Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one first device having a first contacted poly pitch (CPP) and a first contact. The first contact has a first contact size. The apparatus also includes at least one second device having a second CPP, a second contact, and a contact liner. The second CPP is larger than the first CPP. The second contact size is constrained by the contact liner, such that the contact liner reduces a contact opening for the second contact.

Abstract: A capacitor includes first conductive fingers interdigitated with second conductive fingers at an Mx interconnect level, and third conductive fingers interdigitated with fourth conductive fingers at an Mx-1 interconnect level. The third conductive fingers are offset from the first conductive fingers. The second conductive fingers are offset from the fourth conductive fingers. The capacitor further includes fifth conductive fingers interdigitated with sixth conductive fingers at an Mx-2 interconnect level. The fifth conductive fingers are offset from the third conductive fingers. The sixth conductive fingers are offset from the fourth conductive fingers. The capacitor further includes seventh conductive fingers interdigitated with eighth conductive fingers at an Mx-3 interconnect level. The seventh conductive fingers are offset from the fifth conductive fingers. The eighth conductive fingers are offset from the sixth conductive fingers.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) interconnect structure may include a metal layer with asymmetric metal line-dielectric structures supporting fully self-aligned vertical interconnect accesses (vias). The interconnect structure includes metal lines spaced at a metal line pitch and dielectric structures disposed between adjacent metal lines. The width of the metal lines is asymmetric to the width of dielectric structures, providing an asymmetric width relationship that allows a metal line to have a greater cross-sectional area for reducing electrical resistance without having to increase metal line pitch. The via pattern is self-aligned to an upper metal opening at the top and an underlayer metal recess opening at the bottom, allowing the maximum contact area to reduce via resistance. To reduce capacitive coupling between adjacent metal lines, the adjacent interconnect structures include a plurality of gaps formed in a dielectric material of the dielectric structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a contact via and a metal interconnect on the contact via. The metal interconnect has a portion extending in a lengthwise direction that is wrapped around and in contact with a sidewall of the contact via. Along a widthwise direction, the metal interconnect does not contact the sidewall of the contact via.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a contact via and a metal interconnect on the contact via. The metal interconnect has a portion extending in a lengthwise direction that is wrapped around and in contact with a sidewall of the contact via. Along a widthwise direction, the metal interconnect does not contact the sidewall of the contact via.

Abstract: An integrated circuit (e.g., a stacked capacitor) achieves higher capacitor density without additional area consumption. The integrated circuit includes a metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor (MOSCAP), a metal-oxide-metal capacitor (MOMCAP) and a metal-insulator-metal capacitor (MIMCAP) stacked together. The MOSCAP includes a gate and source/drain (S/D) regions. The MOMCAP is included in back-end-of-line (BEOL) layers over the MOSCAP or supported by the MOSCAP.

Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one first device having a first contacted poly pitch (CPP) and a first contact. The first contact has a first contact size. The apparatus also includes at least one second device having a second CPP, a second contact, and a contact liner. The second CPP is larger than the first CPP. The second contact size is constrained by the contact liner, such that the contact liner reduces a contact opening for the second contact.

Abstract: A capacitor includes first conductive fingers interdigitated with second conductive fingers at an Mx interconnect level, and third conductive fingers interdigitated with fourth conductive fingers at an Mx-1 interconnect level. The third conductive fingers are offset from the first conductive fingers. The second conductive fingers are offset from the fourth conductive fingers. The capacitor further includes fifth conductive fingers interdigitated with sixth conductive fingers at an Mx-2 interconnect level. The fifth conductive fingers are offset from the third conductive fingers. The sixth conductive fingers are offset from the fourth conductive fingers. The capacitor further includes seventh conductive fingers interdigitated with eighth conductive fingers at an Mx-3 interconnect level. The seventh conductive fingers are offset from the fifth conductive fingers. The eighth conductive fingers are offset from the sixth conductive fingers.

Abstract: Aspects describing modified self-aligned quadruple patterning (SAQP) processes using cut pattern masks to fabricate integrated circuit (IC) cells with reduced area are disclosed. In one aspect, a modified SAQP process includes disposing multiple mandrels. First spacers are disposed on either side of each mandrel, and second spacers are disposed on either side of each first spacer. A cut pattern mask is disposed over the second spacers and includes openings that expose second spacers corresponding to locations in which voltage rails are to be disposed. The voltage rails are formed by removing the second spacers exposed by the openings in the cut pattern mask, and disposing the voltage rails in the corresponding locations left vacant by removing the second spacers. Routing lines are disposed over routing tracks formed between each set of the remaining second spacers to allow for interconnecting of active devices formed in the IC cell.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit may include a substrate, a first group of metal layers including a plurality of first fingers over the substrate, wherein the first fingers are formed without a via. The integrated circuit may further include a second group of metal layers including a plurality of second fingers over the first group of metal layers, wherein the second fingers are formed with vias, and wherein the first and the second group of metal layers are formed by a processing technology node of 7 nm or below.

Abstract: Middle-of-line (MOL) metal resistor temperature sensors for localized temperature sensing of active semiconductor areas in integrated circuits (ICs) are disclosed. One or more metal resistors are fabricated in a MOL layer in the IC adjacent to an active semiconductor area to sense ambient temperature in the adjacent active semiconductor area. Voltage of the metal resistor will change as a function of ambient temperature of the metal resistor, which can be sensed to measure the ambient temperature around devices in the active semiconductor layer adjacent to the metal resistor. By fabricating a metal resistor in the MOL layer, the metal resistor can be localized adjacent and close to semiconductor devices to more accurately sense ambient temperature of the semiconductor devices. The same fabrication processes used to create contacts in the MOL layer can be used to fabricate the metal resistor.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit may include a substrate, a first group of metal layers including a plurality of first fingers over the substrate, wherein the first fingers are formed without a via. The integrated circuit may further include a second group of metal layers including a plurality of second fingers over the first group of metal layers, wherein the second fingers are formed with vias, and wherein the first and the second group of metal layers are formed by a processing technology node of 7 nm or below.

