Patents by Inventor Hui-Zhong ZHUANG
Hui-Zhong ZHUANG has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 11574900Abstract: A method includes generating a layout diagram of a cell of an integrated circuit (IC), and storing the generated layout diagram on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. In the generating the layout diagram of the cell, a first active region is arranged inside a boundary of the cell. The first active region extends along a first direction. At least one gate region is arranged inside the boundary. The at least one gate region extends across the first active region along a second direction transverse to the first direction. A first conductive region is arranged to overlap the first active region and a first edge of the boundary. The first conductive region is configured to form an electrical connection to the first active region.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2020Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Chih-Liang Chen, Shun Li Chen, Li-Chun Tien, Ting Yu Chen, Hui-Zhong Zhuang
-
Patent number: 11574110Abstract: A method of fabricating an integrated circuit structure includes placing a first set of conductive structure layout patterns on a first layout level, placing a second set of conductive structure layout patterns on a second layout level, placing a first set of via layout patterns between the second set of conductive structure layout patterns and the first set of conductive structure layout patterns, and manufacturing the integrated circuit structure based on at least one of the layout patterns of the integrated circuit. At least one of the layout patterns is stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and at least one of the placing operations is performed by a hardware processor. The first set of conductive structure layout patterns extends in a first direction. The second set of conductive structure layout patterns extends in the second direction, and overlap the first set of conductive structure layout patterns.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2018Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Jung-Chan Yang, Ting-Wei Chiang, Jerry Chang-Jui Kao, Hui-Zhong Zhuang, Lee-Chung Lu, Li-Chun Tien, Meng-Hung Shen, Shang-Chih Hsieh, Chi-Yu Lu
-
Publication number: 20230035939Abstract: A semiconductor device, includes a first metal layer, a second metal layer, and at least one conductive via. The first metal layer has a first conductor that extends in a first direction and a second conductor that extends in the first direction, wherein the second conductor is directly adjacent to the first conductor. The second metal layer has a third conductor that extends in a second direction, wherein the second direction is transverse to the first direction. The at least one conductive via connects the first conductor and the second conductor through the third conductor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2021Publication date: February 2, 2023Inventors: Wei-Hsin TSAI, Hui-Zhong ZHUANG, Chih-Liang CHEN, Li-Chun TIEN
-
Publication number: 20230022333Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a set of active regions, a first set of contacts, a set of gates, a first set of power rails and a first set of vias. The set of active regions extends in a first direction. The first set of contacts overlaps the set of active regions, and a first and a second cell boundary of the integrated circuit that extends in a second direction. The set of gates extends in the second direction, overlaps the set of active regions, and is between the first and second cell boundary. The first set of power rails extends in the first direction, and overlaps at least the first set of contacts. The first set of vias electrically couples the first set of contacts and the first set of power rails together. The set of active regions extend continuously through the first cell boundary and the second cell boundary.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2022Publication date: January 26, 2023Inventors: Kuang-Ching CHANG, Jung-Chan YANG, Hui-Zhong ZHUANG, Chih-Liang CHEN
-
Patent number: 11556688Abstract: A method includes positioning a first active region adjacent to a pair of second active regions in an initial integrated circuit (IC) layout diagram of an initial cell, to align side edges of the first active region and corresponding side edges of each second active region of the pair of second active regions along a cell height direction. The first active region forms, together with the initial cell, a modified cell having a modified IC layout diagram. The side edges of the first active region and the corresponding side edges of each second active region extend along the cell height direction. A height dimension of the first active region in the cell height direction is less than half of a height dimension of each second active region of the pair of second active regions in the cell height direction. The positioning the first active region is executed by a processor.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2021Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Jian-Sing Li, Hui-Zhong Zhuang, Jung-Chan Yang, Ting Yu Chen, Ting-Wei Chiang, Tzu-Ying Lin, Li-Chun Tien
-
Publication number: 20230009224Abstract: A method of fabricating an integrated circuit. The method includes generating two first-type active zones and two second-type active zones, and generating a gate-strip intersecting the two first-type active zones and the two second-type active zones. The method further includes patterning one or more poly cuts intersecting the gate-strip based on a determination of a difference between the poly extension effect of a p-type transistor and the poly extension effect of an n-type transistor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2021Publication date: January 12, 2023Inventors: Jian-Sing LI, Chi-Yu LU, Hui-Zhong ZHUANG, Chih-Liang CHEN
-
Patent number: 11552069Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first, second and third power rail, and a header circuit coupled to a gated circuit. The gated circuit is configured to operate on a first or second voltage. The first and second power rail are on a back-side of a wafer, and extend in a first direction. The header circuit is configured to supply the first voltage to the gated circuit by the first power rail. The second power rail is separated from the first power rail in a second direction. The second power rail is configured to supply the second voltage to the gated circuit. The third power rail is on a front-side of the wafer and includes a first set of conductors extending in the second direction, and separated in the first direction. Each of the first set of conductors is configured to supply a third voltage to the header circuit.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2021Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Kuang-Ching Chang, Jung-Chan Yang, Hui-Zhong Zhuang, Chih-Liang Chen, Kuo-Nan Yang
