Abstract: It is an object to provide a semiconductor integrated circuit which can easily be designed and has a low wiring resistance, and a method and apparatus for designing the semiconductor integrated circuit. In a semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus according to the invention, a first wiring layer is provided with a plurality of signal wirings having an equal width which is disposed in parallel with each other at a regular interval, and at least two of the signal wirings which are adjacent to each other are electrically connected to each other.

Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit mask layout verification method, a layout pattern division condition 108, according to which a plurality of specific layout patterns that need to have identical circuit characteristics are included, is input in a condition input step 109. In a data division step 103, input mask layout design data is divided into a plurality of layout pattern groups according to the layout pattern division condition. In a standard pattern selection step 105, a standard pattern serving as a standard in pattern matching is selected for each of the divided layout pattern groups. In a pattern matching step 106, for each of the layout pattern groups, layout patterns included in that layout pattern group are compared with the standard pattern.

Abstract: At least a groove for separating a semiconductor substrate into a first region of a relatively large area and a second region of a relatively small area is formed. An insulating film is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate including the interior of the groove. The insulating film is etched using an etching mask having a lattice window pattern in such a manner that openings corresponding to the lattice window pattern are formed in the first region. As an alternative, openings corresponding to a single opening pattern are formed in the first region using an etching mask having the single opening pattern and the lattice window pattern, and the insulating film is etched in such a manner that openings corresponding to the lattice window pattern are formed in the second region. In both cases, the remaining insulating film is polished off.

Abstract: The reliability design method of this invention includes an aged deterioration target extracting step of obtaining a deterioration part where a characteristic is deteriorated through aging in a semiconductor integrated circuit device having a structure corresponding to an initial mask layout pattern; an aged deterioration executing step of creating a deteriorated mask layout pattern corresponding to a structure of the semiconductor integrated circuit device resulting from the aging by modifying the initial mask layout pattern; and an aged deterioration coping step of evaluating a characteristic of the semiconductor integrated circuit device having the structure corresponding to the deteriorated mask layout pattern. In the aged deterioration coping step, the initial mask layout pattern is corrected on the basis of an evaluation result.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a semiconductor integrated circuit which can easily be designed and has a low wiring resistance, and a method and apparatus for designing the semiconductor integrated circuit. In a semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus according to the invention, a first wiring layer is provided with a plurality of signal wirings having an equal width which is disposed in parallel with each other at a regular interval, and at least two of the signal wirings which are adjacent to each other are electrically connected to each other.

Abstract: Verification of the pattern area ratio of a semiconductor integrated circuit device or the pattern occupancy ratio in a check window set for the semiconductor integrated circuit device is performed on an assumption that a dummy pattern defined by process conditions is placed in an unoccupied region of the semiconductor integrated circuit device or in an unoccupied region in at least one instance provided in the semiconductor integrated circuit device.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to discover at the chip level a portion of a high density of contact holes in wires of a large area that becomes a portion where wire defects will occur. In order to achieve this, the area ratio of the total area of wires of the same node to the total area of contact holes in the wires of the same node is limited in a chip layout and wire formation defects are detected by determining whether or not defects exists based on this limitation. Thus, defects are detected wherein the area ratio exceeds the limit at the layout design stage and thereby formation defects such as a disconnection of a wire of a large area, a wire breakdown, a surface peeling due to a hillock or a defective connection between a wire and a contact hole can be avoided.

Abstract: To provide a layout verification method capable of accurately detecting damage to be given to a gate, and to provide a higher-workability and higher-reliability design method to accurately detect damage to be given to a gate and to determine an approach for design correction to avoid damage, the layout verification method according to the invention is characterized in that an antenna value which is an estimated value of transistor gate damage is output based on an antenna ratio, and a fluctuation of plasma charging damage due to the layout near the transistor gate.

Abstract: To provide a pattern generating method for a semiconductor device capable of forming a highly reliable semiconductor device, the accuracy of which is high. A method of generating a pattern for a semiconductor device comprises: a step of designing and arranging a layout pattern of a semiconductor chip; a step of extracting an area ratio of the mask pattern from the layout pattern; and a step of adding and arranging a dummy pattern to the layout pattern, while consideration is given to the most appropriate area ratio of the layout pattern of the layer obtained according to a process condition of the layer composing the layout pattern, so that the area ratio of the layer can be the most appropriate area ratio.

