includes an initial power delivery network (PDN) for the integrated circuit; performing a pre-layout simulation to the circuit design that includes the initial power delivery network, to determine whether the circuit design meets a predetermined specification; generating a circuit layout of the integrated circuit when the circuit design meets the predetermined specification; and adding at least one additional conductive pillar or at least one additional power rail in the initial power delivery network according to a relationship of a pillar density of the initial power delivery network and a maximum pillar density when the circuit design does not meet the predetermined specification.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a first conductive plate, a second conductive plate, a plurality of conductive lines, and a plurality of conductive vias. The first conductive plate is disposed in a first layer on a semiconductor substrate. The second conductive plate is disposed in a second layer on the semiconductor substrate. The plurality of conductive lines are disposed in the first layer for surrounding the first conductive plate. The plurality of conductive vias are arranged to couple the plurality of conductive lines to the second conductive plate. The second layer is different from the first layer, and the first conductive plate is physically separated from the second conductive plate, the plurality of conductive lines, and the plurality of conductive vias.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an electrical circuit having a first set of circuit elements, wherein the electrical circuit is in a circuit area on a first side of a substrate, and a first set of conductive pillars over the first side of the substrate. In the semiconductor device, a first conductive rail electrically connects to each of the first set of conductive pillars, wherein each of the first set of conductive pillars is electrically connected to each of the first set of circuit elements by the first conductive rail; and a first power cell extending through the substrate, wherein the first power cell includes a first number of power pillars extending through the substrate, wherein each of the first number of power pillars electrically connects to the first conductive rail in parallel.

Abstract: A method is disclosed including: generating, based on design information for an integrated circuit, a circuit design that includes an initial power delivery network (PDN) for the integrated circuit; performing a pre-layout simulation to the circuit design that includes the initial power delivery network, to determine whether the circuit design meets a predetermined specification; and when the circuit design meets the predetermined specification, generating a power delivery network layout of the integrated circuit, and generating, after the power delivery network layout is generated, a circuit layout of the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method is disclosed including: generating, based on design information for an integrated circuit, a circuit design that includes an initial power delivery network (PDN) for the integrated circuit; performing a pre-layout simulation to the circuit design that includes the initial power delivery network, to determine whether the circuit design meets a predetermined specification; and when the circuit design meets the predetermined specification, generating a power delivery network layout of the integrated circuit, and generating, after the power delivery network layout is generated, a circuit layout of the integrated circuit.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for charge-based capacitor measurement. The system includes a first pseudo-inverter circuit and a second pseudo-inverter circuit. The system also includes a control circuit coupled between the first inverter circuit and the second inverter circuit. The control circuit is configured to generate independent and non-overlapping control signals for the first pseudo-inverter circuit and the second pseudo-inverter circuit. A shielding metal is coupled to the first pseudo-inverter circuit, the second pseudo-inverter circuit, and the control circuit. The shielding metal is configured to dissipate parasitic capacitance of at least one of the first pseudo-inverter circuit or the second pseudo-inverter circuit. A device under test is coupled to each of the first inverter circuit and the second inverter circuit.

Abstract: A device includes a control circuit, a scope circuit, and a time-to-current converter. The control circuit is configured to receive a voltage signal from a voltage-controlled oscillator, delay the voltage signal for a delay time to generate a first control signal, and to generate a second control signal according to the first control signal and the voltage signal. The scope circuit is configured to generate a first current signal in response to the second control signal and the voltage signal. The time-to-current converter is configured generate a second current signal according to the first control signal, the voltage signal, a first switch signal, and a test control signal.

Abstract: Capacitor structures with low capacitances are disclosed. In one example, a capacitor structure is disclosed. The capacitor structure includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode comprises a first metal finger. The second electrode comprises a second metal finger and a third metal finger that are parallel to each other and to the first metal finger. The first metal finger is formed between the second metal finger and the third metal finger. The capacitor structure further includes: a fourth metal finger formed as a dummy metal finger between the first metal finger and the second metal finger, and a fifth metal finger formed as a dummy metal finger between the first metal finger and the third metal finger. The fourth metal finger and the fifth metal finger are parallel to the first metal finger.