-
Patent number: 11550986Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first active region, a second active region, a first insulating region, a first contact and a second contact. The first and second active region extend in a first direction, are in a substrate, and are located on a first level. The second active region is separated from the first active region in a second direction. The first insulating region is over the first active region. The first contact extends in the second direction, overlaps the second active region, and is located on a second level different from the first level. The second contact extends in the first direction and the second direction, overlaps the first insulating region and the first contact. The second contact is electrically insulated from the first active region, and is located on a third level different from the first level and the second level.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2021Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Pochun Wang, Yu-Jung Chang, Hui-Zhong Zhuang, Ting-Wei Chiang
-
Patent number: 11545965Abstract: A clock gating circuit includes a NOR logic gate, a transmission gate, a cross-coupled pair of transistors, and a first transistor. The NOR logic gate is coupled to a first node, and receives a first and a second enable signal, and outputs a first control signal. The transmission gate is coupled between the first and a second node, and receives the first control signal, an inverted clock input signal and a clock output signal. The cross-coupled pair of transistors is coupled between the second node and an output node, and receives at least a second control signal. The first transistor includes a first gate terminal configured to receive the inverted clock input signal, a first drain terminal coupled to the output node, and a first source terminal coupled to a reference voltage supply. The first transistor adjusts the clock output signal responsive to the inverted clock input signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2020Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Seid Hadi Rasouli, Jerry Chang Jui Kao, Xiangdong Chen, Tzu-Ying Lin, Yung-Chen Chen, Hui-Zhong Zhuang, Chi-Lin Liu
-
Patent number: 11544437Abstract: An integrated circuit designing system includes a non-transitory storage medium, the non-transitory storage medium being encoded with a layout of a standard cell corresponding to a predetermined manufacturing process, the predetermined manufacturing process having a nominal minimum pitch of metal lines along a predetermined direction, the layout of the standard cell having a cell height along the predetermined direction, and the cell height is a non-integral multiple of the nominal minimum pitch. The integrated circuit designing system further includes a hardware processor communicatively coupled with the non-transitory storage medium and configured to execute a set of instructions for generating an integrated circuit layout based on the layout of the standard cell and the nominal minimum pitch.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2020Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Shang-Chih Hsieh, Chun-Fu Chen, Ting-Wei Chiang, Hui-Zhong Zhuang, Hsiang-Jen Tseng
-
Publication number: 20220416026Abstract: A cell region of a semiconductor device includes a first and second isolation dummy gates extending along a first direction. The semiconductor device further includes a first gate extending along the first direction and between the first isolation dummy gate and the second isolation dummy gate. The semiconductor device includes a second gate extending along the first direction, the second gate being between the first isolation dummy gate and the second isolation dummy gate relative to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The semiconductor device also includes a first active region and a second active region. The first active region extending in the second direction between the first isolation dummy gate and the second isolation dummy gate. The first active region has a first length in the second direction, and the second active region has a second length in the second direction different from the first length.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2022Publication date: December 29, 2022Inventors: Cheng-Yu LIN, Yi-Lin FAN, Hui-Zhong ZHUANG, Sheng-Hsiung CHEN, Jerry Chang Jui KAO, Xiangdong CHEN
-
Patent number: 11526647Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first type-one transistor, a second type-one transistor, a first type-two transistor, a second 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 first active-region of the third type-one transistor is connected with an active-region of the first type-one transistor. The second active-region and the gate of the third type-one transistor are connected together. The first active-region of the fifth type-one transistor is connected with the gate of the third type-one transistor. The second active-region of the fifth type-one transistor is configured to have a first supply voltage of a second power supply.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2020Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Chi-Yu Lu, Ting-Wei Chiang, Hui-Zhong Zhuang, Jerry Chang Jui Kao, Pin-Dai Sue, Jiun-Jia Huang, Yu-Ti Su, Wei-Hsiang Ma
-
Patent number: 11526649Abstract: A method of making an integrated circuit includes operations to identify reverse signal nets of the circuit layout, determine the parasitic capacitance in conductive lines, and determine how to adjust an integrated circuit layout to reduce the parasitic capacitance of the conductive lines to the reverse signal net. The method further includes an operation to determine whether to move one of the conductive lines in the integrated circuit layout, an operation to determine whether to insert an isolation structure between the conductive lines of the reverse signal net having parasitic capacitance, and operations to adjust the layout by moving a conductive line.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2021Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Cheok-Kei Lei, Jerry Chang Jui Kao, Chi-Lin Liu, Hui-Zhong Zhuang, Zhe-Wei Jiang, Chien-Hsing Li