Abstract: At least a groove for separating a semiconductor substrate into a first region of a relatively large area and a second region of a relatively small area is formed. An insulating film is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate including the interior of the groove. The insulating film is etched using an etching mask having a lattice window pattern in such a manner that openings corresponding to the lattice window pattern are formed in the first region. As an alternative, openings corresponding to a single opening pattern are formed in the first region using an etching mask having the single opening pattern and the lattice window pattern, and the insulating film is etched in such a manner that openings corresponding to the lattice window pattern are formed in the second region. In both cases, the remaining insulating film is polished off.

Abstract: At least a groove for separating a semiconductor substrate into a first region of a relatively large area and a second region of a relatively small area is formed. An insulating film is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate including the interior of the groove. The insulating film is etched using an etching mask having a lattice window pattern in such a manner that openings corresponding to the lattice window pattern are formed in the first region. As an alternative, openings corresponding to a single opening pattern are formed in the first region using an etching mask having the single opening pattern and the lattice window pattern, and the insulating film is etched in such a manner that openings corresponding to the lattice window pattern are formed in the second region. In both cases, the remaining insulating film is polished off.

Abstract: The semiconductor integrated circuit of the present invention comprises a clock circuit for generating a clock signal. The clock circuit comprises a clock control circuit for controlling propagation of the clock signal. The clock control circuit comprises a burn-in control signal input terminal for inputting a burn-in control signal that controls operation state of the clock circuit when performing burn-in processing, and a clock control signal output terminal for outputting the clock signal. The clock control circuit controls propagation of the clock signal outputted from the clock control signal output terminal based on the burn-in control signal inputted to the burn-in control signal input terminal.

Abstract: To provide a semiconductor device characterized in that: a decoupling capacitor can be increased; noise generated from an electric power supply can be effectively absorbed; and a stable operation of a circuit can be realized. Irrespective of whether or not a region is close to a power supply wiring or a ground wiring, MOS is spread all over a spare area of a chip and connected to a power supply wiring and ground wiring by utilizing a wiring layer and diffusion layer.

Abstract: To provide a layout verification method capable of accurately detecting damage to be given to a gate, and to provide a higher-workability and higher-reliability design method to accurately detect damage to be given to a gate and to determine an approach for design correction to avoid damage, the layout verification method according to the invention is characterized in that an antenna value which is an estimated value of transistor gate damage is output based on an antenna ratio, and a fluctuation of plasma charging damage due to the layout near the transistor gate.

Abstract: To provide a semiconductor integrated circuit device capable of effectively absorbing power supply noise, of achieving the stable operation of a circuit, and particularly, of absorbing noise in a vicinity of a noise generating source. The semiconductor integrated circuit device has at least one circuit block. The semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a bypass capacitor having a first conductor layer 1a formed on the circuit block and a second conductor layer 1b formed on the first conductor layer 1a with a capacitor insulating film 1c interposed therebetween. One of the first and second conductor layers of the bypass capacitor is connected to one of a grounding wiring line or a power supply wiring lines through a substrate contact which fixes a potential of a substrate and the other is connected to the other of the power supply wiring line or the grounding wiring line.

Abstract: In the verification method of the present invention, a defect that is to cause a problem in fabrication is extracted from a mask pattern. The mask pattern is one obtained by deforming a mask pattern of a photomask used in a photolithography process so as to provide a transferred image close to a desired design pattern. The verification method includes the steps of: determining the exposure dose in the photolithography process; simulating the photolithography process on a computer based on the determined exposure dose; checking whether or not the desired design pattern has been obtained; and locating a fault point and outputting the result.

Abstract: Verification of the pattern area ratio of a semiconductor integrated circuit device or the pattern occupancy ratio in a check window set for the semiconductor integrated circuit device is performed on an assumption that a dummy pattern defined by process conditions is placed in an unoccupied region of the semiconductor integrated circuit device or in an unoccupied region in at least one instance provided in the semiconductor integrated circuit device.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to discover at the chip level a portion of a high density of contact holes in wires of a large area that becomes a portion where wire defects will occur. In order to achieve this, the area ratio of the total area of wires of the same node to the total area of contact holes in the wires of the same node is limited in a chip layout and wire formation defects are detected by determining whether or not defects exists based on this limitation. Thus, defects are detected wherein the area ratio exceeds the limit at the layout design stage and thereby formation defects such as a disconnection of a wire of a large area, a wire breakdown, a surface peeling due to a hillock or a defective connection between a wire and a contact hole can be avoided.

Abstract: To provide a pattern generating method for a semiconductor device capable of forming a highly reliable semiconductor device, the accuracy of which is high.

Abstract: To provide a semiconductor device characterized in that: a decoupling capacitor can be increased; noise generated from an electric power supply can be effectively absorbed; and a stable operation of a circuit can be realized.