Abstract: A design structure. The design structure includes: a first set of FETs having a designed first Vt and a second set of FETs having a designed second Vt, the first Vt different from the second Vt; a first monitor circuit containing at least one FET of the first set of FETs and a second monitor circuit containing at least one FET of the second set of FETs; a compare circuit configured to generate a compare signal based on a performance measurement of the first monitor circuit and of the second monitor circuit; a control unit responsive to the compare signal and configured to generate a control signal regulator based on the compare signal; and an adjustable voltage regulator responsive to the control signal and configured to voltage bias wells of FETs of the second set of FETs, the value of the voltage bias applied based on the control signal.

Abstract: A contact via scheme with staggered contact vias to, interalia, increase current density of a resistor by mitigating electromigration and reducing the resistive heating of each contact via is disclosed. The contact via scheme increases the current density of a thin film resistor by increasing the number of current carrying contact vias and by arranging the contact vias in staggered arrangement, which redistributes the current at the ends of the resistor. Hence, the contact via scheme decreases the current density per contact via and enables a higher maximum current density for the resistor. A method and a semiconductor device are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for controlling power supply voltage to an on-chip power distribution network. The system incorporates a programmable on-chip sensing network that can be selectively connected to the power distribution network at multiple locations. When the sensing network is selectively connected to the power distribution network at an optimal sensing point, a local voltage feedback signal from that optimal sensing point is generated and used to adjust the power supply voltage and, thus, to manage voltage distribution across the power distribution network. Additionally, the system incorporates a policy for managing the voltage distribution across the power distribution network, a means for profiling voltage drops across the power distribution network and a means for selecting the optimal sensing point based on the policy and the profile. Another embodiment of the system can further control power supply voltages to multiple power distribution networks on the same chip.

Abstract: A method and a system for improving manufacturing productivity of an integrated circuit. The method including: (a) generating a set of physical design rules, (b) assigning a rule scoring equation to each physical design rule of the set of physical design rules; (c) checking a physical design of the integrated circuit for deviations from each design rule; (d) computing a score for each physical design rule, using the corresponding rule scoring equation assigned to each physical design rule, for which one or more deviations were found in step (c); and (e) computing a productivity score for the integrated circuit design based on the scores computed in step (d).

Abstract: A semiconductor device (200) having support structures (218, 226, 236) beneath wirebond regions (214) of contact pads (204) and a method of forming same. Low modulus dielectric layers (216, 222, 232) are disposed over a workpiece (212). Support structures (218, 226, 236) are formed in the low modulus dielectric layers (216, 222, 232), and support vias (224, 234) are formed between the support structures (218, 226, 236). A high modulus dielectric film (220, 230) is disposed between each low modulus dielectric layer (216, 222, 232), and a high modulus dielectric layer (256) is disposed over the top low modulus dielectric layer (232). Contact pads (204) are formed in the high modulus dielectric layer (256). Each support via (234) within the low modulus dielectric layer (232) resides directly above a support via (224) in the underlying low modulus dielectric layer (222), to form a plurality of via support stacks within the low modulus dielectric layers (216, 222, 232).

Abstract: An integrated circuit chip (104) having a contact layer (136) that includes a plurality of Vdd, Vddx, ground and I/O contacts (116, 120, 124, 128) arranged in a generally radial pattern having diagonal and major axis symmetry and generally defining four quadrants. An X-Y power grid (140) is located beneath the contact layer and includes metal layers (LM?) each having a plurality of wires (68) extending in one direction. The direction of the wires alternates from one metal layer to the next adjacent metal layer. A wiring layer (IM) is interposed between the contact layer and power grid layers to provide a well-behaved electrical transition between the generally radial Vdd, Vddx and ground contacts and the rectangular X-Y power grid. The interposed wiring layer includes concentric square rings of Vdd, Vddx and ground wires (144, 148, 152) located alternatingly with one another.

Abstract: A semiconductor device (200) having support structures (218, 226, 236) beneath wirebond regions (214) of contact pads (204) and a method of forming same. Low modulus dielectric layers (216, 222, 232) are disposed over a workpiece (212). Support structures (218, 226, 236) are formed in the low modulus dielectric layers (216, 222, 232), and support vias (224, 234) are formed between the support structures (218, 226, 236). A high modulus dielectric film (220, 230) is disposed between each low modulus dielectric layer (216, 222, 232), and a high modulus dielectric layer (256) is disposed over the top low modulus dielectric layer (232). Contact pads (204) are formed in the high modulus dielectric layer (256). Each support via (234) within the low modulus dielectric layer (232) resides directly above a support via (224) in the underlying low modulus dielectric layer (222), to form a plurality of via support stacks within the low modulus dielectric layers (216, 222, 232).