Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a cell that is between a substrate and a supply conductive line and that includes a source region, a contact conductive line, a power conductive line, and a power via. The contact conductive line extends from the source region. The power conductive line is coupled to the contact conductive line. The power via interconnects the supply conductive line and the power conductive line.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a device layer having devices spaced in accordance with a predetermined device pitch, a first metal interconnection layer disposed above the device layer and coupled to the device layer, and a second metal interconnection layer disposed above the first metal interconnection layer and coupled to the first metal interconnection layer through a first via layer. The second metal interconnection layer has metal lines spaced in accordance with a predetermined metal line pitch, and a ratio of the predetermined metal line pitch to predetermined device pitch is less than 1.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first region. The integrated circuit further includes a first conductive structure in the first region, wherein the first conductive structure extends in a first direction. The integrated circuit further includes a second region adjacent to the first region. The integrated circuit further includes a power structure configured to supply a voltage to the first region or the second region, wherein the power structure includes a second conductive structure overlapping a boundary between the first region and the second region, the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure are aligned in a second direction different than the first direction, and the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure are separated from each other in the first direction.

Abstract: A method of updating a boundary space configuration of an IC layout cell includes identifying a pin in the IC layout cell as a boundary pin, determining that a boundary spacing of the boundary pin is capable of being increased, and based on the determination that the boundary spacing of the boundary pin is capable of being increased, modifying the IC layout cell by increasing the boundary spacing of the boundary pin. At least one of the identifying, determining, or modifying is executed by a processor of a computer.

Abstract: A method (of generating a layout diagram) includes: generating a cell (which represents a circuit) including first and second side boundaries which are substantially parallel and extend in a first direction, a first wiring pattern which is an intra-cell wiring pattern that extends in a second direction (substantially perpendicular to the first direction) and represents a conductor of a first signal which is internal to the circuit, and a second wiring pattern which extends in the first direction and represents a conductor of a second signal of the circuit; configuring the intra-cell wiring pattern so that a first end is located substantially a minimum boundary offset interior to the first side boundary; and configuring the second wiring pattern so that a portion thereof has a first end which extends exterior to the first side boundary by a protrusion length which is substantially greater than the minimum boundary offset.

Abstract: A method for forming an integrated circuit (IC) is provided. The method includes the following operations. A circuit layout including a first load region and a second load region is received. A full power network of the circuit layout is obtained. The full power network is transformed into a first power network according to the first load region. A first power simulation is performed upon the first power network. The full power network is transformed into a second power network according to the second load region. A second power simulation is performed upon the second power network. The IC is fabricated according to the circuit layout.

Abstract: A package structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The package structure includes a die, a first molding surrounding the die, a first redistribution layer (RDL), an interposer disposed over the first RDL, a second molding surrounding the interposer, a first via, and a second RDL. The first RDL includes a first dielectric layer disposed over the die and the first molding, and a first interconnect structure surrounded by the first dielectric layer and electrically connected to the die. The interposer is electrically connected to the die through the first interconnect structure. The first via extends through and within the second molding and is adjacent to the interposer. The second RDL includes a second dielectric layer disposed over the interposer and the second molding, and a second interconnect structure surrounded by the second dielectric layer and electrically connected to the via and the interposer.

Abstract: A method for forming an integrated circuit (IC) is provided. The method includes the following operations. A circuit layout including a first load region and a second load region is received. A full power network of the circuit layout is obtained. The full power network is transformed into a first power network according to the first load region. A first power simulation is performed upon the first power network. The full power network is transformed into a second power network according to the second load region. A second power simulation is performed upon the second power network. The IC is fabricated according to the circuit layout.

Abstract: Placement methods described in this disclosure provide placement and routing rules where a system implementing the automatic placement and routing (APR) method arranges standard cell structures in a vertical direction that is perpendicular to the fins but parallel to the cell height. Layout methods described in this disclosure also improve device density and further reduce cell height by incorporating vertical power supply lines into standard cell structures. Pin connections can be used to electrically connect the power supply lines to standard cell structures, thus improving device density and performance. The APR process is also configured to rotate standard cells to optimize device layout.

