Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a set of gate structures, a first conductive structure, a first and second set of vias, and a first set of conductive structures. The set of gate structures is located at a first level. The first conductive structure extends in a first direction, overlaps the set of gate structures and is located at a second level. The first set of vias is between the set of gate structures and the first conductive structure. The first set of vias couple the set of gate structures to the first conductive structure. The first set of conductive structures extend in a second direction, overlap the first conductive structure, and is located at a third level. The second set of vias couple the first set of conductive structures to the first conductive structure, and is between the first set of conductive structures and the first conductive structure.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes first and second source/drain regions within a substrate. A gate structure is over the substrate between the first and second source/drain regions. A middle-end-of-the-line (MEOL) structure is over the second source/drain region. The MEOL structure has a bottommost surface that continuously extends in a first direction from directly contacting a top of the second source/drain region to laterally past an outer edge of the second source/drain region. A conductive structure is on the MEOL structure. A second gate structure is separated from the gate structure by the second source/drain region. The conductive structure continuously extends in a second direction over the MEOL structure and past opposing sides of the second gate structure. A plurality of conductive contacts are configured to electrically couple an interconnect wire and the MEOL structure along through the conductive structure.

Abstract: A layout of an integrated circuit includes: a first layout device; a second layout device abutting the first layout device at a boundary between the first layout device and the second layout device, wherein the second layout device is a redundant circuit in the integrated circuit; a conductive path disposed across the boundary of the first layout device and the second layout device; and a cut layer disposed on the conductive path and nearby the boundary for disconnecting the first layout device from the second layout device by cutting the conductive path into a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion according to a position of the cut layer; wherein the first layout device is a first layout pattern and the second layout device is a second layout pattern different from the first layout pattern.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to an integrated circuit (IC) having parallel conductive paths between a BEOL interconnect layer and a middle-end-of-the-line (MEOL) structure, which are configured to reduce a parasitic resistance and/or capacitance of the IC. The IC comprises source/drain regions arranged within a substrate and separated by a channel region. A gate structure is arranged over the channel region and a MEOL structure is arranged over one of the source/drain regions. A conductive structure is arranged over and in electrical contact with the MEOL structure. A first conductive contact is arranged between the MEOL structure and an overlying BEOL interconnect wire (e.g., a power rail). A second conductive contact is configured to electrically couple the BEOL interconnect wire and the MEOL structure along a conductive path extending through the conductive structure, thereby forming parallel conductive paths between the BEOL interconnect layer and the MEOL structure.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an example method for routing a standard cell with multiple pins. The method can include modifying a dimension of a pin of the standard cell, where the pin is spaced at an increased distance from a boundary of the standard cell than an original position of the pin. The method also includes routing an interconnect from the pin to a via placed on a pin track located between the pin and the boundary and inserting a keep out area between the interconnect and a pin from an adjacent standard cell. The method further includes verifying that the keep out area separates the interconnect from the pin from the adjacent standard cell by at least a predetermined distance.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an active region in a substrate. The active region extends in a first direction. The semiconductor device further includes a gate structure extending in a second direction different from the first direction. The gate structure extends across the active region. The semiconductor device further includes a plurality of source/drain contacts extending in the second direction and overlapping a plurality of source/drain regions in the active region on opposite sides of the gate structure. A first source/drain contact of the plurality of source/drain contacts has a first width, and a second source/drain contact of the plurality of source/drain contacts has a second width less than the first width.

Abstract: A method for designing an integrated circuit includes steps of selecting a power rail of a cell, determining that a clearance distance for an electrical connection to or around the power rail is not sufficient to fit the electrical connection, selecting a power rail portion of the power rail for modification, and modifying a shape of the power rail portion to provide a clearance distance sufficient to fit the electrical connection. As clearance distances between features in an interconnection structure of an integrated circuit become smaller, manufacturing becomes more difficult and error-prone. Increasing clearance distances improves manufacturability of an integrated circuit. Modifying the shape of an integrated circuit power rail increases clearance distance to and/or around a power rail.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first diffusion area for a first type transistor. The first type transistor includes a first drain region and a first source region. A second diffusion area for a second type transistor is separated from the first diffusion area. The second type transistor includes a second drain region and a second source region. A gate electrode continuously extends across the first diffusion area and the second diffusion area in a routing direction. A first metallic structure is electrically coupled with the first source region. A second metallic structure is electrically coupled with the second drain region. A third metallic structure is disposed over and electrically coupled with the first and second metallic structures. A width of the first metallic structure is substantially equal to or larger than a width of the third metallic structure.

Abstract: A method of generating an IC layout diagram includes positioning one or more cells in an IC layout diagram and overlapping the one or more cells with a first metal layer cut region based on a first metal layer cut region alignment pattern. The first metal layer cut region alignment pattern includes a pattern pitch equal to a height of the one or more cells.

