Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes: a first gate structure and a second gate structure extending in a first direction; a first base level metal interconnect (M0) pattern extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a second M0 pattern extending in the second direction; a third M0 pattern located between the first and second gate structures and extending in the first direction, two ends of the third M0 pattern connected to the first M0 pattern and the second M0 pattern, respectively; a fourth M0 pattern and a fifth M0 pattern located between the first and second M0 patterns and extending in the second direction. A distance between the fourth M0 pattern and the first M0 pattern in the first direction is equal to a minimum M0 pattern pitch, and a distance between the fourth M0 pattern and the second M0 pattern is equal to the minimum M0 pattern pitch.

Abstract: Various memory cell structures and power routings for one or more cells in an integrated circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, different metal layers are used for power stripes that are operable to connect to voltage sources to supply different voltage signals, which allows some or all of the power stripes to have a larger width. Additionally or alternatively, fewer metal stripes are used for signals in a metal layer to allow the power stripe in that metal layer to have a larger width. The larger width(s) in turn increases the total area of the power stripe(s) to reduce the IR drop across the power stripe. The various power routings include connecting metal pillars in one metal layer to a power stripe in another metal layer, and extending a metal stripe in one metal layer to provide additional connections to a power stripe in another metal layer.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first transistor, a horizontal routing track extending in a first direction in a first metal layer, and a via connector conductively connecting the horizontal routing track to a first terminal of the first transistor. The integrated circuit also includes a backside routing track extending in the first direction in a backside metal layer, and a backside via connector conductively connecting the backside routing track to a second terminal of the first transistor. The backside metal layer and the first metal layer are formed at opposite sides of a semiconductor substrate. In the integrated circuit, either the first terminal or the second terminal is a gate terminal of the first transistor.

Abstract: A monolithic three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuit (IC) device includes a lower tier including a lower tier cell and an upper tier arranged over the lower tier. The upper tier has a first upper tier cell and a second upper tier cell separated by a predetermined lateral space. A monolithic inter-tier via (MIV) extends from the lower tier through the predetermined lateral space, and the MIV has a first end electrically connected to the lower tier cell and a second end electrically connected to the first upper tier cell.

Abstract: Various memory cell structures and power routings for one or more cells in an integrated circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, different metal layers are used for power stripes that are operable to connect to voltage sources to supply different voltage signals, which allows some or all of the power stripes to have a larger width. Additionally or alternatively, fewer metal stripes are used for signals in a metal layer to allow the power stripe in that metal layer to have a larger width. The larger width(s) in turn increases the total area of the power stripe(s) to reduce the IR drop across the power stripe. The various power routings include connecting metal pillars in one metal layer to a power stripe in another metal layer, and extending a metal stripe in one metal layer to provide additional connections to a power stripe in another metal layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device (having a CMOS architecture) includes first to fourth cell regions Each of the first and second cell regions includes a pair of first and second stacks of nanosheets relative to, e.g., the Z-axis. The nanosheets of the first stack have a first dopant-type, e.g., N-type. The nanosheets of the second stack have a second dopant type, e.g., P-type. Each pair of first and second stacks represents a CMOS architecture relative to a second direction, e.g., the Y-axis Each of the third and fourth cell regions has CFET architecture, the CFET architecture being a type of CMOS architecture relative to the Z-axis. The third and fourth cell regions are adjacent each other relative to the Y-axis. The first and second active regions are on corresponding first and second sides of each of the third and fourth active regions. The first and second cell regions are non-CFET cell regions.

Abstract: A device includes a first row of active areas, a second row of active areas, and a first power via. The first row of active areas includes first active areas that extend in a first direction and second active areas that extend in the first direction. Each of the first active areas has a first width in a second direction and each of the second active areas has a second width in the second direction that is smaller than the first width. The second row of active areas is situated above or below the first row of active areas and includes third active areas that extend in the first direction. Each of the third active areas has the second width in the second direction. The first power via extends in a third direction between a transistor level of the device and a backside metal layer of the device and is situated between the first row of active areas and the second row of active areas.

Abstract: A method of generating an integrated circuit (IC) layout diagram includes obtaining a grid of intersecting first and second pluralities of tracks corresponding to adjacent metal layers, determining that first and second pitches of the respective first and second pluralities of tracks conform to a first rule, applying a via positioning pattern to the grid whereby via regions are restricted to alternating diagonal grid lines, positioning via regions at some or all of the grid intersections of the alternating diagonal grid lines, and generating the IC layout diagram including the via regions positioned along the alternating diagonal grid lines.