Abstract: Standard cell libraries include one or more standard cells and one or more corresponding standard cell variations. The one or more standard cell variations are different from their one or more standard cells in terms of geometric shapes, locations of the geometric shapes, and/or interconnections between the geometric shapes. The exemplary systems and methods described herein selectively choose from among the one or more standard cells and/or the one or more standard cell variations to form an electronic architectural design for an electronic device. In some situations, some of the one or more standard cells are unable to satisfy one or more electronic design constraints imposed by a semiconductor foundry and/or semiconductor technology node when placed onto the electronic device design real estate. In these situations, the one or more standard cell variations corresponding to these standard cells are placed onto the electronic device design real estate.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a cell that is between a substrate and a supply conductive line and that includes a source region, a contact conductive line, a power conductive line, and a power via. The contact conductive line extends from the source region. The power conductive line is coupled to the contact conductive line. The power via interconnects the supply conductive line and the power conductive line.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first region and a first conductive structure in the first region, wherein the first conductive structure extends in a first direction. The integrated circuit further includes a first via coupled to the first conductive structure. The integrated circuit further includes a second region adjacent to the first region. The integrated circuit further includes a power structure configured to supply a voltage to the first or second region. The power structure includes a second conductive structure extending in the first direction and overlapping a boundary between the first region and the second region. The first conductive structure and the second conductive structure are aligned in a second direction. The first conductive structure and the second conductive structure are separated from each other in the first direction by a distance greater than a minimum spacing requirement of the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure.

Abstract: A computer readable storage medium encoded with program instructions, wherein, when the program instructions is executed by at least one processor, the at least one processor performs a method. The method includes selecting a cell, determining whether a pin has an area smaller than a predetermined area, allowing a pin access of the pin to extend in a corresponding patterning track of the pin access when the pin access when the pin is determined to be having an area smaller than the predetermined threshold, and causing an integrated circuit to be fabricated according to the pin.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes first and second device regions. The first device region contains an entirety of a first active area of a first logic device, the second device region contains an entirety of a second active area of a second logic device, and the second device region shares a boundary with the first device region. The semiconductor structure also includes a first metal zero pin positioned partially within the first device region, partially within the second device region, and extending across the boundary, and a via contacting the first metal zero pin. A distance from the center of the via to the boundary is less than or equal to a first predetermined distance, and the via is electrically connected to one of the first logic device or the second logic device.

Abstract: A method includes using a processor to placing a cell having a first conductive feature and a second conductive feature on an integrated circuit layout. A length of the first conductive feature is extended, by using the processor, to form a staggered configuration. A set of instructions for manufacturing an integrated circuit based upon the integrated circuit layout is generated, and the set of instructions is stored in a non-transitory machine readable storage medium.

Abstract: A method includes: identifying ad hoc groups of elementary standard cells recurrent in a layout diagram, selecting one of the recurrent ad hoc groups (selected group) such that: the elementary standard cells in the selected group have connections representing a corresponding logic circuit; each elementary standard cell representing a logic gate; each ad hoc group has a number of transistors and a first number of logic gates; and the selected group providing a logical function. The method includes generating one or more macro standard cells such that: each macro standard cell has a number of transistors which is smaller than the number of transistors of the corresponding ad hoc group; or each macro standard cell has a second number of logic gates different than the first number of logic gates of the corresponding ad hoc group. The method also includes adding macro standard cells to the set of standard cells.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method, and more particularly to a semiconductor interposer device. The semiconductor interposer device includes a substrate and a first metallization layer formed on the substrate. A first dielectric layer is formed on the first metallization layer and a second metallization layer is formed on the substrate. A first conducting line is formed in the first metallization layer and second and third conducting lines are formed in the second metallization layer. A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor is formed in the first dielectric layer and over the first conducting line.

Abstract: Standard cell libraries include one or more standard cells and one or more corresponding standard cell variations. The one or more standard cell variations are different from their one or more standard cells in terms of geometric shapes, locations of the geometric shapes, and/or interconnections between the geometric shapes. The exemplary systems and methods described herein selectively choose from among the one or more standard cells and/or the one or more standard cell variations to form an electronic architectural design for an electronic device. In some situations, some of the one or more standard cells are unable to satisfy one or more electronic design constraints imposed by a semiconductor foundry and/or semiconductor technology node when placed onto the electronic device design real estate. In these situations, the one or more standard cell variations corresponding to these standard cells are placed onto the electronic device design real estate.

Abstract: Placement methods described in this disclosure provide placement and routing rules where a system implementing the automatic placement and routing (APR) method arranges standard cell structures in a vertical direction that is perpendicular to the fins but parallel to the cell height. Layout methods described in this disclosure also improve device density and further reduce cell height by incorporating vertical power supply lines into standard cell structures. Pin connections can be used to electrically connect the power supply lines to standard cell structures, thus improving device density and performance. The APR process is also configured to rotate standard cells to optimize device layout.

Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes: obtaining a circuit design including a plurality of 2D cells of a 2D cell library; partitioning the plurality of 2D cells of the circuit design into a first group assigned to a first tier and a second group assigned to a second tier; swapping the 2D cells assigned to the first tier with corresponding 3D cells of a first type 3D cell library respectively; and swapping the 2D cells assigned to the second tier with corresponding 3D cells of a second type 3D cell library respectively; wherein at least one of the obtaining, partitioning, and swapping is performed using a processor. An associated system is also disclosed.