Abstract: A method includes reserving a routing track within a cell, the cell includes signal lines for connection to elements within the cell, the cell further includes a plurality of routing tracks, the reserved routing track is one of the plurality of routing tracks, and the reserved routing track is free of the signal lines. The method includes placing the cell in a chip-level layout, wherein the chip-level layout includes a plurality of power rails. The method includes determining whether any of the plurality of power rails overlaps with any of the plurality of routing tracks other than the reserved routing track. The method includes adjusting a position of the cell in the chip-level layout in response to a determination that at least one power rail of the plurality of power rails overlaps with at least one routing track of the plurality of routing tracks other than the reserved routing track.

Abstract: 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 method further includes arranging at least one first fin feature in the first active region, to obtain 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. At least one of the positioning the first active region or the arranging the at least one first fin feature is executed by a processor.

Abstract: A method of forming an integrated circuit includes generating a first and a second standard cell layout design, generating a first set of cut feature layout patterns extending in a first direction, and manufacturing the integrated circuit based on the first or second standard cell layout design. Generating the first standard cell layout design includes generating a first set of conductive feature layout patterns extending in the first direction, and overlapping a first set of gridlines extending in the first direction. Generating the second standard cell layout design includes generating a second set of conductive feature layout patterns extending in the first direction and overlapping a second set of gridlines extending in the first direction. A side of a first cut feature layout pattern extending in the first direction is aligned with a first gridline of the first or second set of gridlines.

Abstract: A method of preparing an integrated circuit device design including analyzing a preliminary device layout to identify a vertical abutment between a first cell and a second cell, the locations of, and spacing between, internal metal cuts within the first and second cells, indexing the second cell relative to the first cell by N CPP to define one or more intermediate device layouts to define a modified device layout with improved internal metal cut spacing in order to suppress BGE and LE.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an example method for routing a standard cell with multiple pins. The method can include modifying a dimension of a pin of the standard cell, where the pin is spaced at an increased distance from a boundary of the standard cell than an original position of the pin. The method also includes routing an interconnect from the pin to a via placed on a pin track located between the pin and the boundary and inserting a wire cut between the interconnect and a pin from an adjacent standard cell. The method further includes verifying that the wire cut separates the interconnect from the pin from the adjacent standard cell by at least a predetermined distance.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first diffusion area for a first type transistor. The first type transistor includes a first drain region and a first source region. A second diffusion area for a second type transistor is separated from the first diffusion area. The second type transistor includes a second drain region and a second source region. A gate electrode continuously extends across the first diffusion area and the second diffusion area in a routing direction. A first metallic structure is electrically coupled with the first source region. A second metallic structure is electrically coupled with the second drain region. A third metallic structure is disposed over and electrically coupled with the first and second metallic structures. A width of the first metallic structure is substantially equal to or larger than a width of the third metallic structure.

Abstract: In at least one cell region, a semiconductor device includes fins and at least one overlying gate structure. The fins (dummy and active) are substantially parallel to a first direction. Each gate structure is substantially parallel to a second direction (which is substantially perpendicular to the first direction). First and second active fins have corresponding first and second conductivity types. Each cell region, relative to the second direction, includes: a first active region which includes a sequence of three or more consecutive first active fins located in a central portion of the cell region; a second active region which includes one or more second active fins located between the first active region and a first edge of the cell region; and a third active region which includes one or more second active fins located between the first active region and a second edge of the cell region.

Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods for forming a semiconductor structure are provided. The method includes forming a first active semiconductor region disposed in a first vertical level of the semiconductor structure, forming a second active semiconductor region disposed in the first vertical level, where the second active semiconductor region is separated from the first active semiconductor region by a distance in a first direction, forming a first conductive structure disposed in a second vertical level that is adjacent to the first vertical level. The first conductive structure extends along the first direction and electrically couples the first active semiconductor region to the second active semiconductor region.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate, an isolation region extending into, and overlying a bulk portion of, the semiconductor substrate, a buried conductive track comprising a portion in the isolation region, and a transistor having a source/drain region and a gate electrode. The source/drain region or the gate electrode is connected to the buried conductive track.

Abstract: Semiconductor structures and methods for forming a semiconductor structure are provided. A first active semiconductor region is disposed in a first vertical level of the semiconductor structure. A second active semiconductor region is disposed in the first vertical level, where the second active semiconductor region is separated from the first active semiconductor region by a distance in a first direction. A first conductive structure is disposed in a second vertical level that is adjacent to the first vertical level. The first conductive structure extends along the first direction and electrically couples the first active semiconductor region to the second active semiconductor region.