Abstract: Adaptive pulse generation circuits for clocking pulse latches with minimum hold time are provided. In one aspect, an adaptive pulse generation circuit employs a dynamic XOR-based logic gate configured to provide a pulse generation signal based on an XOR-based function of data input and data output-based signals of a pulse latch. A pull-down keeper circuit is configured to pull the pulse generation signal to a ground voltage in response to the pulse generation signal being in an inactive state while the clock signal is in an active state. A logic circuit is configured to generate an adaptive pulse signal to clock a pulse latch in response to the pulse generation signal and the clock signal being in an active state. This configuration results in the pulse width of the adaptive pulse signal corresponding to the input-to-output delay of the pulse latch.

Abstract: Middle-of-line (MOL) metal resistor temperature sensors for localized temperature sensing of active semiconductor areas in integrated circuits (ICs) are disclosed. One or more metal resistors are fabricated in a MOL layer in the IC adjacent to an active semiconductor area to sense ambient temperature in the adjacent active semiconductor area. Voltage of the metal resistor will change as a function of ambient temperature of the metal resistor, which can be sensed to measure the ambient temperature around devices in the active semiconductor layer adjacent to the metal resistor. By fabricating a metal resistor in the MOL layer, the metal resistor can be localized adjacent and close to semiconductor devices to more accurately sense ambient temperature of the semiconductor devices. The same fabrication processes used to create contacts in the MOL layer can be used to fabricate the metal resistor.

Abstract: Aspects describing modified self-aligned quadruple patterning (SAQP) processes using cut pattern masks to fabricate integrated circuit (IC) cells with reduced area are disclosed. In one aspect, a modified SAQP process includes disposing multiple mandrels. First spacers are disposed on either side of each mandrel, and second spacers are disposed on either side of each first spacer. A cut pattern mask is disposed over the second spacers and includes openings that expose second spacers corresponding to locations in which voltage rails are to be disposed. The voltage rails are formed by removing the second spacers exposed by the openings in the cut pattern mask, and disposing the voltage rails in the corresponding locations left vacant by removing the second spacers. Routing lines are disposed over routing tracks formed between each set of the remaining second spacers to allow for interconnecting of active devices formed in the IC cell.

Abstract: Adaptive pulse generation circuits for clocking pulse latches with minimum hold time are provided. In one aspect, an adaptive pulse generation circuit employs a dynamic XOR-based logic gate configured to provide a pulse generation signal based on an XOR-based function of data input and data output-based signals of a pulse latch. A pull-down keeper circuit is configured to pull the pulse generation signal to a ground voltage in response to the pulse generation signal being in an inactive state while the clock signal is in an active state. A logic circuit is configured to generate an adaptive pulse signal to clock a pulse latch in response to the pulse generation signal and the clock signal being in an active state. This configuration results in the pulse width of the adaptive pulse signal corresponding to the input-to-output delay of the pulse latch.

Abstract: Middle-of-line (MOL) metal resistor temperature sensors for localized temperature sensing of active semiconductor areas in integrated circuits (ICs) are disclosed. One or more metal resistors are fabricated in a MOL layer in the IC adjacent to an active semiconductor area to sense ambient temperature in the adjacent active semiconductor area. Voltage of the metal resistor will change as a function of ambient temperature of the metal resistor, which can be sensed to measure the ambient temperature around devices in the active semiconductor layer adjacent to the metal resistor. By fabricating a metal resistor in the MOL layer, the metal resistor can be localized adjacent and close to semiconductor devices to more accurately sense ambient temperature of the semiconductor devices. The same fabrication processes used to create contacts in the MOL layer can be used to fabricate the metal resistor.

Abstract: A heterogeneous cell array includes a first column of cells and a second column of cells. The first column of cells includes a first cell having a first area and a second cell having the first area. The first cell includes two fin-type field effect transistors having a first number of fins and the second cell includes two fin-type field effect transistors having the first number of fins. The second column of cells includes a third cell having a second area. The third cell is adjacent to the first cell and to the second cell, and the third cell includes two fin-type field effect transistors having a second number of fins. The second area is greater than the first area, and the second number of fins is greater than the first number of fins.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor reduces the number of masks and processing steps compared to conventional techniques. A conductive redistribution layer (RDL) is patterned on a semiconductor chip. A MIM dielectric layer is deposited over the RDL. A first conductive layer of a MIM capacitor is deposited over the MIM dielectric layer. The MIM dielectric layer is patterned using a MIM conductive layer mask. The conductive redistribution layer includes two RDL nodes that extend under the first conductive layer of the MIM capacitor. A conductive via or bump extends through the MIM dielectric layer and couples one of the RDL nodes to the first conductive layer of the MIM capacitor.

Abstract: A metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor reduces a number of masks and processing steps compared to conventional techniques. A first conductive layer of a MIM capacitor is deposited on a semiconductor chip and patterned using a MIM conductive layer mask. A conductive redistribution layer (RDL) is patterned over the MIM dielectric layer. The conductive redistribution layer includes two RDL nodes that overlap the first conductive layer of the MIM capacitor. A conductive via or bump extends through the MIM dielectric layer and couples one of the RDL nodes to the first conductive layer of the MIM capacitor.