Abstract: An electronic design flow generates an electronic architectural design layout for analog circuitry from a schematic diagram. The electronic design flow assigns analog circuits of the schematic diagram to various categories of analog circuits. The electronic design flow places various analog standard cells corresponding to these categories of analog circuits into analog placement sites assigned to the analog circuits. These analog standard cells have a uniform cell height which allows these analog standard cells to be readily connected or merged to digital standard cells which decreases the area of the electronic architectural design layout. This uniformity in height between these analog standard cells additionally provides a more reliable yield when compared to non-uniform analog standard cells.

Abstract: A device is disclosed that includes a control circuit and a scope circuit. The control circuit is configured to delay a voltage signal to generate a first control signal. The scope circuit is configured to be operated in one of a first mode and a second mode according to the first control signal. In the first mode, the scope circuit is configured to generate a first current signal indicating amplitudes of the voltage signal, and in the second mode, the scope circuit is configured to stop generating the first current signal.

Abstract: Capacitor structures with low capacitances are disclosed. In one example, a capacitor structure is disclosed. The capacitor structure includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode comprises a first metal finger. The second electrode comprises a second metal finger and a third metal finger that are parallel to each other and to the first metal finger. The first metal finger is formed between the second metal finger and the third metal finger. The capacitor structure further includes: a fourth metal finger formed as a dummy metal finger between the first metal finger and the second metal finger, and a fifth metal finger formed as a dummy metal finger between the first metal finger and the third metal finger. The fourth metal finger and the fifth metal finger are parallel to the first metal finger.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed. In one example, the semiconductor device includes: an electronic component having a top surface, a bottom surface, and two end portions; a plurality of contacts disposed on the top surface; and a plurality of metal nodes disposed on the plurality of contacts. The plurality of contacts includes two end contacts disposed at the two end portions respectively and at least one intermediate contact disposed between the two end contacts. The plurality of metal nodes includes two end metal nodes disposed on the two end contacts respectively and at least one intermediate metal node disposed on the at least one intermediate contact.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a first conductive plate, a second conductive plate, a plurality of conductive lines, and a plurality of conductive vias. The first conductive plate is disposed in a first layer on a semiconductor substrate. The second conductive plate is disposed in a second layer on the semiconductor substrate. The plurality of conductive lines are disposed in the first layer for surrounding the first conductive plate. The plurality of conductive vias are arranged to couple the plurality of conductive lines to the second conductive plate. The second layer is different from the first layer, and the first conductive plate is physically separated from the second conductive plate, the plurality of conductive lines, and the plurality of conductive vias.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a dummy fin structure disposed over a substrate, a dummy gate structure disposed over a part of the dummy fin structure, a first interlayer dielectric layer in which the dummy gate structure is embedded, a second interlayer dielectric layer disposed over the first interlayer dielectric layer, and a resistor wire formed of a conductive material and embedded in the second interlayer dielectric layer. The resistor wire overlaps the dummy gate structure in plan view.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is disclosed. In one example, the semiconductor device includes: an electronic component having a top surface, a bottom surface, and two end portions; a plurality of contacts disposed on the top surface; and a plurality of metal nodes disposed on the plurality of contacts. The plurality of contacts includes two end contacts disposed at the two end portions respectively and at least one intermediate contact disposed between the two end contacts. The plurality of metal nodes includes two end metal nodes disposed on the two end contacts respectively and at least one intermediate metal node disposed on the at least one intermediate contact.

Abstract: A bandgap reference circuit includes a current generating circuit, a switch circuit and a control circuit. The current generating circuit is triggered by a trigger signal, generated when the bandgap reference circuit starts up, to mirror a base current to generate a first current and a second current. The current generating circuit is arranged to output the first current when triggered by the triggered signal. The switch circuit is controlled by a switch control signal to be selectively coupled between the current generating circuit and a terminal coupled to a regulator. The switch circuit is arranged to, when coupled between the current generating circuit and the terminal, allow the current generating circuit to output the second current to the terminal and accordingly provide a bandgap voltage. When the first current reduces to a predetermined level, the control circuit activates generation of the switch control signal to control the switch circuit.

Abstract: An electronic design flow generates an electronic architectural design layout for analog circuitry from a schematic diagram. The electronic design flow assigns analog circuits of the schematic diagram to various categories of analog circuits. The electronic design flow places various analog standard cells corresponding to these categories of analog circuits into analog placement sites assigned to the analog circuits. These analog standard cells have a uniform cell height which allows these analog standard cells to be readily connected or merged to digital standard cells which decreases the area of the electronic architectural design layout. This uniformity in height between these analog standard cells additionally provides a more reliable yield when compared to non-uniform analog standard cells.