Abstract: A method of generating an IC layout diagram includes abutting a first row of cells with a second row of cells along a border, the first row including first and second active sheets, the second row including third and fourth active sheets, the active sheets extending along a row direction and having width values. The active sheets are overlapped with first through fourth back-side via regions, the first active sheet width value is greater than the third active sheet width value, a first back-side via region width values is greater than a third back-side via region width value, and a value of a distance from the first active sheet to the border is less than a minimum spacing rule for metal-like defined regions. At least one of abutting the first row with the second row or overlapping the active sheets with the back-side via regions is performed by a processor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor is of a first type in a first layer and includes a gate extending in a first direction and a first active region extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The second transistor is of a second type arranged in a second layer over the first layer and includes the gate and a second active region extending in the second direction. The semiconductor device further includes a first conductive line in a third layer between the first and second layers. The first conductive line electrically connects a first source/drain region of the first active region to a second source/drain region of the second active region. The gate includes an upper portion and a lower portion, and the first conductive line crosses the first gate between the upper portion and the lower portion.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first active region disposed on the substrate, a first gate structure disposed on the first active region, and a second gate structure disposed on the first active region and spaced apart from the first gate structure. The first active region includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the first active region and the second portion of the first active region collectively specify a first stair profile. The first stair profile is located between the first gate structure and the second gate structure from a top view.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a substrate; and a first conductive line extending parallel to a top surface of the substrate. The first conductive line is a first distance from the substrate. The integrated circuit further includes a second conductive line extending parallel to the top surface of the substrate. The second conductive line is a second distance from the substrate. The integrated circuit further includes a third conductive line extending parallel to the top surface of the substrate. The third conductive line is a third distance from the substrate. The integrated circuit further includes a supervia directly connected to the first conductive line and the third conductive line, wherein a first angle between a sidewall of a lower portion of the supervia and the substrate is different from a second angle between a sidewall of an upper portion of the supervia and the substrate.

Abstract: A method (of forming a semiconductor device) including forming cell regions (in alternating first and second rows having first and second heights) including forming a majority of the cell regions in the first rows including: limiting a height of the majority of the cell regions to be single-row cell regions that span corresponding single one of the first rows but do not extend therebeyond; and forming a minority of the cell regions correspondingly in at least the first rows including reducing widths of the multi-row cell regions to be smaller than comparable single-row cell regions; and expanding heights of the minority of the cell regions to be multi-row cell regions, each of the multi-row cell regions spanning a corresponding single first row and at least a corresponding second row such that cell region densities of the second rows are at least about forty percent.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a first conductive pattern disposed within a first region from a top view perspective and extending along a first direction, a first phase shift circuit disposed within the first region, a first transmission circuit disposed within a second region from the top view perspective, and a first gate conductor extending from the first region to the second region along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first phase shift circuit and the first transmission circuit are electrically connected with the first conductive pattern through the first gate conductor.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first conductive structure including a root portion of the first conductive structure, tine portions that are arranged in a first semiconductor layer, a neck portion surrounded by a film structure. The integrated circuit further includes a second conductive structure having first and second portions that are stacked along a first direction. The first portion of the second conductive structure is surrounded by the film structure and the second portion of the second conductive structure is in the first semiconductor layer. A third conductive structure in the integrated circuit has horizontal and vertical structures. The horizontal structure extends in a second semiconductor layer and the vertical structure passes through the second semiconductor layer and the film structure to contact a first conductive rail. The first conductive rail and the tine portions are apart from the horizontal structure along the first direction by a same distance.

Abstract: Provided are a semiconductor device and a method of forming the same. The semiconductor device includes: at least one gate structure having a first side and a second side opposite to each other; a first source/drain (S/D) feature disposed at the first side of the at least one gate structure; a second S/D feature disposed at the second side of the at least one gate structure; a first metal-to-drain/source (MD) contact disposed on the first S/D feature; and a second MD contact disposed on the second S/D feature, wherein a contact area between the first MD contact and the first S/D feature is greater than a contact area between the second MD contact and the second S/D feature.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes: an integrated circuit structure includes: a first plurality of cell rows extending in a first direction, and a second plurality of cell rows extending in the first direction. Each of the first plurality of cell rows has a first row height and comprises a plurality of first cells disposed therein. Each of the second plurality of cell rows has a second row height different from the first row height and comprises a plurality of second cells disposed therein. The plurality of first cells comprises a first plurality of active regions each of which continuously extends across the plurality of first cells in the first direction. The plurality of second cells comprises a second plurality of active regions each of which continuously extends across the plurality of second cells in the first direction. At least one active region of the first and second pluralities of active regions has a width varying along the first direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes first and second conductive layers, a first epitaxial structure and a first via structure. The first conductive layer extends along a first direction, and provides a first reference voltage signal. The second conductive layer extends along the first direction, and is separated from the first conductive layer along a second direction. The first epitaxial structure is disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, and has a first width along the first direction. The first via structure is disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, and transmits the first reference voltage signal from the first conductive layer through the second conductive layer to the first epitaxial structure. The first via structure has a second width along the first direction. The second width is approximately equal to or larger than twice of the first width.

Abstract: A method is provided, including the following operations: arranging a first gate structure extending continuously above a first active region and a second active region of a substrate; arranging a first separation spacer disposed on the first gate structure to isolate an electronic signal transmitted through a first gate via and a second gate via that are disposed on the first gate structure, wherein the first gate via and the second gate via are arranged above the first active region and the second active region respectively; and arranging a first local interconnect between the first active region and the second active region, wherein the first local interconnect is electrically coupled to a first contact disposed on the first active region and a second contact disposed on the second active region.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of forming a structure includes forming a first transistor and a second transistor over a first substrate; forming a front-side interconnect structure over the first transistor and the second transistor; etching at least a backside of the first substrate to expose the first transistor and the second transistor; forming a first backside via electrically connected to the first transistor; forming a second backside via electrically connected to the second transistor; depositing a dielectric layer over the first backside via and the second backside via; forming a first conductive line in the dielectric layer, the first conductive line being a power rail electrically connected to the first transistor through the first backside via; and forming a second conductive line in the dielectric layer, the second conductive line being a signal line electrically connected to the second transistor through the second backside via.