-
Publication number: 20220384417Abstract: A method includes disposing a first power rail, a second power rail and a third power rail arranged in order; disposing a first cell row having a first row height between the first power rail and the second power rail; and disposing a second cell row having the first row height between the third power rail and the second power rail. Each of the first power rail and the third power rail has a first width, and the second power rail has a second width larger than the first width.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2022Publication date: December 1, 2022Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Hui-Zhong ZHUANG, Xiang-Dong CHEN, Lee-Chung LU, Tzu-Ying LIN, Yung-Chin HOU
-
Publication number: 20220382951Abstract: A method of fabricating an integrated circuit includes placing a first set of conductive feature patterns on a first level, placing a second set of conductive feature patterns on a second level, placing a first set of via patterns between the second set of conductive feature patterns and the first set of conductive feature patterns, placing a third set of conductive feature patterns on a third level different from the first level and the second level, placing a second set of via patterns between the third set of conductive feature patterns and the second set of conductive feature patterns, and manufacturing the integrated circuit based on at least one of the above patterns of the integrated circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2022Publication date: December 1, 2022Inventors: Jung-Chan YANG, Ting-Wei CHIANG, Jerry Chang-Jui KAO, Hui-Zhong ZHUANG, Lee-Chung LU, Li-Chun TIEN, Meng-Hung SHEN, Shang-Chih HSIEH, Chi-Yu LU
-
Publication number: 20220382948Abstract: A layout method includes disposing a first conductive path and a second conductive path across a boundary between a first layout device and a second layout device abutting the first layout device. The layout method also includes disposing a first cut layer on the first conductive path nearby the boundary, and disposing a second cut layer on the second conductive path nearby the boundary. The layout method also includes moving the first cut layer to align with the second cut layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2022Publication date: December 1, 2022Inventors: CHEOK-KEI LEI, YU-CHI LI, CHIA-WEI TSENG, ZHE-WEI JIANG, CHI-LIN LIU, JERRY CHANG-JUI KAO, JUNG-CHAN YANG, CHI-YU LU, HUI-ZHONG ZHUANG
-
Publication number: 20220382957Abstract: A system for generating a layout diagram of a wire routing arrangement in a multi-patterning context having multiple masks (the layout diagram being stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium), at least one processor, at least one memory and computer program code (for one or more programs) of the system being configured to cause the system to execute generating the layout diagram including: placing, relative to a given one of the masks, a given cut pattern at a first candidate location over a corresponding portion of a given conductive pattern in a metallization layer; determining whether the first candidate location results in at least one of a non-circular group or a cyclic group which violates a design rule; and temporarily preventing placement of the given cut pattern in the metallization layer at the first candidate location until a correction is made which avoids violating the design rule.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2022Publication date: December 1, 2022Inventors: Fong-Yuan CHANG, Chin-Chou LIU, Hui-Zhong ZHUANG, Meng-Kai HSU, Pin-Dai SUE, Po-Hsiang HUANG, Yi-Kan CHENG, Chi-Yu LU, Jung-Chou TSAI
-
Patent number: 11508661Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a set of active regions in a substrate, a first set of conductive structures, a shallow trench isolation (STI) region, a set of gates and a first set of vias. The set of active regions extend in a first direction and is located on a first level. The first set of conductive structures and the STI region extend in at least the first direction or a second direction, is located on the first level, and is between the set of active regions. The STI region is between the set of active regions and the first set of conductive structures. The set of gates extend in the second direction and overlap the first set of conductive structures. The first set of vias couple the first set of conductive structures to the set of gates.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2020Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Pochun Wang, Ting-Wei Chiang, Chih-Ming Lai, Hui-Zhong Zhuang, Jung-Chan Yang, Ru-Gun Liu, Ya-Chi Chou, Yi-Hsiung Lin, Yu-Xuan Huang, Yu-Jung Chang, Guo-Huei Wu, Shih-Ming Chang
-
Patent number: 11509293Abstract: An integrated circuit disclosed here includes a first plurality of cell rows, a second plurality of cell rows, first and second clock inverters, and a plurality of flip-flops. The second plurality of cell rows are arranged abutting the first plurality of cell rows. A first number of fins in the first plurality of cell rows is different from a second number of fins in the second plurality of cell rows. The first and second clock inverters are arranged in the second plurality of cell rows. The plurality of flip-flops are arranged in the first plurality of cell rows and the second plurality of cell rows. The plurality of flip-flops include a first plurality of flip-flops configured to operate in response to the first clock and second clock signals.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2020Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Po-Chun Wang, Hui-Zhong Zhuang, Chih-Liang Chen, Jerry Chang-Jui Kao, Tzu-Ying Lin
-
Patent number: RE49331Abstract: A set of masks corresponds to an integrated circuit layout. The integrated circuit layout includes a first cell having a first transistor region and a second transistor region, and a second cell having a third transistor region and a fourth transistor region. The first cell and the second cell adjoin each other at side cell boundaries thereof, the first transistor region and the third transistor region are formed in a first continuous active region, and the second transistor region and the fourth transistor region are formed in a second continuous active region. The set of masks is formed based on the integrated circuit layout.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2018Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Lee-Chung Lu, Li-Chun Tien, Hui-Zhong Zhuang, Chang-Yu Wu